Naomi Barry-Pérez ’96
- Chair, Clubs Committee, Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association
- Washington, D.C.
Naomi M. Barry-Pérez has served as the director of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) since 2012. In this position, she directs DOL’s civil rights enforcement and compliance programs pursuant to Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (formerly the Workforce Investment Act), among other statutes. Barry-Pérez serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary of Labor and Departmental leadership on civil rights and equal employment opportunity (EEO) with regard to entities receiving federal financial assistance from the Department of Labor as well as employment with the Department of Labor.
Additionally, Barry-Pérez held the position of chief of internal enforcement, where she oversaw the investigation and adjudication of complaints of discrimination within the department. She also served as acting chief of the office of Compliance Assistance and Planning, the entity dedicated to providing Departmental stakeholders with information on how to comply with applicable laws and regulations. Barry-Pérez was responsible for coordinating efforts that pertain to persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) and migrant/seasonal farmworkers.
Barry-Pérez served as a budget examiner in the Education Branch of the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President in 1999-2000. She also served as a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Fellow in the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in 1996-1997.
Barry-Pérez holds a B.A. in politics (cum laude) from Mount Holyoke College and master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. In addition, she held a Public Interest Law Fellowship at the Georgetown University Law Center, where she received a Juris Doctor degree.
Barry-Pérez is the recipient of numerous national awards, including a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Alumnae Achievement Award, Secretary of Labor Exceptional Service Awards, the inaugural Federal Employee Leadership Award given by the National Farmworker Conference, a National Hispanic Scholarship, a Harry S. Truman Scholarship for Public Service, and a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for Public Policy.
Barry-Pérez served as Chairwoman of the Board for Good Shepherd Ministries, Inc., a nonprofit organization that operated four comprehensive programs for at-risk youth in Washington, D.C., and as a board member of Americans for the Arts. Barry-Pérez has also served on a number of committees for Mount Holyoke College, including the College’s Legacy of Diversity Committee. Barry-Pérez earned the rank of Shodan (1st degree black belt) in traditional karate in 2019. Finally, she is the doting mama to Emilio.
Alumnae Association Board term: 2022–2025