Chad Dion Lassiter is a National Expert in the field of American Race Relations. Mr. Lassiter has worked on race, peace, and poverty-related issues in The United States of America, Africa, Canada, Haiti, Israel, and Norway, and is called upon frequently by media outlets to provide commentary on race relations and potential solutions. From April 2023- December 2024, Mr. Lassiter served as a commissioner on President Biden’s Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunities for Black Americans.
He is the current Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where over his seven years in this position, he has developed and launched the PHRC Civil Rights Outreach Division, to address civil tensions, conflicts, and incidents in communities across the Commonwealth and promote anti-racism through education and outreach; a ‘No Hate in Our State Town Hall’ to address the surge of White Nationalism in Pennsylvania; and a two-year, 67-county statewide listening tour.
During his appointment, Mr. Lassiter has also developed programs such as, a ‘Global Social Justice Initiative,’ ‘Black and Jewish Beloved Community Dialogue,’ and the ‘College Race Dialogue Initiative.’
Mr. Lassiter received his master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Social Work, where he was the A. Phillip Randolph Award winner in 2001 and was the recipient of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Involvement Award in 2008.
Mr. Lassiter is a co-founder and current president of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice’s Black Men at Penn, the first Ivy League Black male group of social workers. Since 2003 this transcendent group has sought to recruit Black males into the profession, as well as, provide Anti-Racism and violence prevention training to urban and suburban schools around the country and diversity and inclusion training for corporate entities and penal systems.
Mr. Lassiter has been recognized by the Philadelphia Tribune as “The Most Influential African American Leader” from 2010-2025, as “Who’s Who among African-Americans" 17th edition in 2004 with such notables as Colin Powell and Michael Jordan.
On November 18, 2019, Mr. Lassiter was inducted into the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice Alumni Hall of Fame. On October 26, 2021, Mr. Lassiter was chosen as National Association of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter Social Worker of the Year for 2021. He was the recipient of the 2023 International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies’ International Award. He has also been recognized by City & State PA’s 2023 Pennsylvania Impact 75; City and State PA’s 2024 Pennsylvania Power of Diversity: Black 100; Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2024 Diversity in Business; and City & State PA 2025 Pennsylvania Power 100.
Email: classiter@pa.gov
