Madeline Caliendo - Associate Administrator, Civil Rights

Madeline Caliendo was appointed as GSA's Associate Administrator for the Office of Civil Rights in December 2000.

Madeline administers three civil rights programs at GSA:  (1) GSA’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program, which ensures equal employment opportunity for all GSA employees and applicants for employment on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age (40 and over), and retaliation for engaging in protected EEO activity; (2) GSA’s Nondiscrimination in Federal Financial Assistance Program,  which ensures nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, age (40 and over), national origin, and disability by recipients of GSA’s Federal Financial Assistance; and (3) The Nondiscrimination in Federally Conducted Program, which ensures that GSA’s programs and activities that interface with the public are accessible to people with disabilities and who are limited English proficient.

During her tenure, GSA’s civil rights program has been publicly recognized for its many accomplishments, particularly in the employment arena.  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) considers GSA a leader in its field of mid-size agencies, particularly as it relates to the timeliness of EEO investigations.  Madeline has been invited by the EEOC and others to speak about GSA’s programs on many occasions, including before the full commission.

Since Madeline’s arrival at GSA, the cornerstones of GSA’s civil rights program have been prevention of actual and perceived discrimination; and, when prevention fails, quality and timely adjudication of all discrimination complaints.  Madeline has focused her attention on making GSA's Office of Civil Rights a world-class organization.

Prior to her arrival at GSA, Madeline served in several senior positions at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, including Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the Chair and Senior Advisor to the Director, Office of Federal Operations. In addition, Madeline was a civil rights trial attorney for four years.

Madeline is a member of the Council of Civil Rights and EEO Executives and is a member of both the New York and District of Columbia bars.