Senior Executive DEI reporters and editors are always on the lookout for diversity, equity, and inclusion champions in the news. Discover chief diversity officers taking on new roles at major corporations and organizations, DEI leaders earning mainstream news coverage, and executives publishing their insights about DEI initiatives on their own blogs.
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Do you qualify?DEI Leaders Making News: Mainstream Media
Forbes Publishes Its 2023 List of America’s Best Employers for Diversity
April 25, 2023 – Forbes has published its 2023 update of America’s Best Employers for Diversity, a comprehensive list ranking 500 companies that advance diversity in the workplace. Included in the list were Clorox and Humana, ranked 5th and 6th, respectively. We spoke with Shanique Bonelli-Moore, the new chief diversity and social impact officer at Clorox, and Carolyn Tandy, the senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer at Humana, previously. See what Bonelli-Moore told us about Clorox’s Practices for Promoting Allyship and Pay Equity and what Tandy shared with us to help Build Your HBCU Recruitment Strategy.
Source: Forbes
Visa’s Chief Diversity Officer Tackles Income Inequality
April 7, 2023 – Michelle Gethers-Clark is Visa’s chief diversity officer and its head of corporate responsibility. In this interview for Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work for, she discusses the company’s move to Atlanta to attract more Black talent.
Source: Fortune (subscription required)
Comcast’s Dalila Wilson-Scott Showcased in Philadelphia Inquirer Article
February 27, 2023 – Comcast’s CDO Dalila Wilson-Scott reveals the company’s goals to achieve a more diverse workforce.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required)
DEI Leaders Sharing News: Blogs
Verizon’s Chief Talent and Diversity Officer Opens Up About Her New Diversity Leadership Initiatives in New Unleash Interview
May 22, 2023 – Christina Schelling, chief talent and diversity officer at Verizon, opens up about the telecommunications company’s commitment to fostering inclusion at the leadership level, as well as efforts to implement DEI into their learning and development practices, in tech publication “Unleash.”
Source: Unleash
Vantage Data Centers’ Chief People and Culture Office Speaks On Her First Year
May 2, 2023 – Patricia Elias, Vantage Data Centers’ chief people and culture officer, reflects on leadership development and other experiences she has learned since taking the role.
Source: Data Centers Today
Lincoln Financial Group’s Allison Green Johnson Named to Savoy Magazine Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion List for 2023
March 20, 2023 – Lincoln Financial Group announced that Allison Green Johnson, chief diversity officer and president of the Lincoln Financial Foundation, has been recognized by Savoy Magazine on its 2023 “Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion” list.
Source: Lincoln Financial Group News Room/Savoy Magazine
U.S. Department of Commerce DEI Leader Junish Arora Reflects on His First Year
February 27, 2023 – Junish Arora, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce, sheds light on some of the challenges and lessons of his first year in that role.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce blog
Home Depot CDO Derek Bottoms Shares DEI Progress – and What’s Next
February 1, 2023 – Home Depot CDO Derek Bottoms discusses Home Depot’s expanding associate resource groups, partnering with organizations to close the wealth gap, and advancing supplier diversity.
Source: The Home Depot website
DEI Leaders in the News: Trade Publications
Becker’s Hospital Review Names 86 Healthcare Diversity Officers to Know in 2023
May 25, 2023 – “Becker’s Hospital Review,” a healthcare publication, names 86 DEI leaders to watch for this year. Among the recognized are Pamela Abner, vice president and chief diversity operations officer at Mount Sinai Health System; Adrienne Austin, director of diversity and inclusion at Jersey City Medical Center; and Dana Beckton, chief diversity officer at Sentara Healthcare.
Source: Becker’s Hospital Review
Penske Entertainment’s Chief Diversity Officer Discusses His Experiences With Diversity On Local Podcast
May 22, 2023 – Inside INdiana Business, an Indiana-based news company, features Jimmie McMillian, chief diversity officer and senior corporate counsel at Penske Entertainment, which owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on the latest episode of their weekly podcast. He shares how his southside Chicago upbringing changed his life.
Source: Inside INdiana Business
Out Leadership Hosts U.S. Summit for LGBTQ+ Leadership
May 16-23, 2023 – Out Leadership, an LGBTQ leadership think tank, is hosting its 13th annual U.S. summit for senior LGBTQ+ business leaders in New York City. One of its notable events is its Leaders in Tech Roundtable hosted by AlixPartners, a global consulting firm, to discuss tech’s social impact. After that, BlackRock’s global head of diversity, equity and inclusion Michelle Gadsden-Williams will host a Chief Diversity Officer Dinner at the financial firm’s headquarters.
Source: Out Leadership’s CEO and founder Todd Sears’ LinkedIn post
MOVES Magazine Diversity Awards Honors LKQ Executive
May 9, 2023 – Genevieve L. Dombrowski, senior vice president of human resources at LKQ Corporation, an auto parts provider, is honored with an award recognizing her achievements in DEI. This event celebrates women leaders.
Source: AfterMarket News
National Diversity Awards Power 50 Recognizes Insight Enterprises CIO
May 5, 2023 – Suma Nallapati, global chief information officer at Insight Enterprises, a global technology company, has been named one of the Power 50 at the 19th annual National Diversity and Leadership Conference. This award recognizes women in the C-suite who are making achievements in bridging the gender gap.
Source: Business Wire
Weber Shandwick DE&I Professional Wins an Innovation SABRE Award
May 2, 2023 – Judith Harrison, chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at PR agency Weber Shandwick, wins DE&I Professional of the Year award at the PRovoke Media North America Summit.
Source: PRovoke Media
City & State New York Releases List of 2023 Power of Diversity: Asian 100
May 1, 2023 – The 2023 Power of Diversity: Asian 100, a list compiled by City & State highlighting elected officials and other local New York leaders in the Asian American community was released. Some notable people featured were Lila Benayoun, chief operating officer at New York insurance company MetroPlusHealth; S. David Wu, president of Baruch College and champion of diversity efforts at Baruch; and Margaret Fung, co-founder of Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Source: City & State New York
TBWA’s Aliah Berman Promoted to Global Chief Diversity Officer
April 25, 2023 – Media company TBWA\Worldwide promotes former North American Chief Diversity Officer Aliah Berman to the role of Global Chief Diversity Officer as a way to advance the company’s DEI efforts.
Source: Branding in Asia
Outgoing Chief Diversity Officer at Boy Scouts of America Recounts DEI Progress
March 3, 2023 – Elizabeth Ramirez-Washka, the former vice president, deputy general counsel, and chief diversity officer at BSA, discusses the evolution of DEI initiatives during her six-year tenure.
Source: Scouting Magazine
DEI Leaders on the Move: New-Hire Announcements
Olympus Names New Chief Diversity Officer
May 29, 2023 – Olympus hires Wenlei Yang as its new chief diversity officer, who will oversee the medical technology company’s DEI initiatives.
Source: Olympus
Northern Illinois University Appoints New Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
May 25, 2023 – Carol A. Sumner was named as NIU’s new VP of DEI and chief diversity officer, pending approval from the board of trustees. She was previously Texas Tech University’s chief diversity officer.
Source: NIU Today
Securian Financial Hires New Chief Diversity Officer
May 23, 2023 – Securian Financial, a financial services mutual holding company, names Tariq Malik as second vice president and chief diversity officer of the company. He has previously held DEI roles at Target.
Source: BusinessWire
Greenville City Council Names Its First Chief Diversity Officer
May 22, 2023 – Bryant Davis, former assistant director of government and community services for Richland County, was appointed as the first chief diversity officer for the city of Greenville, South Carolina.
Source: Fox Carolina
Cadence Bank Appoints New Chief Diversity Officer
May 17, 2023 – Cadence Bank hires Jerrell Moore, who has formerly held roles in human resources at Google, as its new executive vice president and chief diversity officer.
Source: Cadence Bank
Akerman LLP Names New Chief Diversity Officer
May 15, 2023 – National law firm Akerman LLP names Cassandra D. Caldwell their new chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. Caldwell will provide strategic leadership in new DEI efforts.
Source: Akerman LLP website
Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky Appoints New Chief Diversity Officer
May 12, 2023 – Legal services firm SMGG hires David A. Strassburger, a past president of the law practice, to become its new chief diversity officer, spearheading new DEI initiatives.
Source: SMGG Law website
Anne Arundel Community College Hires New Chief Diversity Officer
May 9, 2023 – Kellie McCants-Price, a psychology professor and interim DEI officer at Anne Arundel Community College, is appointed to a permanent position of chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for the college.
Source: Campus Current
HP Hires New Chief Diversity Officer
May 9, 2023 – Former Qualcomm chief diversity officer Glenn Williams is hired as HP’s new chief diversity officer. The company’s goals are to achieve gender parity in HP leadership and meet labor market representation for minorities.
Source: CRN
Seattle Symphony Promotes Chief Diversity Officer
May 3, 2023 – The Seattle Symphony announces that its director of people and culture, Dr. Paul R. Johnson, has been promoted to vice president of people and culture and named the organization’s first chief diversity officer.
Source: Broadway World Seattle
Goodwill Promotes Lenesha Jones to Senior VP and Chief People Officer
May 2, 2023 – Goodwill Industries of Arkansas promoted Lenesha Jones, former vice president of human resources, to chief people officer. Jones also leads GIA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee.
Source: Arkansas Money & Politics
TBWA’s Aliah Berman Promoted to Global Chief Diversity Officer
April 25, 2023 – Media company TBWA\Worldwide promotes former North American chief diversity officer Aliah Berman to the role of global chief diversity officer as a way to expand the company’s DEI efforts.
Source: Branding in Asia
City of Columbia Hires Its First DEI Officer
April 24, 2023 – Columbia, Missouri, appointed D’Andre Thompson to lead DEI initiatives and policy as the first diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for the city.
Source: ABC-17
Elisabeth Moreno to Join Sanofi’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board
April 17, 2023 – Global healthcare company Sanofi appointed Elisabeth Moreno, former French Minister for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities, to its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Board for the next three years.
Source: Sanofi company website
Bitly Promotes DEI VP to Chief Diversity Officer
April 13, 2023 – Tech company Bitly announced the promotion of Jackie Cureton to chief diversity officer. In her previous role, Cureton was the driving force behind expansion of the firm’s employee resource groups.
Source: PR Newswire/Yahoo! Finance
L’Tonya Davis Joins U.S. Department of Agriculture as First Permanent Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
March 2, 2023 – Davis comes to Agriculture from the Food and Drug Administration. She’ll oversee implementation of DOA’s first-ever diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Jomil Guerrero Takes on CDO Role at New York Life
February 8, 2023 – New York Life appointed Jomil Guerrero as chief diversity officer. She will report to Kathleen Navarro, who oversees DEI as senior vice president and head of business enablement; Senior Executive DEI interviewed Navarro in April 2022 about New York Life’s DEI initiatives.
Source: New York Life/Business Wire
Shari Slate Steps Into Chief DEI Role at CVS Health
February 6, 2023 – CVS Health appointed Shari Slate as senior vice president and chief DEI officer at the company. She most recently served as chief inclusion and collaboration officer at Cisco.
Source: Healthcare Dive
Crafting compelling messages about your DEI successes takes time, and finding and engaging the right audiences for your messages can be even more challenging. The DEI leaders featured here are models to follow for earning media coverage or search traffic to communicate progress on their respective DEI initiatives — and for holding themselves accountable by stepping into the spotlight.
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