Rockland County Executive Ed Day announced earlier this month that Spencer Chiimbwe of Stony Point is Rockland’s new Commissioner of Human Rights.

Commissioner Chiimbwe was selected following an extensive recruitment process through multiple avenues including online job sites, the County of Rockland website, and was assisted by members of the Human Rights Commission, members of the county legislature, and other community members.

“Human rights transcend race, religion, or any groups we subscribe to,” said Chiimbwe. “I call upon the residents of Rockland, and all the stakeholders of human rights work in our county, to give me a chance to skillfully work with everybody in fulfilling my mandate as Commissioner of Human Rights.”

Most recently, Chiimbwe has worked for the County of Rockland as a Grants Specialist for its American Rescue Plan Act Department assisting local organizations and negatively impacted communities as they navigate the sometimes-complicated grant application processes.

Chiimbwe has worked in an array of positions that solidified and enhanced his fundamental understanding of government, which is crucial in this role including: The ACTION Support Center, securing grants from entities like the Ford Foundation; the New York State Senate conducting legislative research and drafting policy documents; volunteering for Congresswoman Nita Lowey assisting with constituent services and connecting with community stakeholders and The United African Congress inspiring community engagement and participation around key issues like health care, domestic violence, education and empowerment.

Other roles Chiimbwe served in include Vice President for the When in Need Foundation, a humanitarian and philanthropic nonprofit working with disadvantaged communities, Visiting Researcher for the European Union Parliament in Brussels, and Partner to public relations firm Strategy XXI Partners which enhanced collaborations between governments, corporations, private foundations, and nonprofits.

“Without question, he has extensive experience working across cultural lines and with extremely diverse communities,” said County Executive Day. “We are confident that his prior experience will give him a necessary advantage in his new role, as our Human Rights Commissioner needs to be omnipresent throughout Rockland.”

The Commissioner of Human Rights position pays $105,000 annually and requires the confirmation of the Rockland County Legislature.