Press Release  The MCAD Announces Four Commissioner Appointments in Historic Agency Expansion

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD or Commission) announces the appointment of four new per diem Commissioners—Christina Brown, Steven Locke, Ed Mitnick, and Jeremy Scheiner—each appointed to three-year terms by the Offices of the Governor and Attorney General of Massachusetts. Their appointments complete the MCAD’s newly expanded five-member Commission led by full-time Chair Sunila Thomas George.

The appointments mark a historic transition for the MCAD following statutory changes that took effect on January 1, 2026, expanding the Commission from three to five members. Under the new structure, three Commissioners, including the Chair, are appointed by the Governor, and two are appointed by the Attorney General.

The expansion strengthens MCAD’s ability to enforce civil rights across the Commonwealth. With five Commissioners, the agency is positioned to adjudicate cases, address discriminatory claims, hear case appeals, and further the Commission’s mandate to uphold protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations. 

“The addition of Commissioners Brown, Locke, Mitnick, and Scheiner brings exceptional experience and perspective to the agency at a pivotal moment in our work,” said Chair George. “The newly appointed Commissioners bring a diverse range of legal, professional, and public service experience to the agency, where many of them have previous MCAD experience. It is especially meaningful to welcome this new chapter in MCAD history, particularly as we celebrate 80 years of the Commission’s service to the Commonwealth.” 

Christina Brown, appointed by Governor Healey, serves as Chief Impact Officer at EL Education, where she leads organization-wide strategy to improve educational outcomes, strengthen student-centered practices, and expand the reach of mission-driven programming. She previously served as the organization’s Chief Partnership Officer, overseeing strategic partnerships and growth initiatives. Before joining EL Education, Commissioner Brown was a Partner at TNTP, advising school systems and education organizations nationwide on instructional excellence, equity-focused reform, and talent strategy. She also served as Senior Director for Instruction and Assessment at Center for Collaborative Education, supporting districts and schools in implementing innovative assessment systems and strengthening instructional practice. Across more than two decades in education and nonprofit leadership, she has built a distinguished record of advancing equity, strengthening institutional effectiveness, and scaling programs that expand opportunities for students and communities, earning recognition for her expertise in strategic leadership, partnership development, and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion practices across complex systems.

Commissioner Brown holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Principal Residency Network School Leadership and Principal Certification from Northeastern University, a Master of Education in Language and Literacy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Sociology from Franklin & Marshall College. She also holds Massachusetts Principal Certification (Elementary, Middle, and High School), National Board Teacher Certification in Early Adolescent English Language Arts, and Massachusetts Teacher of Reading Certification (K–12). Her community service includes serving on the Advisory Board of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth, membership in the Plymouth League of Women Voters, and founding service as Secretary of the Plymouth Public Schools Diversity Committee. She is also a former Chapter President and current member of Progressive Massachusetts in Plymouth.

Steven Locke, appointed by Governor Healey, brings extensive experience in law, higher education, and public service to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Most recently, he served as General Counsel at Brandeis University from 2014 to 2025, providing executive legal leadership on a broad range of institutional matters. Prior to that role, he served as Deputy General Counsel and Associate General Counsel, advising university leadership on governance, compliance, employment, and risk management. Earlier in his career, Commissioner Locke served as General Counsel for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination from 2001 to 2005, supporting the agency’s civil rights enforcement mission. He also worked as a Program Attorney and Project Manager at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. and as a Legal Practice Skills Instructor at Suffolk University Law School, where he trained future attorneys in core legal competencies. He began his legal career as an Associate at Morgan, Brown & Joy, focusing on labor and employment law.

Commissioner Locke earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Boston College Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Law, with a minor in Education and teaching certification, from Lafayette College, where he was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha. He also completed a parliamentary internship at London South Bank University (formerly London Polytechnic) in London, authoring a thesis on the proposed abolition of the Greater London Council. Commissioner Locke is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ed Mitnick, appointed by Attorney General Campbell, is the Founder and Executive Director of Just Training Solutions, LLC, a labor and employment consulting firm based in Springfield. Since 2004, he has led the firm in providing legal training, workplace investigations, mediations, and compliance support to businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, colleges and universities, municipalities, labor organizations, and individuals. He also serves as a Training Consultant with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, where he delivers employment law training programs for employers nationwide. Commissioner Mitnick previously served as Of Counsel at Brodeur-McGan, P.C. from 2005 to 2025, where he specialized in labor and employment matters including litigation, negotiations, arbitrations, investigations, and advising clientsonall aspects of employment-related legal issues, including contract administrationand discipline matters. In addition, from 2000 to 2006, he served as a Hearing Officer for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, adjudicating discrimination and harassment claims, conducting public hearings, and issuing written legal decisions. Earlier in his career, he worked as a training consultant with the firm of Seyfarth Shaw, LLP, providing training to companies throughout the United States on a variety of labor and employment issues. He also served as City Solicitor and Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Holyoke, overseeing litigation, labor relations, civil rights matters, and collective bargaining.  Furthermore, Commissioner Mitnick worked as an attorney at the South Hadley labor and employment firm of Sheridan & Sheridan and as an associate at the Salem civil litigation firm of Nathan & Pasquina.

In addition to his legal practice, Commissioner Mitnick has held academic and instructional roles, including serving as faculty for the MCAD Train-the-Trainer Program, as a Teaching Fellow at Western New England University School of Law, and as an instructor for the Bennington July Program at Bennington College. He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stony Brook University. Commissioner Mitnick is admitted to practice before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He has also served on the Editorial Board of the Massachusetts Law Review and on the Belchertown School Committee.

Jeremy Scheiner, appointed by Attorney General Campbell, is a civil rights and equity leader currently serving as Director of Diversity for the City of Boston, where he supports citywide diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives for the municipal workforce. His work includes strategic equity planning, policy and training, a bilingual pay program, and employee resource groups.

Previously, Commissioner Scheiner served as Deputy Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at the national office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where he led organization-wide equity strategy, anti-bias training, leadership development initiatives, and restorative justice programs. He also co-led racial-equity strategic planning initiatives focused on advancing racial equity and supporting Black staff and Black-led institutions.

From 2017 to 2020, Commissioner Scheiner held a leadership role at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination as Director of Training, Recruitment, and Legislative Affairs. In this role, he led the statewide civil rights training program, which reached more than 17,000 Massachusetts residents, and established the agency’s first formal legislative affairs function.

Commissioner Scheiner brings lived experience alongside his professional commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in public service. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Boston University Questrom School of Business and holds a Master of Education from Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, along with certifications in diversity and inclusion, mediation, public sector management, and nonprofit leadership.

“As we celebrate 80 years of the MCAD’s work to enforce civil rights laws, as well as the historic expansion of the commission, I'm proud to appoint Commissioner Mitnick and Commissioner Scheiner,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.“Their passion and extensive experience will strengthen our ability to stand up for vulnerable residents and bring us closer to creating a Commonwealth free from discrimination and inequity.” 

Together with Chair George, the new Commissioners will help guide MCAD’s efforts to enforce the Commonwealth’s anti-discrimination laws and ensure equitable access to opportunity for all. Their collaboration plays a vital role given the Commissioners’ review and final vote of the MCAD’s updated regulations, expected to be in its final form in the coming months.

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