Wes Hall, Founder and Chairman, BlackNorth Initiative (Photo credit: Jonathan Williamson)
Canada’s Wes Hall Assumes Leadership Role in Fight Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism
Wes Hall, one of Canada’s most influential powerbrokers, runs the leading shareholder advisory firm in North America. This strong, confident and dynamic man was the subject of a rags-to-riches success story featured on the cover of Report on Business (a magaizne insert in The Globe and Mail) on January 30, 2014. The story notably referred to Hall as “The Fixer,” a title that best describes him.
Profiles In Diversity Journal - Fall 2020 Issue
CVS Health announces CEO transition effective February 2021
Karen S. Lynch named the next President and CEO of CVS Health and Larry J. Merlo to retire in Spring 2021
Actionable Quick Reads
Women in tech reveal the biggest challenges they face
8 Top Tips for Talking to the C-Suite about Inclusion and Diversity
Overcoming Unconscious Bias within Organizations
Why Women Are Underrepresented at the Top, and What Companies Can Do About It
Featured Articles
Entrepreneurship as a Vehicle to Wealth, Independence, and Legacy
By Janet and Gary Smith Business success requires a combination of factors that are more like a perfect storm than a perfect science; it is not just an easily assembled set of attributes and traits. Partnerships don’t always work, good ideas don’t always make it to market, and markets and…
Four Essential Levers CEOs Can Adopt to Achieve Racial & Gender Equality
By Donald Fan, Senior Director of the Global Office of Culture, Diversity & Inclusion at Walmart, Inc. In the wake of the coronavirus, racial injustice, hate crime, and a declining economy, we realize that leading through crisis requires an inclusive mindset with decisive action and strength of purpose. Inclusive leaders…
The D&I Journey in Italy: How Far Have We Come?
English Italian By Claudio Guffanti, Founder of Unlimited Views Back when I began to study Diversity and Inclusion topics, I noticed a trend with Italian companies unaware of the intrinsic commercial value that D&I provides. Likewise, I was unable to find training courses in Italy that I considered worthwhile. Therefore,…
Building a Future of Work for Women
By Lorraine Hariton, President & CEO of Catalyst As President and CEO of Catalyst, a global nonprofit that works with some of the world’s most powerful CEOs and leading companies to help build workplaces that work for women, I am honored to introduce the 19th annual Women Worth Watching® issue…
Why I Support Wes Hall & BlackNorth
By Trevor Wilson Several years ago, I had a vexing business problem that proved to be difficult to overcome. A friend of mine asked me if I knew Wes Hall. While I had heard the name, I had never met the man. I knew he was Black, I knew he…
Social Pinging—the Next Stage in Achieving Meaningful Inclusion
By Barbara Hockfield, Executive Managing Director, Insight Education Systems Ego, combined with good intentions, causes people to relax the reins in their quest to achieve Diversity Champion status. Good intentions are often substituted for truly effective inclusive behavior. They may think, “If my intentions are good, then my actions must…
Will Diversity and Inclusion Fall Prey to Covid-19?
By Angela Peacock, CEO of worldwide diversity and inclusion training consultancy PDT Global With whole workforces being furloughed or made redundant—and companies clamping down on anything they see as nonessential spending—will diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace join the list of coronavirus casualties? After all, far too many organizations…
The Inclusion Production Function How to Overcome the Pitfalls of Programming and Policy
By Amanda J Felkey, PhD Thousands of companies in the U.S. and around the world are trying to make their workplaces more inclusive. Evidence that a sense of belonging can bolster effective teamwork, fuel innovation and boost profits has prompted many companies to devote resources to enhancing inclusion. The majority…
At Times Like This, Little Things Matter
By Janet Crenshaw Smith and Gary A. Smith Sr. We weren’t prepared for now, yet here we are. So much is out of our control—sufficient food supply, equitable health care, safety concerns, and yep, even reliable Zoom connections and toilet paper. Here’s what I know for sure: This has happened…
Hiring Future Leaders: 3 Ways Financial Services Organizations Can Achieve Diversity Today and Cultivate the Leaders of Tomorrow
By Keisha Bell With Women’s History Month behind us, we have paid tribute to the many women leaders across politics, science, and the arts that have shaped our world today. And a crucial part of preserving their legacy is positioning the next generation of women to be leaders who build…
Leading the VUCA World through Empathy, Humility & Inclusivity
By Donald Fan The world is in crisis. The United States is in crisis. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, we have witnessed racial violence, racist threats, and hate crimes toward black people and other minority communities in America. The global public health pandemic, coupled with social injustice, has…
Human Equity, the Age of Purpose, and the Covid-19 Plague
By Trevor Wilson This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making…
19 News - The Next 400
Westlake man chronicling diversity success stories in workplaces across the country for the last 20 years
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - In 1999 Jim Rector published the first diversity magazine in the country, which is now recognized internationally.
Profiles In Diversity Journal - 2020 Award Winners
2020 Black Leaders Worth Watching™ Award Winners
- Aetna, a CVS Health Company - Mark W. Faulkner - Vice President, Medicaid Operations
- AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) - Olatunde “Ola” Gbolahan - Manager, Finance Process & Systems
- AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) - Kim Steele - Senior Manager, Global Planning & Strategy
- BrandEQ Agency - Nadine Spencer - CEO, president
- Charter School Business Management & FOREsight Financial Services for Good - Stephen B. Reid II - Chief Growth Officer
- Corteva Agriscience - Craig Reed - Chief Procurement Officer & Head of Corporate Real Estate
- Dechert LLP - Vincent H. Cohen, Jr. - Litigation Partner; Firm Management Committee Member; Chair of Black Lawyers Alliance
- Dickinson Wright PLLC - Aaron Burrell - Member
- Dickinson Wright PLLC - Lloyd Pierre-Louis - Member/Partner
- Fannie Mae - Danielle McCoy - Vice President, Deputy General Counsel & Fair Lending Officer
- Ferring Pharmaceuticals U.S. - Ayana Champagne - Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer (U.S.)
- Fiserv, Inc. - Leslie Pearce - Senior Vice President, Inside Sales
- Fish & Richardson P.C. - Ahmed J. Davis - Principal
- FordHarrison LLP - Destiny Smith Washington - Counsel
- Fullscreen (a WarnerMedia company) - Carron Brown - Senior Vice President, Group Director Client Services
- GABA Inc. - Candice Blacknall - CEO and Cofounder
- Gibbons P.C. - Robert L. Johnson - Chief Diversity Officer & Director, Corporate Department
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP - Karen M. Kennard - Shareholder
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP - A. Michael Pratt - Shareholder
- HARMAN International - Sid Johnson - Vice President, Procurement and Automotive Sourcing
- Ivy Planning Group - Gary A. Smith - Co-Founder & Senior Partner
- Ivy Planning Group - Janet Crenshaw Smith - Co-Founder & President
- JND Legal Administration - Charles V. Lawson - Senior Vice President, Government Services
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP - Jonathan K. Waldrop - Partner
- Kindred Healthcare - Deidra L. Byrd - Senior Vice President & Enterprise Chief Employment Counsel
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Kevin Andrew Chambers - Partner, Co-chair Litigation & Trial Department in Washington, DC, and Global Chair Diversity Leadership Committee
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Laura R. Washington - Partner, Litigation & Trial
- Liberty Mutual Group - Bob Thomas - Senior Vice President & Regional Executive, Northeast
- Lincoln Financial Group - Allison Green Johnson - Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Head of Culture & Engagement
- Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP - Jonathan C. Hughley - Partner
- Mayer Brown LLP - Marcus A. Christian - Partner
- Mayer Brown LLP - Oral Pottinger - Partner
- MetLife Legal Plans - Ingrid Tolentino - CEO, MetLife Legal Plans
- Moss Adams - Terry Pierce - Regional Campus Recruiting Senior Manager
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP - Michael A. Brown - Partner
- New American Funding - Anthony Holt - Branch Manager
- New American Funding - Dwayne A. Graham - Branch Manager
- New York Life Insurance Company - Eric B. Jackson - Corporate Vice President and Market Manager
- OneAmerica® - Karin W. Sarratt - Executive Vice President
- OPTrust - Audrey Forbes - Senior Vice President, Member Experience
- The Orange County Community Foundation - Tammy Tumbling - Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
- The Procter & Gamble Company - Dara M. Kendall - Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Global Innovation and Brand, Fabric and Home Care
- S&P Global - Cheryl Lynn Baxter - Head of Corporate Advocacy Programs
- S&P Global - Mona-Lisa Chandler - Administrative Professional
- S&P Global - Cal Mathis - Vice President & Chief Security Officer
- S&P Global - Richard Rodney - Senior Director, Head of Content Systems Development
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP - Saba Bireda - Partner
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP - Vincent McKnight - Managing Partner (D.C office); Co-Chair, Whistleblower Practice
- Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox - Eldora L. Ellison, PhD - Director
- Ulmer & Berne LLP - Inajo Davis Chappell - Partner; Group Leader of the Nonprofit Practice Group; Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
- University of Chicago Medicine - Brian Williams, MD, FACS - Associate Professor, Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
- Vortex Companies - Candace L. Strother - Director of Diversity and Inclusion
- WilmerHale - Danielle Conley - Partner and Co-Chair, Anti-Discrimination Practice
2020 Innovations in Diversity Award Winners
Top Ten Innovations in Diversity for 2020 (in alphabetical order)
- Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - Signing Up for Belonging - Introduced: 2020
- CVS Health - Community-Based COVID-19 Testing - Introduced: 2020
- Dechert LLP - Building Understanding: A comprehensive program to deepen our understanding of racism, anti-racist practices and ally-ship - Introduced: 2020
- Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate and Clark | Weitz | Clarkson - New Terminal Project at Kansas City International Airport - Introduced: 2018
- Idaho National Laboratory - Embedding Inclusive Diversity into the Fabric of the Organization - Introduced: 2017
- Ingersoll Rand - Lean into Change: Cross-Cultural Conversations - Introduced: 2020
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP - Diverse Pipeline Outreach Program - Introduced: 2020
- New York Life: Coming Together - Impact of COVID-19 Series - Introduced: 2020
- Sephora - “We Belong to Something Beautiful”: Leading the Way in Beauty and Retail DEI - Introduced: 2019
- Ulmer & Berne LLP - “Stop the Hate” Program Series - Introduced: 2020
Innovations in Diversity Awards of Excellence (in alphabetical order)
- BBC - 50:50 The Equality Project - Introduced: 2017
- HCA Healthcare - Virtually Flipping the Switch: Creating a Consciously Inclusive Environment through COVID-19 - Introduced: 2020
- Ingersoll Rand - Unity through Diversity: Purpose & Values Brought to Life - Introduced: 2016
- Latham & Watkins LLP - [email protected] - Introduced: 2020
- Liberty Mutual Insurance - Inclusion in Action - Introduced: 2020
- New American Funding - New American Dream - Introduced: 2016
- Tata Consultancy Services - Million Women Mentors - Introduced: 2015
- Tenshey, Inc. - Tenshey’s Women Sponsorship Programs - Introduced: 2019
- United Rentals Inc. - “Building a Better Future” Roundtable Series - Introduced: 2020
2020 Women Worth Watching® Award Winners
- Adam Law - Aisha Shelton Adam - Managing Partner
- Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - Christine Brown - Senior Director, Public Relations
- Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - Denise Gourlay - Corporate Vice President Global Sales Finance, Real Estate/EHS, Travel
- Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - Linda Lam - Director of Corporate Law and Assistant Secretary
- Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - Laura Baldwin Smith - Sr. Director, Product Management
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP - Barbara Niederkofler - Partner
- AliveCor - Priya Abani - CEO
- Allstate - Heather G. Hansen - HR Inclusive Diversity Consultant
- Ares Management - Chelsea Little - Senior Associate, Human Resources
- Arrow Electronics - Tamara Ells - Sr. Director of Sales, Next Generation Infrastructure
- Arrow Electronics - Paige Eding - Vice President, Global Supply Chain Operations & Strategy
- Arrow Electronics - Kim Brown Wilmsen - VP & CIO–IT
- Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP - Jeannine Yoo Sano - Partner
- Best Best & Krieger LLP - Nancy A. Park - Partner and Business Practice Group Leader
- Bristol Myers Squibb - Kathryn Metcalfe - Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs
- Catalyst - Allyson Zimmermann - Executive Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa
- Cathedral Capital, Inc. - Brooke Lively - President and Founder
- Cisco Systems, Inc. - Brenda Dennis - Vice President, Customer and Partner Services
- cleverbridge - Lauren K. Schwartz - General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
- Dechert LLP - Carol Widger - Partner
- Dickinson Wright PLLC - Anna M. Maiuri - Member (Co-Chair Energy & Environmental Group)
- e.l.f. Beauty - Mandy Fields - Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
- FordHarrison LLP - Rachel Ziolkowski Ullrich - Partner
- Frantz Ward LLP - Nora E. Loftus - Partner
- HARMAN - Lynn Longo - Senior Vice President, Connected Car, Digital Cockpit
- Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney LLP - Amory W. McAndrew - Associate
- Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP - Margot Hoppin - Associate
- Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP - Patrice P. Jean, JD, PhD - Partner
- Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Deidre Duncan - Partner
- Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Amber M. Rogers - Partner
- Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Emily Burkhardt Vicente - Partner, Co-Chair Labor and Employment Practice
- Idaho National Laboratory - Bonnie C. Hong - Director, International Programs, Nuclear Science & Technology
- Idaho National Laboratory - Kimberly Evans Ross, Esq. - Senior Council
- Idaho National Laboratory - Jennifer Turnage - Department Manager, Emergency Response and Readiness
- Idaho National Laboratory - Lynn Wendt - Senior Research Scientist
- Interprose Inc. - Vivian Kelly - CEO and Founder
- Jones Walker LLP - Krystal Pfluger Scott - Partner
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP - Kelly A. Frawley - Partner
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP - Olga Lucia Fuentes Skinner - Partner
- Kelly Services - Tammy Browning - President, KellyOCG (formerly Vice President, Global Operations for KellyOCG)
- Keystone Alliance Mortgage & Capital - Megan E. Marsh - Cofounder & CFO
- Krauss Shaknes Tallentire & Messeri LLP - Malissa A. Osei - Associate
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Jennifer L. Barry - Global Vice Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and Deputy Office Managing Partner, San Diego office
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Robin M. Hulshizer - Partner
- Lincoln Financial Group - Karla Munden - Senior Vice President and Chief Audit Executive
- LinkedIn - Rosanna Durruthy - VP, Global Diversity Inclusion and Belonging
- Mayer Brown LLP - Ann R. Knox - Partner
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP - Sarah H. “Sally” Caver - Columbia Office Managing Partner
- New American Funding - Patty Arvielo - Cofounder and President
- New York Life - Heather Nesle - President, New York Life Foundation; Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, New York Life
- RBC Wealth Management–U.S. - Shareen Luze - Senior Director of Human Resources
- Renasant Bank - Tracey Morant Adams - Chief Community Development and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer
- Republic Services - Rebecca Wilson - Motion Graphics Designer for the Learning Solutions Department
- Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP - Jamie A. Schafer - Partner
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Teresa Fariss McClain - Partner
- Sandia National Laboratories - Carrie O’Hara - Systems Engineer
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP - Felicia M. Gilbert - Managing Partner, San Francisco office
- Sephora Americas - Deborah Yeh - Chief Marketing Officer
- Sullivan & Cromwell LLP - Renata Hesse - Partner, Co-head of S&C’s Antitrust Group
- Ulmer & Berne LLP - Rachael L. Rodman - Partner
- Walmart Inc. - Chandra Holt - Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising & Integration Officer, Walmart.com
- Walmart Inc. - Kerry Kotouc - Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Walmart U.S.
- Wellstar Health System, Inc. - Erika Hickman - Assistant Vice President & Assistant General Counsel
- WilmerHale - Chalyse Robinson - Partner
- Wilson Turner Kosmo - Carolina Bravo-Karimi - Partner
- Wintrust Financial Corporation - Christy Horn - Executive Vice President, Bank Operations
- Xandr - Michele Golden - Chief Human Resources Officer
2020 Diversity Team Award Winners
- ADM – ADM Diversity & Inclusion Teams
- Bass, Berry & Sims – Bass, Berry & Sims
- Dechert LLP – Diversity & Inclusion
- Fannie Mae – Office of Minority and Women Inclusion
- FordHarrison – FordHarrison Diversity & Inclusion
- Greenspoon Marder LLP – Diversity Council
- Liberty Mutual Insurance – Office of Diversity & Inclusion
- Mayer Brown LLP – Mayer Brown Diversity & Inclusion
- New York Life – Office of Diversity & Inclusion
- Northrop Grumman – Mission Systems Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council
- Phillips Lytle LLP – Phillips Lytle Diversity & Inclusion Committee
- Reed Smith LLP – Reed Smith D+I Committee
- Salt River Project – Salt River Project Supplier Diversity Team
- St. Elizabeth Healthcare – Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council
- Tech Data – Tech Data Diversity & Inclusion
- Ulmer & Berne LLP – Diversity & Inclusion Committee
- VT LEND University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine – Health Disparities and Cultural Competence (HDCC) Group
- Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield – Inclusion Council
2020 Women Worth Watching® in STEM Award Winners
- ADM - Marie Wright - President Creation, Design & Development and Chief Global Flavorist
- Aegion Corporation–Environmental Techniques - Shauna Herron - Director
- Aegion Corporation–Corrpro Companies Inc. - Boshra Momen Nejad - Engineering Manager
- Aegion Corporation–Fyfe Asia Pte. Ltd. - Er. Jeslin May Lian Quek - Senior Vice President & Deputy Managing Director
- Aegion Corporation–Corrpro Companies Inc. - Marlane Miller Rodriguez - Pipeline Services Engineering Manager
- Arrow Electronics - Grace Doepker - Solution Architect
- Arrow Electronics - Nancy Luo - General Manager
- Arrow Electronics - Rachel Oborny Andersen - Marketing Manager
- Arrow Electronics - Shelby Schnurrenberger - Supplier Management Director
- Baylor College of Medicine, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - SreyRam Kuy, MD, MHS, FACS - Assistant Professor of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine; Surgeon, Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center; Deputy Chief Medical Officer, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 16
- Bureau Veritas - Natalia Shuman - CEO–Bureau Veritas, North America
- Crescent School - Marcella Fioroni - Mathematics & Technology Teacher and Robotics Coach
- Dechert LLP - Katherine A. (Kassie) Helm, PhD - Partner
- Dechert LLP - Rachel Passaretti-Wu - Partner
- Dechert LLP - Andrea L.C. Reid - Partner & Co-Lead–Global Life Sciences
- Dechert LLP - Sara Roitman - Partner
- Entergy Corporation - Yolanda Bowdry Williams - Director, Automation Center of Excellence
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield - LaRhonda Leonard - VP–IT Operational Excellence, Provider & Medical Management Systems
- Fish & Richardson - Angela D. Follett, PhD - Principal
- Fish & Richardson - Lisa Greenwald-Swire - Principal
- Fish & Richardson - Tiffany Reiter, PhD - Principal
- Fish & Richardson - Jenny Shmuel, PhD - Principal
- FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. - Alissa Vickery - Senior Vice President–Accounting and Controls
- Flexport - Madison Bell - Senior Product Operations Manager
- HARMAN - Brianna Satterlund - Vice President, Program Management & Quality
- HARMAN - Kumari Williams - Senior Director of Global Talent Acquisition
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Brenda L. Danek - Partner
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Inge A. Osman - Partner
- Latham & Watkins LLP - Elizabeth Richards - Partner, Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP - Jane E. Remillard - Partner
- New York Life - Vivian G. Armstrong - Vice President & Head of Corporate Technology
- OPTrust - Julie Belair - Vice President, Actuarial Services and Plan Policy
- OPTrust - Tracy Hatanaka-Lejnieks - Interim Chief Financial Officer
- Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. - Michelle K. Holoubek - Director
- Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. - Carla Ji-Eun Kim - Director
- The WIT Network - Christine Bongard - President and Co-Founder
- Wells Fargo - Tracy Kerrins - Group CIO–Enterprise Functions Technology
- Wellstar Health System - Jill Case-Wirth - Senior Vice President & Chief Nurse Executive
- Wellstar Health System - Mary Brimmage Chatman - Executive Vice President; President, Kennestone and Windy Hill Hospitals
- WilmerHale - Monica Grewal - Partner
- Xandr - Theresa Vu - Senior Vice President, Engineering
2020 Diversity Leader Award Winners
- Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) - Annie Holmes - Chief Equity Officer
- Dechert LLP - Abbi Cohen - Deputy Chair of Diversity & Inclusion
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield - Sady Fischer - Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- First Horizon National Corporation - Lynne Walker - Executive Vice President & Director of Affinity Strategy
- Fish & Richardson - Betty Chen - Principal
- HP Inc. - Bill Avey - Vice President, Business Development
- Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP - Meaghan Gragg - Partner, Co-Chair of Committee on Diversity and Inclusion and Co-Chair of Personnel Committee
- LinkedIn - Rosanna Durruthy - Vice President & Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
- Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP - Melanie Figueroa, Emma Luevano, and Gregory Olaniran – Co-Chairs, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
- New York Life - Wendy Wong - Managing Director
- Sandia National Laboratories - Mark Sellers - Associate Laboratory Director–Mission Assurance
- Sunrun, Inc. - George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga - Director of Diversity & Inclusion
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) - Balaji Ganapathy - Global Head, Chief Social Responsibility Officer, Diversity and Inclusion Executive Leader
- Ulmer & Berne LLP - Timothy J. Downing - Chief Diversity Officer
- Walmart, Inc. - Greg Smith - Executive Vice President, Walmart Supply Chain
- WellStar Health System - Dr. Andrew Lee - Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
