Sady Fischer
Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
Headquarters: Rochester, New York
Industry: Health Insurance
CEO: Christopher C. Booth, Esq.
Website: www.excellusbcbs.com
Her Credentials: BA, gender studies, SUNY Empire State College; CDP (Certified Diversity Professional)
Her Philosophy: Inclusion, diversity, equity and access (I.D.E.A) are important priorities because we care about our employees, our members and our communities.
In 2019, Sady Fischer’s first year on the job, she assigned some key reading material to the CEO and executive team—Waking up White: and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving; introduced I.D.E.A. Mindset, which addresses issues related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, including acknowledging bias and privilege, and becoming intentional in thought and action. She also partnered with the chief information officer to share DEI messages.
Fischer enhanced the company’s Diversity & Inclusion Internship Program; conducted outreach at colleges, universities, and association groups; and rolled out unconscious bias training. She also sponsored programs focused on leadership, transferrable skills, and civic engagement. DEI training became a mandatory part of onboarding for all employees.
Fischer’s goals for 2020 include creating and rolling out an inclusion survey to measure DEI progress, increasing applicant pools of underrepresented groups and diverse representation at all levels, and increasing a company-wide understanding of disability and LGBTQ+ inclusion, and racial equity.
