Newswise — Ann E. Penn, most recently director of the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action and the Women's Resource Center at Kent State University, has been hired as equal opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) officer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Penn, who begins work at UNC on March 15, will be responsible for developing and administering the university's equal opportunity plan. She will work closely with the facilities division on matters of accessibility and ADA compliance for buildings.

"Ann clearly was the most impressive candidate we interviewed," said Dr. Margaret Jablonski, vice chancellor for student affairs and chair of the search committee that recommended Penn. "She will be a wonderful addition to our senior staff, and will help us move forward in our diversity initiatives."

Penn began working at Kent State in 2003. While there, she has led annual affirmative action planning, worked to update search committee guidelines, improved the ADA committee, directed the consolidation of Women's Resource Center with Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action and helped create an online applicant system.

Previously, Penn was director of equal opportunity and diversity at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and also worked as an equal employment opportunity compliance investigator with the Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and as a personnel specialist for the City of Cleveland.

She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Myers University in Cleveland, a master's degree in psychology from Cleveland State University and holds a diversity management certificate from Cleveland State and the NTL Institute for Behavioral Sciences.

Penn will succeed Dr. Robert Cannon, who held the position for 21 years before retiring at the end of December. Glenn George will continue as interim officer until Penn arrives.

Photo URL: http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/admin/penn_ann.jpg