PDJ - Q3 2023 Issue
Announcements
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.
Latest Press Releases
Profiles in Diversity Journal Announces its Black Leadership Award Winners for 2023
Cleveland, OH (October 30, 2023)
Profiles in Diversity Journal® announces its 20th annual Innovations in Diversity & Inclusion Awards Winners for 2023
Cleveland, OH (October 25, 2023)
Profiles in Diversity Journal announces its Second Class of Diverse Lawyers Making a Difference Award Winners for 2023
Cleveland, OH (October 25, 2023)
Announcing the 2023 Women Worth Watching® in Leadership Award Winners
Cleveland, OH (July 18, 2023)
Featured Articles
Congratulations on 25 Years from The Winters Group
By The Winters Group
Founder and CEO Mary-Frances Winters and President and COO Mareisha N. Reese of The Winters Group, Inc., commend Jim Rector and the team from Profiles in Diversity Journal® on 25 years of advancing the conversation on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice!
Support Asian dance by joining forces with Gold Standard Arts Foundation
By Phil Chan
After the horrific shooting in Atlanta in 2021 that claimed the lives of six Asian women, it felt like the entire dance community turned to my co-founder Georgina Pazcoguin and I for leadership.
DEI and Human Resources: An Uneasy Partnership
By Rohini Anand
The relationship between Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Human Resources (HR) teams can be fraught.
Why ‘Diversity of Opinion’ is a threat to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – and what should be done about it
By Michael Stuber
The beauty – and challenge – of diversity means that we are still faced with provocative fundamental questions, such as,...
At Eaton, ally advocacy circles help make allies and foster inclusion
By Drew Horansky
Like many people during COVID, Chris Mancuso spent a lot of time on Teams—and there is one call he will never forget.
Three Career-Building Tips for Young Women
By Nicole James, Vice President of Product Management CX, Oracle
Oracle Software Exec Shares Helpful Hints for Women in Tech and Beyond.
DEI can help companies survive, even thrive during an economic downturn
By Rohini Anand
According to The Economist, a global recession is “inevitable” in 2023.1
Building a Culture of Partnership: The CEO and Chief Diversity Officer Relationship
Authored by: Natalie Levkovich, CEO, The Health Federation of Philadelphia; Jose Rodriguez, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Health Federation of Philadelphia; Toya Lawson, Partner, Bridge Partners
The Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) role continues to gain prominence in both the nonprofit and for-profit industries.
Tackling Unconscious Bias by Un-Biasing the Processes
By Simona Scarpaleggia
Some weeks ago, I was invited to take part in a panel debate.
Q&A New York Life Foundation’s Heather Nesle Talks Social Justice with PDJ
By PDJ
“While the New York Life Foundation can’t change the entire system alone, we can fund ideas that could lead to larger systemic change,” says Heather Nesle…
Oracle’s Veteran Internship: Helping America’s Heroes Make The Challenging Transition To Civilian Work
By Gerry Borja, Senior Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager, Oracle
We all know America’s veterans are assets to any organization.
Featured Series
Advocating for Yourself: Bhavana Bartholf
By Bhavana Bartholf
Ever have the feeling you are working as hard as you can and driving results, yet everyone around you seems to be getting ahead of you?
Resilient D&I: Michael Stuber
By Michael Stuber
2019 PDJ columnist, Michael Stuber shares 15 articles that touch on various aspects of D&I and explains why workplaces need to revise, rethink, and realign their D&I efforts.
Actionable Quick Reads
People On The Move
Letitia K. James – GXO Logistics, Inc.
GXO Announces Letitia James as Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
Dionne Wallace Oakley – Freddie Mac
Freddie Mac Names Dionne Wallace Oakley as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Diversity Officer
Darwin Conner – Eversheds Sutherland
Eversheds Sutherland Welcomes Darwin Conner as New US Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
PDJ - Magazine Issue - Q3 2023 - Award Winners
2023 Women Worth Watching® in Leadership Award Winners
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Michelle Hillman - Director, Silicon Design Engineering
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Heather Sham - Sr Director Graphics Platform Engineering
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Jeannie Steele - Head of Global Talent Acquisition
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Liwei Wang - Director, Advanced Packaging Engineering
- Aflac - Christina Baker - VP, Sales Strategy and Resolution
- Aflac - Jennifer Daniel - National Vice President Broker Distribution Strategy and Partnerships
- Aflac - Deb Ermiger - VP of Digital Engagement
- Aflac - Keyla Cabret-Lewis - VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Akin - Sarah Schultz - Partner
- Akin - Amy Wollensack - Partner
- Albany International - Alice McCarvill - Executive VP and Chief Human Resources Officer
- AT&T - Sarita Rao - Senior Vice President, Integrated & Partner Solutions
- AT&T - Margaret Rooney-McMillen - Vice President – Strategic Accounts
- AT&T - Catherine Soik - Head of Market Development
- Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP - Denise L. Plunkett - Partner
- Braverman Greenspun, P.C. - Tracy Peterson - Partner
- Catalyst Inc. - Leela Wilson - Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Engagement
- Circana - Larissa Jensen - Senior Vice President, Beauty Industry Advisor
- Cohen Ziffer Frenchman & McKenna LLP - Andrea Jung - Associate
- Colgate-Palmolive - Prabha Parameswaran - Group President, Growth & Strategy
- Dechert LLP - Hartley M. K. West - Partner and Co-Chair of Global Enforcement & Investigations
- Dell Technologies - Rosandra Silveira - Global Consumer Sales Senior Vice President
- DTO Law - Megan O’Neill - Founding Partner/Chair of Litigation
- Epiq - Olivea S. Holley - Director of Document Review Services Operations & Continuous Improvement & Global Co-Chair Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Fannie Mae - Brittany Istenes - Open-Source Program Office Strategist
- Fannie Mae - Ting Yan - Business Architect, Manager
- FordHarrison LLP - Kristin Starnes Gray - Partner
- Fruit World - Bianca Kaprielian - Co-founder and CEO
- Fujifilm Holdings America Corporation - Patricia Colombo - Chief Compliance Officer
- FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies - Liza M. Rivera - VP, Marketing Communications
- Gibbons P.C. - Bisola Taiwo - Director, Real Property Group
- Globality, Inc. - Sonia Mathai - Chief Human Resources Officer
- HiddenLayer, Inc - Abigail Maines - Chief Revenue Officer
- Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP - Lauren Cole - Associate
- Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP - Prishika Raj - Associate
- Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP - Victoria (Tori) Roeck - Associate
- Hughes Hubbard & Reed - Sabrina Silverberg - Counsel and Chair, Media and Entertainment Practice Group
- Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP - Mayme Donohue - Partner
- Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Ashley L. Harper - Partner
- Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP - Kelly Sandill - Partner
- Idaho National Laboratory - Jana Beyerlin - Chief Operating Officer, Human Resources & Diversity
- Idaho National Laboratory - Megan J. Culler - Power Engineer and Researcher
- Idaho National Laboratory - Allison L. Hummel - Chief of Staff
- Idaho National Laboratory - Jennifer G. Hunt - Space Management Program Manager
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP - Jill L. Forster - Partner
- Knobbe Martens - Maria Culic Anderson - Partner
- Knobbe Martens - Christy Lea - Partner
- Kroll - Jessica Stamelman - President, Business Services Division
- Latham & Watkins - Manu Gayatrinath - Partner
- L.B. Hall Enterprises, Inc - Estefania Roa - President
- Lincoln Financial Group - Heather A. Milligan - SVP, Life Insurance Underwriting/New Business, Business Technology Solutions
- Mayer Brown LLP - Grace Shie - Partner; Chair of firm’s Women’s Leadership Committee
- McDonald Carano LLP - Pat Lundvall - Partner and Chair of the Commercial & Complex Litigation Practice
- Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP - Elaine Ki Jin Kim - Partner
- Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP - Louise Truong - Labor & Employment Partner
- Moss Adams - Seleeka Harris - Operations Senior Manager
- Nan and Company Properties - Nancy Almodovar - President and CEO
- Native Forward Scholars Fund - Angelique Albert - CEO
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP - Jo Thacker - Partner
- New American Funding - Patty Arvielo - CEO & Co-Founder
- New York Life - Amanda Kuhl Sarrubbo - Senior Vice President, Head of the Purchase Experience
- Norton Rose Fulbright - Jamila S. Mensah - Partner
- PBG Consulting, LLC - Pawla Ghaleb - Founder & CEO
- PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) - Heather Hoytink - President, South Division, PepsiCo Beverages North America
- Powin - Rachel Livek - Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer
- Project Bread - Erin McAleer - President & CEO
- Revature - Vidya Shankaran - Senior Vice President of Customer Delivery & Success
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Elizabeth Burnett - Partner; Co-Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Christina Lincoln - Partner; Co-Chair for Firm’s Women of Robins Kaplan (WoRK) Resource Group; Member of Firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee; Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS)
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP - Leigh Anne St. Charles - Managing Partner, Nashville Office
- Segra - Zenita Henderson - Chief Marketing Officer
- Slarskey LLC - Renee Bea - Partner
- Sonepar - Jennifer Owens - VP, Associate General Counsel
- Spirent Communications - Cheryl Ragland - Chief Marketing Officer
- Study.com - Dana Bryson - Senior Vice President, Social Impact
- The Acceleration Project (TAP), Inc. - Jane E. Veron - CEO and Co-Founder
- The Winters Group, Inc. - Mareisha N. Reese - President & COO
- Union Pacific Railroad - Jacqueline Bendon - Senior Vice President Industrial
- Union Pacific Railroad - Jo Ellen K. Stock - General Auditor
- Venable LLP - Jessie Beeber - Partner, Co-Chair New York Commercial Litigation
- Verizon - Sasha Lucas - SVP, Customer Experience
- Verizon - Kristin McHugh - SVP, Marketing & Creative
- WilmerHale - Susan Schroeder - Partner and Vice Chair of the Securities & Financial Services Department
2023 Veteran Leadership™ Award Winners
- Davis Wright Tremaine LLP - Matthew “Matt” LeMaster - Partner, Co-chair of Veteran Attorneys Affinity group
- Freddie Mac - John Emans - Business Lead, Mortgage Servicing Policy
- Freddie Mac - Bill Lyons - Senior Director, Servicing Capital Markets
- Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (GEHA) - John A. Johnson MD, MBA, FACP - Chief Medical Officer
- Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP - Cheryl T. Burgess - Partner
- Latham & Watkins - Kyle Jefcoat - Partner
- Moss Adams, LLP - Nicole Darty - Operations Senior Manager
- New York Life - Kenneth Drinkard - SVP & General Auditor
- Orbital Engineering, Inc. - Robert J. Lewis - CEO & Owner
2023 Native American/Indigenous Leadership™ Award Winners
- Akin - Jenny Patten Magallanes - Counsel
- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck - Affie Ellis - Shareholder
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Casey L. Matthiesen - Attorney
- Union Pacific Railroad - Desrié Valdez - Sr. Manager Technical Training
- Union Pacific Railroad Company - Marsha Woodard - Sr. Manager Law
PDJ - Magazine Issue - Q2 2023 - Award Winners
2023 Women Worth Watching® in STEM Award Winners
- AT&T - Jush Danielson - AVP Technology & Transformation Center of Excellence
- Bazaarvoice - Zarina Lam Stanford - CMO
- City of Los Angeles - Marta A. Segura, MPH - Chief Heat Officer & Director of Climate Emergency Mobilization, City of Los Angeles
- Dechert LLP - Amanda K. Antons, PhD - Partner
- Dermavant Sciences, Inc. - Doral Fredericks - Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs Strategy
- Eli Lilly and Company - Marjoke F. Debets - Sr. Director
- Eli Lilly & Co. - Petra Verdino - Associate Vice President - Biotechnology Discovery Research
- Epiq Global - Alyssa Miller - Chief Information Security Officer
- Fish & Richardson - Grace Kim - Principal
- Fish & Richardson - Jacqueline Tio - Principal
- Haynes and Boone, LLP - Angela Grant - Partner
- Kelly Engineering - Maria Groszek - Senior Director Engineering Domain Intelligence
- Knobbe Martens - Shannon Lam - Partner
- Kroll - Venetia Manners Valsamakis - Chief Information Officer
- Latham & Watkins - Arlene Chow - Partner
- Latham & Watkins - Rachel Cohen - Partner
- Latham & Watkins - Betty Pang - Partner
- LaunchDarkly - Sara Mazer - Field CTO, Federal
- Learning Undefeated - Jennifer Colvin - Chief Innovation Officer
- Lincoln Financial Group - Allison Lasater - Vice President, Strategic Planning, Enterprise Technology
- McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP (MBHB) - Jori R. Fuller - Attorney
- New York Life - Reshma Budhwani - Chief Technology Security Officer
- Norton Rose Fulbright - Stephanie DeBrow - Partner, Intellectual Property Disputes
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Sharon Roberg-Perez - Partner
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Emily J. Tremblay - Partner
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center - Candace S. Johnson, PhD - President, CEO and M&T Bank Presidential Chair in Leadership
- Sandia National Laboratories - Birsen Ayaz-Maierhafer - R&D Nuclear Engineer
- Sandia National Laboratories - Vanessa N. Vargas - Principal Member of Technical Staff, R&D, Economist
- Segra - Rose Chambers - Chief Information Officer
- Sidus Space - Carol Craig - Founder and CEO
- Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox - Chandrika Vira - Director (“Partner”)
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso - Paul L. Foster School of Medicine - Cynthia N. Perry - Associate Academic Dean for Admissions
- Union Pacific - Lori Lentsch - General Director, Information Assurance
- Union Pacific - Jordan Turner - General Director
- WilmerHale - Cynthia T. Mazareas - Partner
2023 Asian Leadership Award Winners
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP - Stephen S. Kho - Partner
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP - Yujin Kim McNamara - Partner
- Axinn - Jason Murata - Partner
- Davis Wright Tremaine LLP - Maya Yamazaki - Partner; chair of the Diversity Executive Council
- Dechert - Amisha R. Patel - Associate
- Eli Lilly and Company - Ling Liu, Ph.D. - Chief Scientific Officer of Biotechnology Discovery Research
- Epiq Global - Jenny Trang - Vice President of Client Solutions
- Freddie Mac - Naveen Naidu - Development Senior Manager
- Freddie Mac - Ling Xu - Vice President, Multifamily Investments and Portfolio Management
- Haynes and Boone, LLP - Tom Chen - Partner and member of the firm’s Executive Committee
- Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, LLP - Sheila N. Swaroop - Litigation Group Co-Chair
- Kroll - Anju Chopra - Managing Director, Global Head of Product Development
- Latham & Watkins - Aaron Chiu - Partner
- Latham & Watkins - Elisabeth Martin - Partner
- Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP - Lillian Ficht - Patent Agent
- Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP - Dan Huynh - Partner, Chief Diversity Partner
- Moss Adams, LLP - Lu Zhang - Managing Director, International Tax
- New American Funding - Karen Chiu - Vice President, Builder Division
- New York Life - Alise M. Civello - Head of Sales and Guidance, Pacific Zone
- Northern Virginia Family Service - Clifford Yee - Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
- Robins Kaplan LLP - Annie Huang - Partner and Deputy Managing Partner, New York Office
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP - Qiaojing Ella Zheng - Managing Partner of Palo Alto and San Francisco Offices, Chair of Asian American Litigation and Finance Practice
- Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox PLLC - Josephine Kim - Director
- Union Pacific Railroad - Snigdha Ganta - General Director - Enterprise Systems, Technology Department
- Union Pacific Railroad - David L. Welch - General Director Corporate Strategy
- University of Washington, Tacoma - Rachel Endo - Dean and Professor, School of Education, UW Tacoma
- Webster Bank - Samantha Yang - Senior Managing Director, CIO Strategy & Governance
- WilmerHale - Haixia Lin - Partner
- Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati - Eva F. Yin - Partner
PDJ - Magazine Issue - Q1 2023 - Award Winners
2023 Diversity Leader Award Winners
- Ally Financial, Inc. - Reggie Willis - Executive Director and Chief Diversity Officer
- Bowman and Brooke LLP - Roshan Rajkumar - Managing Partner, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair
- Dechert LLP - Satra Sampson-Arokium - Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
- Lilly Research Laboratories-Eli Lilly and Company - William Heath - Group Vice President- Medicines Innovation Hub, Lilly Research Laboratories
- Latham & Watkins - Kem Ihenacho - Partner and Chair of Leadership Committee
- New American Funding - Patty Arvielo - Co-Founder and President
- New York Life - David Cruz - Senior Vice President
- Norton Rose Fulbright - Katherine Tapley - U.S. Chief of Diversity and Inclusion
- Ulmer & Berne - Alvin E. Mathews, Jr. - Chief Diversity Officer
- WilmerHale - Monya M. Bunch, ESQ. - Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
2023 Latino Leadership Award Winners
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld - Alan Yanovich - Partner, International Trade
- Advanced Micro Devices - Tony Fernandez-Stoll - Sr. Director, AMD Latin America
- America Baez - America Baez - Talent Acquisition and DEI Leader
- AT&T - Michele Lee Rudolph - Director of Solutions Architecture
- BDO USA, LLP - Ana del Cerro-Fals - Tax Office Co-Managing Partner
- Clarify Health Solutions - Betty Rodriguez - Senior People Business Partner
- Comcast Cable - Kerin Handal - Senior Director, Multicultural Content Partnerships
- Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP - Camilo Echavarria - Partner-In-Charge, Los Angeles Office
- DiCello Levitt - Diandra “Fu” Debrosse Zimmermann - Managing Partner, Birmingham and Co-Chair, Mass Torts - DiCello Levitt
- ECODiversity Strategies - Noemi Lujan Perez - President & CEO
- Eli Lilly & Company - Cecile González-Cerimele - Sr. Director, Diversity & Inclusion in Clinical Trials
- EPIQ - Carlos E. Gonzalez - Chief Information Officer
- FordHarrison LLP - Luis A. Santos - Deputy Diversity Equity & Inclusion Partner
- Freddie Mac - Julissa Pinto De Gracia - Director of Program Management for the Enterprise Operations and Technology Division
- Freddie Mac - Nora Guerra - Affordable Lending Manager
- HARMAN - Miguel Hernandez - Vice President & General Manager, Mexico, Central America, and Caribbean
- Heartbeat - Ana Capellan - Executive VP of Productions and Operations
- Marta Ronquillo Newhart - CCO & Brand Officer, Entrepreneur, Board Member
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP - Cindy Caranella Kelly - Partner
- Knobbe Martens - Maria Victoria Stout - Partner, Intellectual Property Attorney
- Lathan & Watkins - Marcela Ruenes - Counsel
- Moss Adams, LLP - Pamela Esparza - Senior Manager, Risk and Advisory Compliance
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP - Melissa Gomberg - Partner
- New American Funding - Patty Arvielo - Co-Founder & Co-CEO
- New York Life - Jose N. Barros - Managing Director, New York Life Investments; COO U.S. Distribution
- Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP - Daniel Alejandro Prati - Partner
- Robins Kaplan LLP - David Martinez - Partner; elected member of the firm’s Executive Board; member of the firm’s Diversity Committee; Firm Pro Bono Chair, California offices
- Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP - Christine Dunn - Partner and Co-Chair of Criminal/Sexual Violence Practice Group
- Saxena White - Lester R. Hooker - Director
- Travelers - Rita Ortiz - Senior Director, Community Relations at Travelers and Assistant Vice President, Travelers Foundation
- Ulmer & Berne LLP - Shana Ortiz See - Partner
- Union Pacific Railroad - Carl Garrison - AVP Transportation South
- Union Pacific Railroad - Wes Lujan - Assistant Vice President, External Affairs
- Union Pacific Railroad - Daniela Zarza - Director Mexico
- Washington Capital Partners - Giselle Bonzi - President
- Webster Bank - Jason A. Soto - Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer
- West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. - Annette Favorite - Chief Human Resources Officer
- Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP - Elvira Cortez - Senior associate
- Withum - Moises Gutierrez - Audit supervisor
- World Electric - Gabino Martinez - Regional Operations Manager
