Lincoln hires former public health attorney as new human rights director

Jun. 18—Lincoln has a new director of the Lincoln Commission on Human Rights — a division of the city's law department that's been at the center of a monthslong debate about a fairness ordinance passed and then rescinded by the City Council.

Sara Houston, formerly the lead public health attorney for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, started Monday. She will earn $95,000. Because the position is classified, and not appointed by the mayor, she will likely get an increase after a six-month probationary period.

She replaces Mindy Rush-Chipman, who left to become legal director of the Nebraska ACLU.

The Lincoln Commission on Human Rights investigates and enforces Title 11, the portion of city code dealing with equal opportunity in housing, employment and public accommodation.

In February, the City Council passed an ordinance that broadly updated Title 11, including expanding protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Opponents launched a successful referendum petition drive, which meant the council either had to rescind the ordinance or put it to a vote of the people. On Monday, on a 4-3 vote, they rescinded it.

Houston will now lead the division that investigates complaints, which then go to an appointed commission that decides whether there is reasonable cause to believe discrimination or harassment occurred.

In her role with the state, Houston was part of the senior leadership team of the department and directed legal services in the areas of epidemiology, health promotion, environmental health, emergency preparedness and response, and professional and facility licensure.

As a senior policy adviser for the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta she contributes to public and private grant-funded research projects related to advancing health equity and identifying the causes of health status and health care disparities.

Houston earned her law degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and critical care/flight paramedic certificates from Creighton University. She earned a bachelor's of fine arts from Webster University in St. Louis.

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