State of Equity Leadership Transition Announcement

Dear Colleagues,

After 16 years, I am stepping down from my role as Executive Director of State of Equity at the Public Health Institute (PHI). I am deeply proud of what we have built, and I am excited that this work will continue under a strong and capable team, led by Lianne Dillon as Interim Program Director.

Where we came from and what we have done:

I have had the honor of supporting this team since 2010. We began as a small group of three, housed at the California Department of Public Health, learning what Health in All Policies could look like in practice. Our move to the Governor’s Strategic Growth Council (SGC) expanded opportunities for cross government leadership and collaboration. Over time, State of Equity has played a central role in building the Health in All Policies field, advancing racial equity work in California state government, and supporting government leaders across the country.

The team has developed practical tools, training, strategy, and direct technical assistance used both in moments of crisis and in the steady work of long term systems change, while centering community voice, strengthening government accountability, and staying grounded in careful analysis. Highlights include the following:

• Through the Health in All Policies Task Force, health and equity metrics are now embedded in transportation, housing, and climate programs representing more than $4 billion in state grants reaching over 400 communities. California’s approach has been recognized by the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine.

• The work of the Capitol Collaborative on Race and Equity (CCORE) has engaged more than 600 people across 60 state departments and agencies, resulting in nearly 40 racial equity action plans and equity embedded in the budgets of more than 20 agencies. Work has been sustained across administrations, with early participants now serving in senior leadership and cabinet roles. California has also launched a Racial Equity Commission and adopted a statewide Racial Equity Framework moving into implementation in 2026.

• In 2022, we launched States Advancing Racial Equity (SARE), a national strategy and organizing community for state government racial equity leaders, in partnership with Race Forward’s Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) and American Pride Rises (APR). SARE now supports government racial equity leaders across more than 30 states.

Interim leadership and where we are headed:

Lianne Dillon has been a founding organizer of the Health in All Policies Task Force, a co-founder of CCORE, former Deputy Program Director of State of Equity, and a creative business strategist for our fee-for-service work. More than any title, she is a fierce anti-racism organizer and a deeply collaborative leader who has the institutional knowledge, strategic instincts, and trust of this team to guide us through what comes next.

Under Lianne’s interim leadership, State of Equity will advance a business model revamp, implement its 2024 Racial Equity Action Plan, and make organizational changes demanded by this political moment. CCORE will continue to anchor the California work through the upcoming gubernatorial change, and SARE will continue to support racial equity leaders across the country.

Appreciations and partnerships:

This work has relied on strong partnerships across government, advocacy, and philanthropy. The SGC and the Department of Public Health have helped translate equity commitments into policy and practice. GARE has contributed national leadership and deep expertise in advancing racial equity within government. PHI has been our organizational home, providing the infrastructure and stewardship needed to sustain this work. We are also grateful for the many community based organizations and advocacy groups who have ensured an inside-outside approach rooted in accountability and lived experience.

Philanthropic partners include The California Endowment, Blue Shield of California Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, along with earlier support from The California Wellness Foundation, Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit, and the American Public Health Association. Both GARE and PHI have also made strategic financial investments in this work.

A farewell:

My last day in the office is June 4, and I will be out for the month of May. My commitment to health equity and racial justice is unchanged. After some rest this summer, I will move into independent consulting, with the intention of continuing to support the Health in All Policies field, strengthen racial equity in government operations, support nonprofit partners and public sector leaders, and direct resources back to State of Equity. You can find me on LinkedIn – please stay in touch.

I encourage you to stay connected with Lianne and the staff stepping into new and expanded roles, and to offer them your trust and support as they lead what comes next.

With deep appreciation,

Julia Caplan