Wheaton grad named commissioner for state agency
Sunila Thomas-George has been named a commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination by Gov. Deval Patrick.
Sunila Thomas-George has been named a commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination by Gov. Deval Patrick.
An expert in employment discrimination, Thomas-George has been an attorney with the Commission since 1997 serving in a number of capacities. The agency investigates and prosecutes cases on discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation and age to name a few. It also handles discrimination claims in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, credit and education.
"I am thrilled to be part of the Patrick administration, knowing that the Governor is passionate and concerned about civil rights and the importance of our agency and mission," the Wheaton alumna said.
At the Commission, Thomas-George has managed a staff of attorneys and worked closely with the commissioners, the chief of Enforcement and the general counsel on substantive and procedural issues before the commission. She also assisted in drafting the MCAD Disability and Sexual Harassment Guidelines. She has been a Certified Trainer in Discrimination and Harassment Prevention since 2001.
Thomas-George says she became interested in discrimination law in law school, but credits Wheaton with motivating her to become an attorney.
"My desire to go to law school started in my junior year at Wheaton when I took one of Professor [of Political Science] Jay Goodman's classes," she recalled. "It really got me thinking of the possibilities that one could achieve by having a background in law. Also, the classes that I took as a political science major were instrumental in my decision to go to law school."
Thomas-George has been the recipient of a number of awards including the Executive Branch Award for Excellence in Government Legal Services in 2004 and the Manuel Carballo Governor's Award for Excellence in Public Service in 2001. After earning undergraduate degree from Wheaton, she received her law degree from Western New England College School of Law in 1995.
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination is the Commonwealth's chief civil rights agency. The Commission works to eliminate discrimination on a variety of bases and areas, and strives to advance the civil rights of the people of the Commonwealth through law enforcement, outreach and training.
