Shawmut has welcomed Brooke Woodson as director of diversity and compliance for its New England Region, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through its strategic supplier diversity practices.

In this new role, Woodson will partner with operational teams, trade partners, and clients to establish DEI impacts across its regional projects; support Shawmut’s culture of belonging across its job sites; and drive Underrepresented Business Enterprises (UBEs) outreach and participation.

“Shawmut’s commitment to DEI is a sustained, ongoing effort that’s integrated into every level of our business,” said Kevin Sullivan, executive vice president of Shawmut Design and Construction’s New England region. “Brooke’s decades of experience as a longtime advocate and champion for diversity and civic engagement, particularly through his work advancing underrepresented populations, makes him a natural fit as we continue to drive inclusive engagement throughout the industry and beyond.”

Woodson will primarily focus on increasing access to and building partnerships with UBEs, including Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and Veteran Business Enterprises (VBE), to further enhance workforce diversity across job sites. He will also advise and provide regional leadership of Shawmut’s Diverse Partnership Program, the firm’s companywide initiative to drives economic, social, and community opportunities through strategic partnerships and capacity building initiatives that lead to knowledge-sharing, innovative solutions, and long-term success for its diverse trade partners, vendors, and suppliers.

“A shared commitment to building more inclusive, engaged communities is what drove me to Shawmut,” said Woodson. “I’m looking forward to furthering the firm’s commitment to engaging diversity of people, ideas, and experiences across its projects and involvements.”

Woodson brings more than 30 years in civic engagement and DEI leadership to his new role. He previously served as the director of the City of Boston’s Small and Local Business Enterprise (SLBE) office for 20 years, as vice president of programs at Madison Park Development Corporation, and most recently as Suffolk Construction’s national director of trade partner diversity. He holds an M.A. in Urban Affairs from Boston University and a B.S. in Political Science, cum laude, from Northeastern University.

Woodson currently serves on the Employer Advisory Panel at Building Pathways, the Board of Directors for YouthBuild Boston, and the Racial Equity & Inclusion Committee for the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp. He was the former chairman of the City of Boston Scholarship Committee and is the founding officer and former board member of the Roxbury Cultural District.