County Manager Mark Schwartz has appointed Anna Maynard as head of the Office of Human Rights (OHR) and Executive Director of the Human Rights Commission, effective Monday, September 28, 2026. Maynard has served in the role on an acting basis since November 2025.
Maynard began her County career in the Department of Human Services in 2003 as Disability Resources Coordinator and joined the Office of Human Rights in that role in 2006. She has since served as Disability Resources/ADA Coordinator, Human Rights/EEO Investigator, and OHR Assistant Manager.
"Anna has served the cause of Human Rights in Arlington for more than 23 years, and I want to thank her for stepping into this role on a permanent basis," Schwartz said. "Maintaining the County's commitment to fair and equal protection of the law and opportunity for everyone to participate in the benefits, rights and privileges of community life is crucial."
Schwartz also announced plans for a new and expanded approach to County staffing of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) cases and matters pursued under the Human Rights Ordinance.
"Since the adoption of the County's Human Rights Ordinance in the 1980s, our population, the size of the County workforce, caseloads, and regulatory expectations have grown tremendously," Schwartz said. He noted that balancing these responsibilities within a single office has stretched the County's ability to respond timely to internal EEO complaints and to conduct specialized and proactive education and enforcement of fair housing laws.
As part of his FY 2028 budget proposal, Schwartz is putting forward a new structure within the County Manager's Office. An Office of Equal Employment & ADA Programs would focus on County workforce EEO investigations, ADA/Section 504 employee accommodations, Title VI/ADA/Section 504 compliance, and workforce training. A Human Rights and Fair Housing Enforcement Office would handle enforcement of the Human Rights Ordinance, including intake and investigation of external discrimination complaints, contract investigator oversight, community education, support for the Human Rights Commission, and pursuit of findings through Commission hearings and court action.
"Our community needs to step up its effort to protect those who face discrimination in the workplace and in receipt of essential services," Schwartz said. "To realize this vision will require an increase in resources. I look forward to working with the County Board and the community to discuss this further as we prepare our FY 2028 budget this winter."