Alicia Edwards, SHRM-CP,

has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University. She began her career in child welfare in 2006 in residential, private agency, and government settings. She served children in families in multiple capacities between 2006 and 2013.

She pivoted and expanded her skills by joining an information technology project in 2013. She excelled as a User Acceptance Tester, Field Support Analyst, Trainer, and mentor from 2014 to 2021.

Alicia joined the MDHHS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Action team in 2018 and has served as the Co-Lead for the action team and a member of the MDHHS DEI Council since 2020. She developed and improved infrastructure for the Office of Culture, Change, Education, and Leadership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services since 2021 through coaching, strategic planning, facilitated training, and creating space for accountability.

Alicia has deepened knowledge regarding advancing equitable outcomes and has obtained certificates from Davenport Institute of Professional Excellence, the Government Alliance on Race Equity,  the University of South Florida, Upton Consulting,  and the Cultural Intelligence Center, which is non-exhaustive. Most recently, Alicia deepened her career repertoire by becoming a Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional, as an avenue to continue emphasizing person-centered service delivery. 

She has been acknowledged for her excellent work and contributions by receiving a Peer Award (2019), Difference Maker Award (2020), a Good Government Coin for Leadership (2020), and a Good Government Equity and Inclusion Coin (2021). Alicia was honored as the MDHHS Outstanding Mentor of the Year for 2023. Alicia is committed to leading with vulnerability, transparency, and advocacy to ensure equitable outcomes in the spaces she occupies.