CFRI's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
Committee Charter

Revised January 28th, 2022

CFRI DEIJ Team Charter

CFRI DEIJ Initiatives

The goal of Colorado Forest Restoration Institute’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEIJ) team is to build and enhance a shared understanding of how our organization implements inclusive practices in our work. CFRI’s mission is to collaboratively develop and apply science-informed solutions that reduce wildfire risk and restore forest resilience. Our success is dependent on our ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries and work with diverse groups of students, faculty, staff, professional partners, and community stakeholders. The DEIJ team will develop, support, and/or implement initiatives that foster a more inclusive culture, increase diversity and enhance equity amongst our staff, and contribute to improving social justice issues impacting forest and fire research and management. The Team will address contemporary DEIJ issues in the organization in the context of historical exclusion and marginalization in natural resource professions and society. In alignment with Colorado State University’s Commitment to Inclusive Excellence, CFRI uses the broadest possible definition of diversity and is committed to welcoming diversity in age, culture, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity, and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, perspectives, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and veteran status. By promoting a culture where different perspectives are valued and respected, yet also held accountable to facts and reasoned discussion, a culture of accountability develops amongst all staff as well as between CFRI and our partners.

The CFRI DEIJ team aims to:
  • Increase transparency about our initiatives, practices, and science in ways that promote respectful dialogue and empower social accountability within and outside our organization.
  • Enhance diversity of perspectives who may not be heard and amplify underrepresented voices.
  • Provide well-researched and considered advice on DEIJ issues relevant to CFRI.
  • Coordinate with and serve as a bridge between CFRI leadership, other CFRI Teams, and individual staff on DEIJ related issues.
  • Facilitate action on productive ideas no matter where they originate from.
DEIJ Team Measures of Success
  • Pursue meaningful change within realistic expectations, and aim to improve our DEIJ practices and relationships “one degree at a time”.
  • Ensure our work moves beyond education and results in actions that improve our practices and outcomes.
  • Avoid token gestures and insincere actions.
  • Maintain a safe space where all CFRI staff and partners feel welcome, valued, and respected.
  • Promote an institutional culture where employees are empowered to speak up about concerns and celebrate successes and can expect a compassionate and informed response from their coworkers and/or leadership.
  • Increase diversity of CFRI staff at all levels within the organization.
  • Our DEIJ efforts attract resources and sustain improvements within the organization, and with external partners.
Team Membership

The team will be comprised of representatives across the work areas and other CFRI teams at every staff level. The team will aim to approximate the demographic diversity of current CFRI staff across as many spectrums as possible. Participation on the committee is voluntary and will be open to anyone in the organization. Team members and CFRI leadership will work together to ensure a breadth of perspectives are represented on the team. CFRI members of Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR) DEIJ Committees will participate as active members on the CFRI DEIJ Team and act as liaisons between CFRI and WCNR committees.

Committee Members: Hannah Brown, Marin Chambers, Jarod Dunn, Helen Flynn, Ch’aska Huayuaca-Frye, Angela Hollingsworth, Savannah Lehnert, Kat Morici, Brooke Simmons, Sienna Wessel, Maddie Wilson, Brett Wolk