Alex Merchant is the manager for diversity, equity, inclusion, and culture at the Brennan Center. His overall mission is to make sure staff feel well so they can perform at their best. He oversees all aspects of supporting the internal culture of the Brennan Center by tending to the holistic needs of employees, auditing organizational policies with an eye on equity and inclusion, and creating programming to foster a greater sense of belonging and access. He also oversees the organization’s learning and development, enabling staff to do their work with the necessary resources and training.
Whenever interpersonal staff or team dynamics need repairing, Merchant serves as a coach and counselor, adopting a restorative practice model for promoting individual agency and communication to reconcile any tension. Merchant supports the leadership and programming activities of the seven employee resource groups, and he chairs the Brennan Center DEI Council. Managing all aspects of learning and development, Merchant also works with outside vendors and consultants to design trainings, workshops, and other development offerings for the organization.
Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Merchant served as an administrator with New York University and other institutions, designing and facilitating DEI curricula and workforce training within a social justice framework. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and his master’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also earned certificates in human capital management and diversity, equity, and inclusion from NYU.