Lisa J. Pino

HHS Announced The Appointment Of Lisa J. Pino On September 27, 2021. “The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services today announced the appointment of Lisa J. Pino as Director of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR enforces federal civil rights, conscience, and religious freedom laws; the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules; and the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act and Patient Safety Rule - which together protect individuals' fundamental civil rights and medical privacy. "Lisa is an exceptional public servant, and I am delighted to welcome her to the role of the Director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS," said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. "Her breadth of experience and management expertise, particularly her hand in advancing civil rights regulations and policy at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the Obama-Biden Administration, will help ensure that we protect the rights of every person across the country as we work to build a healthier America.’” [HHS, 9/27/21]

• Executive Deputy Commissioner, New York State Department of Health (2020 – 2021)
• USDA Agency Review Team, Biden-Harris Transition Team (2020 – 2021)
• Founder, rosefare (2020)
• Fellow, Five Borough Future (2019 – 2020)
• Counsel, Global Mobility & Migration, Employment & Benefits Practice (2017 – 2019)
• Senior Counselor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2014 – 2017)
• Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Agriculture (2012 – 2013)
• Deputy Administrator, SNAP Program, Food & Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (2009 – 2012)
• Staff Attorney, Farmworker Unit, Community Legal Services of Arizona (2006 – 2007)
• Pro Bono, Innocence Project (2004)
• Law Clerk, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Government Accountability Office (2004)
• Law Fellow, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (2003 – 2004)

On Her LinkedIn Profile, Pino Details Her Efforts To Promote And Implement A Rule Amendment To Protect USDA Programming Participants From Discrimination Based On Their Gender Identity. [Lisa J. Pino LinkedIn, accessed 10/5/21]

The Rule Amendment Was Proposed In December 2013, Shortly After Pino’s Time At The USDA OCR Office. “Finally, USDA proposes to amend its regulation to add protection from discrimination in programs or activities conducted by the Department with respect to two new protected bases: political beliefs and gender identity. This amendment is meant to make explicit protections against discrimination based on USDA program customers' political beliefs or gender identity. Gender identity includes USDA program customers' gender expression, including how USDA program customers act, dress, perceive themselves, or otherwise express their gender.” [Federal Register, 12/27/13]

The Rule Amendment Was Finalized In July 2014. “This rule follows the USDA proposed rule published on December 27, 2013, (78 FR 78788-249). The USDA is amending its regulation on nondiscrimination in programs or activities conducted by the Department. In 1964, USDA adopted Title VI principles to its federally conducted activities by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin. (See 29 FR 16966, creating 7 CFR part 15, subpart b, referring to nondiscrimination in direct USDA programs and activities, now found at 7 CFR part 15d). Subsequently, USDA expanded the protected bases for its conducted programs to include religion, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, and whether any portion of a person's income is derived from public assistance programs. The intention is to hold the Department to a higher standard than our recipients.” [Federal Register, 7/16/14]

While At The USDA, Pino Worked On A Policy Intended To Increase Im/Migrant SNAP Participation. “In response to the disproportional gap between food insecurity, SNAP eligibility and SNAP participation among prospective immigrant and Latinx SNAP customers, I worked with the FNS agency within the FNS agency within USDA to draft and issued its first SNAP non-citizen policy guidance in 2011 regarding the non-citizenship policies of SNAP eligibility. The guidance intended to debunk myths and confusion surrounding immigration and SNAP eligibility, and mitigate the known fear among individuals, families and stakeholders about the consequences of EBT support, namely the fear of becoming a public charge.” [Cambridge University Press, 2/10/21]

Pino Criticized The Trump Administration’s Public Charge Rule. “Today, this non-citizenship guidance is no longer applicable as the current administration has reversed SNAP policies, from a new public charge rule now upheld by the US Supreme Court to reducing categorial eligibility for SNAP recipients. In turn, the current administration's policies targeting immigrants and SNAP recipients have heightened fears and compelled a chilling effect by lowering SNAP participation rates as the use of public benefits among immigrant and Latinx households have declined.” [Cambridge University Press, 2/10/21]

Pino Began Working In Immigration Law By Assisting Detained Im/migrants. “With both of her parents coming to the United States as immigrants who were escaping political turmoil, Pino was born and raised in New York City with a strong sense of integrity, honesty, and resilience. Those values, she says, organically led her into a career of public service. But a yearning to see the country outside New York, combined with an affordable, Hispanic-friendly college opportunity at Arizona State University, turned into nearly a decade in the Southwest. There, with her bilingual and bicultural background, she was drawn to immigration law. She even worked at border detention centers in Arizona during her tenure there.” [Hispanic Executive, accessed 9/29/21]

The Trump Administration’s Immigration Policy Compelled Pino To Work In The Private Sector For A Law Firm Focused On Migrant Employees. “When the presidency changed hands, the priorities changed as well; a proposed travel ban took center stage. Pino’s background with immigration issues and homeland security compelled her to stay involved, this time in Washington’s private sector. At an event supporting those negatively affected by the travel ban proposal, she learned of Mayer Brown’s global mobility and migration practice. [Hispanic Executive, accessed 9/29/21]