Office of People, Culture and Belonging Leadership
Message from the Assistant Secretary, Angela Bryant
The Office of People, Culture and Belongingalong with the Office of Health Equity (OHE) and the Office of Rural Health (ORH) in the Health Equity Portfolio (HEP), focuses on mobilizing and equipping the DHHS workforce to intervene and engage effectively for equity outcomes in the health and human service arena across the state. For the Office of People, Culture and Belonging, that work starts with an emphasis on Workforce DEI, belonging and accessibility and requires that everyone, from all backgrounds and work levels, has a fair opportunity for successful outcomes. Effective Workforce DEI skills will build and sustain a strong and inclusive DHHS workforce who can act and intervene at the personal, interpersonal, cultural, and institutional levels to foster well-being, save lives and overcome the discrimination and exclusion that are the root causes of health, workforce, program and societal inequities.
About the Assistant Secretary for Equity & Inclusion
Angela Bryant brings more than 40 years of legal, governmental, and nonprofit experience to her position as Assistant Secretary of Equity and Inclusion at NCDHHS. After earning her BS and JD degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill, Angela went on to serve as an administrative judge, UNC-Chapel Hill trustee, UNC System Board of Governors member, city council representative, twelve-year legislator, and 35 years as DEI consultant to business, government, health care, education, faith-based, community-based and philanthropic organizations. Bryant was appointed by the Governor in 2022 to the Reauthorized Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC 2.0).
Within the fields of DEI and Health Equity, Angela is the co-founder of VISIONS Inc., a nonprofit organization that has provided diversity and inclusion services since 1984 to over 800 clients. Through VISIONS, Angela also co-created The Wright’s Center Inc., a Rocky Mount-based community development project that has provided adult day healthcare services to elders and disabled adults for more than 30 years.
Asst. Sec. Bryant is charged with supporting strategy leadership in the Health Equity Portfolio for DEI and Health Equity.
Email: angela.bryant@dhhs.nc.gov Office: 919-368-7817
About the Director of the Office of People, Culture and Belonging
Dr. Bryle Henderson Hatch is an inclusive engagement professional with experience in diversity, equity and inclusion, workforce development, and educational programming. As Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Hatch is charged with leading, coordinating and administering DHHS initiatives that drive development, design, and implementation of an enterprise-wide DEI strategy. He facilitates the strategic efforts to build and sustain a strong and inclusive workforce at DHHS that can intervene to effectively achieve health and program equity outcomes.
His professional experiences include serving as Vice President and Chief of Staff of West Virginia State University and Executive Director for Community Engagement at North Carolina A&T State University. He most recently served as the Executive Director of Thrive High Point, a multi-million-dollar initiative to support diversity and inclusion in local entrepreneurship.
Within the field of DEI, he served as the Diversity Manager for Duke University’s School of Medicine; leading underrepresented minority recruitment, faculty education, community building, and external projects related to diversity and inclusion. Hatch also worked as the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) and a Director of Workforce Development within the North Carolina Community College System.
Dr. Hatch earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication, a master’s degree in adult and higher education and a doctorate in leadership studies, all from North Carolina A&T State University. He also completed post-baccalaureate studies in public communication at American University in Washington, D.C.
Email: Bryle.Hatch@dhhs.nc.gov Office: 919-855-4819