Celebrating this Year’s Very Impressive Diversity Teams
PDJ is proud to honor Diversity Teams—groups of dedicated individuals who come together to develop the strategies, create the programs, launch and manage the initiatives, and reach out to all employees to ensure that diversity, inclusion, and equity remain central to the growth of an open and welcoming workplace.
The 16 Diversity Teams Award winners we showcase in the following pages use their talents to reach out to an ever-expanding variety of potential hires, vendors, clients, and communities. Diversity, inclusion, and equity are central to everything they do. For many Team members, who at one time or another have felt excluded or ignored because they belonged to a particular gender, or ethnic or cultural group, making diversity a reality is a personal imperative.
This year’s Award recipients are also teaching company leaders and hiring managers to recognize and confront their own biases. Most important, they are cultivating workplaces that invite all employees to bring their authentic selves to work every day. We invite you to get to know these extraordinary Diversity Teams. You may discover ideas and strategies you can use to help create a more open, welcoming, and successful workplace. And we know you’ll be inspired their enthusiasm and commitment.
2021 Diversity Team Award Winners
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP – Firmwide D&I Council – Kim Koopersmith and Nimesh Patel
- EY – EY D&I Teams – Karyn Twaronite
- Greenberg Traurig, LLP – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team – GT’s Executive Committee and Shareholder and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer Nikki Lewis Simon
- HCA Houston Healthcare – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council – Sherri Neal, Chief Diversity Officer
- Interpublic Group – Global DEI Group – Heide Gardner
- Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP – Kasowitz Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Women’s Initiatives Committee – Cochairs Hector Torres & Cindy Caranella Kelly (Kasowitz Diversity & Inclusion Committee)
- Kelley Kronenberg Attorneys at Law – Kelley Kronenberg’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Michelle Martinez Reyes
- Mediavine – People Ops Department – Matt Richenthal
- New American Funding – Latino Focus – Patty Arvielo & Frank Fuentes
- New American Funding – New American Dream – Charles Lowery, Director of Legislative Policy & External Affairs
- Novartis – U.S. Diversity & Inclusion Team – Marion Brooks, Vice President and US Country Head, Diversity & Inclusion
- Salt River Project (SRP) – Diversity & Inclusion Team – Essen Otu
- Sandia National Laboratories – Inclusion, Diversity, Equal Employment & Affirmative Action (IDEA) Team – Esther Hernandez, Chief Diversity Officer
- Sullivan & Cromwell LLP – Diversity Management Department (DMD) – Kyra E. Laursen
- Visionworks – DE&I Council – Shane Rayford
- WilmerHale – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Tracey West & Monya Bunch
