Josie B. H. Pickens

Dean Pickens is the former Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the City of Philadelphia. In her work for the City over the past two and a half years, Dean Pickens provided direction, guidance, and advice to the Mayor and City departments and agencies on improving and strengthening inclusion efforts throughout City government. She managed a team of professionals in support of this work. She also provided strategic direction and supervision to the City’s Office of LGBT Affairs, the Office for People with Disabilities, and the Office of Economic Opportunity.

Prior to her work for the City, Dean Pickens served as Supervising Attorney and Co-Director of the Energy Unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, spearheading advocacy efforts to improve energy affordability and equitable access to utility customer assistance programs. As an attorney she represented hundreds of Philadelphia consumers and several community organizations in a wide range of legal disputes. Dean Pickens has extensive experience designing and facilitating DEI coaching and training, as well as a particular passion for attorney skill building and professional development. She is a past recipient of the Independence Foundation’s Public Interest Law Fellowship.

Dean Pickens holds a J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She was born and raised in Philadelphia and is a proud graduate of the City’s Overbrook High School.