The Office of Minority and Women (OMWI) was formed in response to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. OMWI has the responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 involving diversity, civil rights and the promotion of minority and women hiring and contracting practices throughout the credit union industry. This includes:

• Equal employment opportunity and the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the workforce and senior management of the agency;
• Increased participation of minority-owned and women-owned businesses in the programs and contracts of the agency, including standards for coordinating technical assistance to such businesses;
• Assessing the diversity policies and practices of entities regulated by the agency; and
• Preserving credit unions run by minorities and/or serving minorities.

This office provides crucial focus and direction to NCUA and credit union efforts to reach all segments of the population. Ensuring diversity of our employees and contractors will open the door to new opportunities for the agency, credit unions as well as minorities and women.

Office of Minority and Women Inclusion Director - Tawana Y. James 

Tawana Y. James is the Director of the Office of Minority and Women (OMWI). As Director of OMWI, Tawana oversees the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 involving diversity, civil rights and the promotion of minority and women hiring and contracting practices throughout the credit union industry.

Tawana maintains a long career with the agency and has been an executive-level employee for over 15 years. Prior to this appointment, Tawana served as Director of the Office of Small Credit Union Initiatives (OSCUI) providing valuable assistance to hundreds of small credit unions serving diverse communities that are underserved by other insured financial institutions. As a part of OSCUI mission, she was responsible for administrating the Community Development Revolving Loan Fund, overseeing NCUA’s national small credit union training; providing one-on-one specialized technical assistance to credit unions; and fostering partnerships.

She has extensive experience overseeing credit union examination and supervision programs. Tawana served as Director of NCUA’s Region II Office, responsible for administering the examination program for credit unions throughout the mid-Atlantic region. On a national level, she served as the Deputy Director of NCUA’s Office of the Executive Director, responsible for the daily operations of the entire agency, and was the Deputy Director of NCUA’s Office of Examination and Insurance, responsible for the national examination program for all federally insured credit unions.  

 

Tawana holds a B.S. degree in accounting from Towson State University, Towson, MD. She has completed several higher education courses. Most notable is the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Managers. James is married to Reginald Stevens and has two children, Reginald and Felicia.