NYRR Commits to Inclusivity in New York Runners Community

Jennifer Heiner-Pisano is the retail director of a running company based in New Jersey. In addition to her professional interest in running, Jennifer Heiner-Pisano is a member of several running organizations, including New York Road Runners and USA Track and Field (USATF).

New York Road Runners (NYRR) represents the interests of 670,000 runners competing in various races and events. In addition to ensuring the safety of each runner, the organization has made a commitment to diversity and inclusion. To this end, NYRR has recently reviewed its internal operations with the goal of taking actionable steps that can facilitate lasting change.

During the summer of 2020, NYRR began collaborating with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) experts on matters of workplace inclusivity and strategies for effecting change throughout the greater New York running community. Similarly, the organization has initiated outreach efforts among employees, as well as the state’s runners.

A few examples of ongoing NYRR initiatives include an overhaul of human resources (HR) policies, new DEI training for NYRR leaders, the development of an NYRR Community Council, and making donations to organizations such as Black Girls CODE and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

More information regarding these efforts, including how runners can support inclusivity initiatives or reach out to the Community Council, can be found online at www.nyrr.org.