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EDITION
103
CELESTEWARREN
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pte
mb
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Yao Huang AN UNDENIABLEFORCE
MOBILIZING, EQUITY, INNOVATION, & TRUST
KIMBERLY S. REEDEmbracing the Kaleidoscope of People
SUNITA HOLZER Going Beyond Boudnaries
MindfulLEADERSHIP
INCREASING GENDERDiversity On
Corporate Boards
Sandra Garcia Lowery3C’S TO MARKETING SUCCESS
We have the energy to make things better.[ ... for you, for our communities and for our future. ]
www.pseg.com
We make things work for you.
PSEG strives for inclusion of employees with
diverse backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion drive
success across our company, and are an essential
part of everything we do, every day.
AGENDA
Executive PanelistsExecutive
Panel Moderator
Keynote Speaker Emcee
Executive Session Speakers Closing Keynote
Savaria HarrisSenior Lawyer
Johnson & Johnson’s
Regulatory Health Care
Compliance Group
Sunita HolzerExecutive Vice President &
Chief Human Resources Offi cerRealogy Holdings Corp.
Celeste WarrenVice President, Human
Resources and Global Diversity
and Inclusion Center of
Excellence
Merck
Karen LeeNews Anchor News
12 New Jersey
Sandra Garcia Lowery
Founder
Encounter Marketing
& Public Relations (EMPR) &
President
National Association
of Multi-Ethnicity in
Communications (N.A.M.I.C)
Kimberly S. ReedDiversity and Inclusion
Strategist
Yao HuangFounder and Managing Partner
The Hatchery
Theresa TorresPresident
ALPFA New Jersey Chapter &
Owner
Beso del Sol LLC and JOTA
Consulting, LLC.
Tiffani ScottGlobal Inclusion
& Diversity Leader
Becton Dickinson
Sponsored by:
10:00 AM - 11:00 AMRegistration
11:00 AM - 11:30 AMOpening Remarksand Keynote Speaker
Keynote SpeakerCeleste WarrenEmceeKaren Lee
11:30 AM - 1:00 PMExecutive Panel Discussion
Executive ModeratorSunita HolzerExecutive PanelistsSavaria HarrisTiff ani ScottTheresa Torres
1:00 PM - 2:00 PMNetworking Lunch
2:00 PM - 3:00 PMSession I
Executive Speaker Yao Huang
3:00 PM - 3:15 PMBreak
3:15 PM - 4:15 PMSession II
Executive SpeakerSandra Garcia Lowery
4:15 PM - 5:00 PMClosing Keynote
Executive SpeakerKimberly S. Reed
5:00 PM - 6:00 PMNetworking Reception
Agenda
Join the conversation! Tweet and follow today’s event using the hashtag
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Dear Partners,
In February of 2017, Color Magazine joined the BridgeTower Media family, an affiliate ofGatehouse Media. Merging with GateHouse elevates our stories, articles, and events to the level of a national audience. Our mission of highlighting and celebrating professionals of color is intact, thriving, and expanding. As such, we have introduced several new events: the Health & Life Sciences Conference; pOp UP Color; and the Professionals of Color Career Summit.
We’re excited to announce that WOC is also expanding into new areas. Women of color leaders are now inspiring New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The 2018 Women of Color Leadership & Empowerment Conference continues to represent our dedication to growth with the return of the Executive Panel Discussion and concurrent sessions with executive leaders in the Business, Marketing/Branding, and STEM industries.
As an all-inclusive publication, Color Magazine is able to provide high-quality exceptionalcontent and high-level professional events, because you, our partners, share our heartfelt mission of expanding diversity and inclusion to even higher levels. We look forward with enthusiasm to doing great things together.
In deep gratitude for your continued support,
Josefina BonillaPresident, Color MagazineChief Diversity Officer, BridgeTower Media
About BridgeTower MediaBridgeTower Media is a leading provider of business information, events, and marketing services for the legal, financial, construction, and government sectors in more than 20 local and regional markets across the United States. In addition to providing subscribers with content relevant to their daily professional activities, BridgeTower has a research unit focused on employee satisfaction, lead generation services, and live events centering on awards and education.
About GateHouse Media LLCGateHouse Media is one of the largest publishers of locally-based print and online media in the United States, as measured by its 125 daily publications. As of December 25, 2016, our company operates in over 535 markets across 36 states, with over 600 community publications, over 535 websites, serving over 220,000 business
advertising accounts, and reaching over 20 million people on a weekly basis.
SPEAKER
www.colormagazine.com 5
Karen Lee is the weekend evening anchor at News 12
New Jersey. Prior to that she was a reporter in New
Jersey’s Bergen bureau.
Before joining the News 12 team, she was a reporter at
WFSB in Hartford. She’s also worked in New York at YNN
in Syracuse and News 10 in Binghamton.
Lee is a graduate of Boston University’s College of
Communication and Paramus High School.
When she’s not reporting, she’s putting her scuba diving
certii cation to good use.
KarenLee
PENNSYLVANIA
Keynote Speaker
LISA M. COLEMAN, PH.DChief Diversity OfficerNew York University
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Keynote Speaker
CAMILLE CHANG GILMOREVice President of Human Resources,
Interventional Cardiology, & Chief Diversity Officer
Boston Scientific
SAVE THED A T E
News AnchorNews 12 New Jersey
6
SPEAKER
Sunita Holzer:
In applying innovative methods
beyond the boundaries of her
job description, Executive Vice
President and Chief Human
Resources Oicer at Realogy
Holdings Corp., Sunita Holzer has
an undeniable talent for creating
spaces where employees thrive.
Rather than taking a narrow view
on the real estate industry and
customer needs, Holzer’s approach
uses a wide and inclusive lens.
“I’m a irm believer that if you open people’s minds, you
improve their lives,” Holzer reveals. “Go to a museum, read
a book, or take a course that has nothing to do with your
job, but [that] you are passionate about or always wanted
to try. Having those kinds of life experiences makes you
a better person and can positively inluence your career.”
Holzer’s holistic view of the world places value on culture,
art, science, and ideas that may not appear to correlate
with real estate, but that enable her to connect with, and
relate to, all sorts of people and, as such, help her company
meet the needs of a variety of unique individuals.
“My greatest passion is diversity,” Holzer declares. “The
real estate industry has to be a leader in diversity, both
in terms of the people who work with realtors, and of the
realtors themselves. Because it is such a customer based
industry, the marketplace demands it. And it’s not just
about ethnic diversity. It’s working across generations.
Millennials, for example, have very diferent housing
needs than their parents and grandparents. It’s also
working with those who have unique physical needs. A
diversiied workforce is better able to understand and
serve a diverse customer base.”
The focus on diversity was a seed planted inside the heart
and mind of Holzer years earlier. “Having been the Chief
Diversity Oicer at American Express early in my career,
I saw the importance of having an inclusive workforce.
Since then I have tried to drive inclusion in the companies
I work at, and in my personal life. I believe you have to live
inclusion; you don’t just do it as a task or assignment. It is
part of who you are. And you can learn it if you are open
to it.”
For Holzer, the bottom line is about creating genuine
connections in diverse areas of interest that go beyond
the task at hand. Helping people feel at home requires
knowing what home feels like for them.
By: John Black
Going Beyond
BOUNDARIES
SPEAKER
Savaria Harris:
As Senior Lawyer at Johnson & Johnson’s Regulatory
Health Care Compliance Group (J&J), Savaria Harris
is passionate about helping patients. In 2016, Harris
left a ten-year litigation focused law irm to work for
patient focused J&J.
The transition has been rewarding for Harris, who
values J&J’s intention to prioritize patients and the
consumers who use their products. Her enthusiasm for
her work is obvious. “I’m able to advise on projects that
make a positive impact on people’s lives. I don’t think
that’s ever going to get old, and it’s very motivating.”
In her role, Harris advises on fraud and abuse issues
in healthcare. In this capacity, she is able to advise
a diversity of teams, including marketing and
compliance, as well as support cutting edge initiatives,
such as a World Without Disease.
Since joining J&J, Harris has also sharpened her
understanding of what it means to be an efective
leader. In speaking of the “servant based” leadership
model, she has observed at J&J how leaders inspire
and support those who report to them to do their best
work. Far from the traditional hierarchical structure,
she refers to it the “horizontal” culture within J&J’s
Law Department where “people want to do their best
work.”
In relecting on her career, Harris admits that she did
not always envision becoming a lawyer; however, she
advises those who do know where they want to be,
but aren’t sure how to get there, “If I could have given
my younger self advice, I would have told her, ‘have a
goal in your mind of how you want to feel and what
kind of role you see yourself in when you are doing
your best work, but do not be attached to the details
of the path that you’ll take to get there.” The details
of the path may be vague or even imperceivable at
times, but having a clear end goal in mind will keep
one focused on getting there.
How does Harris feel about her role in the evolution
of Diversity and Inclusion? “Being a woman of color in
2018, I think, is magic. We are in a historical moment
when women of color are more visible in the political
and corporate space. In some ways, it’s better than it’s
ever been.”
By: Monsurat Olugbode
www.colormagazine.com 7
FOCUSEDOn The End Goal
CONTENT
8
Mindful Leadership: An Inside Job with External Results
By Daniel Gutierrez
You may be wondering, what does it mean to be a mindful leader? Well, we must begin by dei ning “mindfulness.” Simply put, mindfulness, or being mindful, is the act of becoming aware. It’s the act of becoming present in the moment. When we are in the present, we have the ability to control our emotions, to allow ourselves to become centered, and to really become aware of the power that we have to lead from a more solid place.
Meditation is just one way of becoming mindful. We can also achieve this through the practice of yoga, or simply taking a mindful walk, being aware of our surroundings, noticing our breath, and ensuring that our mind does not wander.
In an article published by The Harvard Business Review, “How Meditation Benei ts CEOs,” Emma Seppala cites i ve benei ts of mindfulness through meditation:
Meditation builds resilienceMeditation boosts emotional intelligenceMeditation enhances creativityMeditation improves our relationshipsMeditation helps us focus
However, many ideas and practices have been introduced to the business community in an ef ort to increase the bottom line. The practice of being mindful is not about what is on the outside; rather, it’s about what is on the inside—it’s an inside job, with external results. In other words, we can become mindful but when faced with stressful situations, we may not be able to use what we’ve learned.
So, the next step is the application of mindfulness. I like to call this radical mindfulness. It is the constant redirection of our thoughts on a moment-by-moment basis, allowing us to redirect our thoughts and emotions toward our current problem or situation. If we practice radical mindfulness, we are not allowing ourselves to wander into the past or future, but stay focused on the present moment. This allows us to stay calm and centered, be focused and compassionate, be adaptable to change, and have the ability to listen and make more thought-out decisions.Ultimately, mindfulness and the practice of radical mindfulness can have long lasting results for leaders way beyond business. The practice and application of mindfulness create more centered lives, with results in body, mind, and soul; thereby leading to more compassionate, focused, thoughtful, and focused leaders.
How should you start? Turn of your phone and give yourself sixty seconds. Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and just notice your breathing. Most of you may i nd that hard to do at i rst. That is why it is called a practice, and we all know that practice makes perfect.
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SPEAKER
10
In the two decades since joining Merck in 1997, Celeste
Warren has held numerous leadership roles within the
Human Resources department. However, it is in her current
hybrid role as Chief Diversity Oicer and Vice President of
Human Resources at the Global Diversity and Inclusion
Center of Excellence that her near thirty years of Human
Resources and Diversity and Inclusion experience truly
shines.
Recognized as one of the “2017 Inluential Women in
Global Diversity” by Diversity Global, Ms. Warren is a model
of wisdom in action. We are honored to welcome her as
the keynote speaker for the irst-ever Women of Color
Leadership and Empowerment Conference of New Jersey
and invite you to read on and be inspired.
CM: Can you tell us about your roles
as Vice President of Human Resources
and the Global Diversity and Inclusion
Center of Excellence at Merck?
CW: As the Human Resources leader
for our Legal, Compliance, Global
Communication, and Public Policy
organizations, my team and I provide
human resources support in the areas
of talent management, compensation
and beneits, training and
development, etc. As Chief Diversity
Oicer, I am responsible for the
development and implementation
of Merck’s diversity and inclusion
strategies.
CM: Are there certain challenges that
arise from handling your hybrid role?
CW: I would say that serving in this
hybrid role has been an asset more
than anything else, in fact. These
organizations have been strong
partners with D&I throughout the
years and instrumental to the success
of our D&I eforts. Working with them
as their HR Leader provides an even
deeper relationship, as we integrate
strategies for optimum outcomes.
CM: What are some of the other
rewarding aspects of your position?
CW: Speaking directly to the Chief
Diversity Oicer role, it’s been very
rewarding to mobilize the organizational
change. I’ve had the opportunity to
work with various diferent employees,
managers, and executives to move
Merck forward to a point where D&I
can be sustained throughout the
organization. I ind it rewarding to work
with people who are passionate about
diversity and inclusion and ultimately
creating the culture that we all want
to see within the organization.
Also, I believe that it’s not enough to
drive D&I within your own company;
you have to work outside of your
company with other organizations
to transform the entire business
landscape. I enjoy working with
my peers in other companies, and
learning from them as well.
CM: In terms of D&I, could you shed
some light on some of Merck’s
strategic goals?
CW: At Merck, we evaluate our
strategy with four strategic outcomes
in mind:
Global Compliance and Risk
Mitigation. As certain laws and
policies regarding Diversity and
Inclusion develop around the globe,
we want to ensure we are doing
what’s best for the company and our
employees. We want to make sure we
by Evan J. Cutts
Mobilizing, Equity, Innovation, & Trust
Celeste Warren
SPEAKER
www.colormagazine.com 11
For example, in the hiring process,
when a manager posts an available
position, they immediately receive
a video “Unconscious Bias in the
Hiring Process” to review. It’s helpful,
because the resources are provided at
the moment of relevance, just in time.
CM: In your own words, how would
you deine success?
CW: Success is being able to make
an impact on our employees and
our leaders--not just within our
organization--but with my colleagues
across the business landscape. Being
a blessing to others is what I strive to
do.
CM: In your opinion, what skills are
necessary to be an efective leader?
CW: First and foremost, an efective
leader is a servant leader. One must
understand that the focus is not on
oneself, rather on those one leads.
Additionally, an efective leader must
be authentic and an efective listener.
You must be able to communicate
your vision, work collaboratively with
others to achieve it, celebrate the
wins, and learn from the mistakes
together.
CM: Who, or what, motivates and
inspires you?
CW: My parents played a huge part in
who I am and how I think about D&I.
My father was the irst Black teacher
and principal in Western Pennsylvania
and Eastern Ohio. There were a lot of
irsts in my family, and with that comes
a lot of struggle. I recall a time earlier
on in my career when I was having a
particularly bad day, and I reached
out to my dad to ask: ‘How did you do
it? How did you work through being
the irst Black teacher in that day and
age?’ And he told me the story of his
irst teaching job. After graduating
from the University of Pittsburgh with
a degree in English and Education,
he was hired as a gym teacher at a
predominately white high school. The
school lacked a gymnasium, [so] he
taught class in the parking lot. Parked
at that same lot, watching him, were
the parents of his students. I asked
him how he managed. He responded:
‘I did my job. I taught those students,
built their trust, and built the trust
of the parents. Eventually, those cars
began pulling out of that lot.’
That’s what diversity and inclusion
is about to me: building trust. To
this day, there are people who aren’t
sold on diversity and inclusion. Many
still view it as a win-lose scenario;
it’s believed that if women, people
of color, members of the LGBTQ
community, etc. continue to ‘win’ by
earning their leadership roles, then
those in the majority are ‘losing.’
That isn’t what we’re trying to build
here at Merck. I aim to build trust
the way my father did. We have to be
able to understand where everyone
is coming from and meet them
where they are, to bring them along,
mobilize the organization, and create
change.
CM: In your opinion, what does it
mean to be a person of Color in 2018?
CW: It means that you have to be a
role model to those [who] have come
behind you. We haven’t approached
a point where people of Color are
the majority in major corporations.
There’s still work to do.
What it meant to me as a Black [girl]
growing up has changed. Even so,
those challenges and experiences are
still a part of me. I think, in this day
and age, it’s important for me to listen
to diferent perspectives, so that I can
grow and evolve.
As our communities change, I must
ask: Are we reaching back and helping
others? Paying it forward? Because
I didn’t get here on my own--I had
sponsors, mentors, and prayers--I feel
it is also my obligation to do the same
for others.
are not just following the “letter of the
law,” but also understanding what is
intended by the “spirit of the law.”
Building D&I capabilities within
our employees at every level. In
order for us to have a truly inclusive
environment and leverage the
spectrum of diversity within our
organization, we have to develop D&I
excellence within our leaders and
executives, our people managers, and
[our] employees.
Ensuring D&I is integrated into
our business performance. I
fundamentally believe that at the
intersection of business performance
and global diversity and inclusion you
create a competitive advantage for
the company. We have to establish
an employee base that relects the
diversity of our patients. And so,
we aim for our business strategies,
whether they be in marketing,
research, commercial, etc,. to be
implemented through a D&I lens. In
doing so, we are able to best serve our
patient base.
Maintaining our reputation and brand
as a leader in Diversity and Inclusion.
It is imperative that the transformative
work we do within Merck permeates
outside of the organization, in
the forms of community outreach
and external partnerships with
associations and coalitions who have
the same mission and values around
D&I that we do, as well as [in] locking
arms with other companies interested
in raising the business landscape in
D&I.
CM: Can you tell us about one of
Merck’s successful D&I capability
initiatives?
CW: Merck has shifted its approach
in addressing unconscious bias.
As opposed to solely utilizing the
standard one- to two-hour training
model, we have leveraged shorter,
more targeted training, to integrate
unconscious bias training videos and
resources at the crucial junctures of
the employee management process.
12
Tiffani Scott:
By Juri Love
As Global Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Leader at Becton Dickinson (BD), the third largest medical technology
company in the world, Tif any Scott assists in the development and implementation of BD’s strategies to create
a more inclusive workplace and corporate culture.
“I work with our regions around the world to help them put in place an action plan for creating a more inclusive
workplace, [as well as] with various employee resource groups for our African American, Asian, Latino, LGBT,
Veteran, Women employees,” says Scott. “I am able to meet various employees from around the world at BD, and
it’s great connecting with diversity professionals from other companies.”
Taking key areas at BD to a higher level is the core of Scott’s strategy. Whether improving
program ei ciency, saving money, or increasing associates’ engagement, Scott is
motivated and excited by “building something from nothing.”
Seeing happier and more comfortable employees at work achieve increased
productivity, as a result of their renewed passion for what they do, also
inspires Scott to continue building.
“Working in a place where everyone’s voice is heard and [where everyone]
feels empowered is important to me, and to [them],” she says.
As a leader, Scott believes it’s essential to be empathetic, to value dif erent
opinions and perspectives, and to imagine yourself in someone else’s
shoes.
“I think emotional intelligence is important, in terms of how you deal
with dif erent people and how you achieve [both] your goal and theirs.
Persistence is important, [as well as] being able to bounce back. If you’re
disappointed, or [if ] things don’t go your way, it’s important to hang in there
and keep at it,” ai rms Scott.
If she were to give advice to her younger self, it would be: Don’t listen to
naysayers. “People might have told me [that] I couldn’t do something, or
[that] it wasn’t possible. [I] just ignore those people, because I can do or
believe whatever it is I want to do or believe.”
Scott sees the challenge of being a person of color in 2018, but
believes that it’s always important to speak up and speak out. “I
think it’s important that people of color realize that they matter.
They also need to i nd allies in white male [coworkers]; you
all have to work together, in order to make things better
for everyone,” rel ects Scott. This is an “opportunity to
make things better for future generations.”
SPEAKER
Building Up D&I Around the Globe
SPEAKER
www.colormagazine.com 13
Theresa Torres:
Refocusing he Lense of Inclusion
By Andre LaFontant
From her senior roles in Campus Recruiting and Diversity at Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, to Director of
Staing and Employment Brand at Verizon, Theresa Torres has accrued a vast scope of knowledge in addressing
the challenges that face corporate America’s Diversity and Inclusion arena. Having recently brought her wealth
of experience into her own companies, Beso del Sol, LLC and JOTA Consulting, LLC, Torres has maintained her
commitment to shaking up old business paradigms and creating more holistic workspaces.
Founding her own business shed new perspectives
on the potentials of talent directed corporate roles.
Explains Torres, “If they [women] didn’t have all of
the experience or all of the background that the role
required, [companies] would be apprehensive and say
that the candidate is not ready. This experience over
the last two years has smashed through that [outdated
view], enabling me to understand that no matter what,
if you’re smart you’re going to learn, and you’re going
to be able to create what you need in whatever role
you’re in. You just need to be motivated.”
The key to channeling this motivation lies in companies
not bowing down to the dominant norms that hinder
potential growth. She suggests, “companies who build
a culture that allows for everyone across a multitude
of diferences to contribute, have their ideas valued,
and feel connected to their colleagues are truly the
winners in diversity.”
Torres knows that there is more to inclusion than what
has been commonly perceived. “We have to remember
that inclusion does not mean assimilation. Inclusion
does not mean submission, and it does not mean that
the dominant norm--even if you can assimilate into
that--is what needs to [remain such].”
A continual pushback of established norms is what
will ultimately lead to the change that is needed in
Corporate America. “People have to feel okay that they
can speak openly without it [their expressions] being
career limiting...feeling comfortable enough that they
can trust that if they say something, or bring up an
idea, it’s not going to be ridiculed. When you actually
have those ideas lowing...that’s collaboration and
innovation,” asserts Torres.
14
SPEAKER
Yao Huang: Despite not having a clear roadmap
into her technology endeavor, Yao
developed an organization with
undeniable force. Surrounding
herself with tech experts, she
learned the intricacies of the
industry, while maximizing her
biggest asset: a i ery disposition,
hungry for new challenges. “I
picked up a lot of tech along the
way, and I taught myself how to
code, because I believe [that] if
you own a restaurant, you should
at least know how to cook,” says
Huang.
Early experiences pushed her to
gravitate toward the changing
company culture, adopting a
personal willingness to continually
evolve and absorb new ideas. “I
enjoy building companies,” shares
Huang, “and that has morphed
into a business model that allows
us to assist large corporations in
adopting the startup mindset.”
In addition to her endless
willingness to evolve, another
consistent characteristic of Huang
is her commitment to the simplicity
of building genuine connections
with everyone she does business
with. The value of her authenticity
and directness shines brightly
in her presence in the corporate
arena. Huang adamantly expresses
that success must be dei ned on
a personal level, and teaches,
“Instead of trying to copy someone,
or follow in someone’s footsteps,
i gure out what you want, what you
see your future to be, and what you
think is going to make you happy.
Once you write that down, you can
reverse engineer the things that
you need, [in order] to get there.”
By: Andre LaFontant
Yao Huang, Founder and Managing Partner of The Hatchery, ef ortlessly embodies the qualities of a true visionary. Yao’s unwavering coni dence in
her foresight and willingness to forgo the comfort of a successful career in the healthcare industry
allowed her to make the leap into the newly forming technology frontiers. “I saw the internet to be
something that was the future, where everything will be driven, and that has turned out to be true. I felt and saw that twenty years ago, and that’s where I wanted to be,” explains Huang. “I am, essentially, a product of
the growth of the tech sector, learning each of its new innovations as it comes out, [in terms of] what it is,
how to use it, and how to monetize it.”
An Undeniable FORCE
www.colormagazine.com 15
CONTENT
It took me a day to write a book about loving
myself, but it took me a lifetime to learn the
lessons. When I released my irst book, The Love
Project: 365 Ways to Love Yourself and Get the
Love You Deserve, little did I know it would teach
me one of the greatest lessons of my life and
usher in a new work/life philosophy that would
change the course of my career.
As the owner of a fast-growing marketing irm,
Communiqué USA, I was the walking epitome of
stress. My days were long, running from thing
to thing, putting out ires, burning the candle
on both ends, and my nights were sleepless.
Something had to give. There had to be a better
way.
It was in the middle of one of those sleepless
nights that I came up with a live-saving vision.
A new plan. What if I stopped striving and
started being? What if I learned to play more and
pursue joy instead of money and achievement?
What would life look like if joy was the currency
by which I measured by my success? “JOY
Economics,” I bolted out of bed. And just like
Why Recess Isn’t Just for 1st Graders:
How Learning to Play More Still Allowed My Business To Grow
By Shani Godwin, CEO of Communiqué USA, Inc.
that my Live. Work. Play. corporate philosophy
was born.
By shifting my focus from achieving to being, I have
been able to rediscover the fun in my personal and
work life. Long gone are the days where I feel I must
control everything. Instead, I’ve learned to let work
and life low. By taking time for me, I now show
up focused and rested and my staf, my clients, my
family and friends all beneit. So how did I do it? I
gave myself permission to have fun. That’s right…
by iguring out what matters to me, prioritizing
and planning fun into my work day and being as
intentional about my play time as I am about my
work I have been able to ind more joy in my days
and infuse that same spirit into the very heart of my
company.
So, this summer you can ind me writing more,
relaxing at the Braves Game with my team during
our annual Play Day, delivering popsicles to our
stressed-out clients and soaking up the sun. A
pretty simple epiphany in the middle of the night,
but one that has proven valuable and proitable for
my business and more importantly for my soul.
16
SPEAKERSSPEAKER
Sandra Garcia Lowery:
By: Karla Amador
When asked what it’s like to be her
own boss, Lowery responded that
“there is no playbook for being an
entrepreneur, but I ind fulillment in
being able to help my clients drive
sales, increase productivity, and
elevate brand presence. Success is
living a life on your own terms, in a
way that works for you, doing what
you enjoy and being able to sustain
yourself doing so.
Originally from Honduras, the impact
of being bilingual and Afro-Latina
inluenced her ability and drive to
relate to people, which she later
transferred into her leadership and
entrepreneurship strengths. One
of her business services is to help
her business owner and corporate
executive clients grow their brands,
generate leads, and drive sales: “A
lot of business owners are working
on their love for something,
which is their brand. Knowing
your audience is essential to
establishing a connection, a culture,
and a colloquialism [for] driving a
marketing campaign [that] reaches
that market.”
Before becoming the founder of Encounter Marketing and Public Relations
(EMPR), for eleven years Sandra Garcia Lowery strategized media sales and
marketing plans for brands including Toyota, L’Oreal, Almay, Estee Lauder,
SnapChat, Apple, Verizon Wireless, Sephora, Pepsi, and American Express
to name a few on behalf of media partners. Early this year, Lowery took
a leap of faith and stepped away from Corporate America to pursue her
vision as a female founder, something she had longed for.
“Gaining conidence in my cultural
identity as an Afro-Latina, I realized
that I’m not alone in this journey.
Now as a founder, woman, and
entrepreneur, I hope to use my
voice to inspire conidence in other
individuals both personally and
professionally.”
As the current New York Chapter
President of the National Association
of Multi-Ethnicity Communications
(N.A.M.I.C), a Forbes 30 under 30
2016 nominee, and a Latino Leaders
Magazine top 25 Future Latino
Leader, Lowery has clearly made
her mark. When asked how she felt
about her accomplishments so far,
she responded that accolades are
not something I work for, I am just
doing what I feel I need to do for
me and the people around me. As
a woman of color in 2018, Lowery
believes that it’s a magical time to
share your story with people who
may be able to identify with you.
to MarketingSuccess
Connection - Culture - Colloquilism
3C’s
www.colormagazine.com 17
CONTENT
A Critical CDO Success Factor: RESILIENCE
INTRODUCTION
If you are leading diversity and inclusion in your organization, by now you know that you have to be well grounded
in who you are, what you believe in, and how far you will go to stand by your beliefs. In fact, the most accomplished
diversity and inclusion leaders admit that they are challenged almost daily and they have to continually examine,
reairm, recharge, and decisively continue on. This state of continuance is called resilience. Resilience has been
deined in a variety of ways, but having worked in the ield of diversity and inclusion for a signiicant number of
years, I’ve formulated the following deinition of resilience: the ability to withstand daily opposition, setbacks and
regressions, while patiently, yet conidently and persuasively, guiding, modeling, communicating, and promoting
behaviors and actions that relect your core values and beliefs, including equality, fairness, inclusion, and social justice.
In my personal experience and observations of
others, I’ve determined that CDOs who are successful
in building resilience score high in four areas: self-
awareness; relationship building; continuous learning;
and maintaining a robust support network. In your
role as CDO, how resilient are you?
The following four self-assessment questions will
help you measure your level of resilience on a scale of
1-5, with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest.
While there are no right or wrong answers to these
questions, a thoughtful, candid response will help
you to determine how resilient you are. Answering
these questions will also help you to identify your
strengths and make note of opportunities to make
improvements. The more resilient you are, the more
successful you will likely be in your role of CDO.
Do you have a keen sense of self-awareness?
A state of self-awareness results from a CDOs mindful
steps toward fully understanding their own core values
and beliefs, their personal biases, and their impact on
others. I have adapted this familiar saying, “The change
that you wish to accomplish in the organization begins
with you.” In accomplishing diversity and inclusion, a
strong contributor to resilience is your keen sense of
self-awareness.
Are you a relationship builder?
CDOs know a lot of people, and they have many
interactions each day. However, it takes extra efort,
thought, and planning to identify the key people who
will impact (good or bad) the achievement of their goals
and develop a relationship with them. Putting forth the
efort to build strong relationships with champions and
challengers is a positive step toward resilience.
Are you continually learning?
In response, to a rapidly changing, increasingly
complex world, the ability of a CDO to adapt, innovate,
and stay ready for change produces the quality of
resilience. This requires staying on top of, and in
sync with, real time information, through speciic
actions that involve going beyond reading a book or
watching the news. Rather, this continuous learning
includes attending and participating in facilitated
conversations and learning groups and contributing
to thought leadership forums on a regular basis. The
knowledge you acquire leads to resilience.
Do you have a robust support network?
Having a robust support network is not a sign of
weakness, but rather an indication of strength that
contributes to resilience. “Robust” means that the
network is not just a product of happenstance, but
has been thoughtfully and planfully compiled and
assembled, with the intention of having access to
people and resources to help you to meet your
goals, and address unexpected challenges in a timely
manner. This network can also be viewed as a lifeline
that leads to resilience.
CONCLUSION
The perfect score is 20, but no matter what you
scored--and only you know--take to heart the
awareness that resilience is a key success factor in
your role as CDO. Make it a goal to take positive
steps to build resilience each day and keep it
strong as you lead diversity and inclusion in your
organization.
By Dr. Sandra Casey Buford
18
SPEAKER
“My life purpose is to ensure that women and People
of Color have a seat at the corporate table,” declared
Kimberly S. Reed, CDP, Diversity and Inclusion
strategist, Founder, and Chief Transformational Oicer
at Reed Development Group, LLC (RDG).
Since RDG’s founding eleven years ago, Reed has worked
to inform and educate senior executives and hold
them accountable to the organizational values of D&I
practices. Her strategies bolster recruitment, retention,
and professional development for women and people of
color, from entry level to C-suite positions.
“Diversity is not a corrective action; it is astute business.
It must be in the DNA of an organization, in order
to be sustainable. Efective D&I must be deliberate,
evolutionary, [tangible], and valued,” Reed explained.
“Every day, we’re required to take it to the max,” shared
Reed, “meaning, everything we do, we have to do with
excellence and integrity.”
Successful handling of the responsibilities of a D&I
strategist requires certain leadership qualities. Reed’s
experience has shown her that it’s necessary to be
sensitive “to the kaleidoscope of thought and execution
among your staf and clients.” In other words, in
supporting their teams and programs, efective leaders
and strategists recognize not only cultural diversity, but
the diversity within each individual, as well.
Reed realizes that, as a brand, her eforts are, in some
ways, representative of African-Americans in the US. As
such, she sets her expectation of high-quality service for
Kimberly S. Reed:
Embracing The Kaleidoscope
Of Peopleby Evan J. Cutts
both herself and her team. “I am continually motivated by
the legacies of my late grandmothers, Hattie V. Reed and
Mary J. Morris.” relects Reed. “They taught me, in their
own ways, to be unyielding and that I can do anything.
My debt to them is to be excellent and kind and to help
others in my life and work.”
“It is my father and my hero, Rhyme L. Reed, who taught
me to be fearless. And of my beloved mother, Barbara
E. Reed, who dwells only in my soul, along with God’s
spirit, who was my rock and my best friend, I will say
this: I am, because she was. I emphasize the middle
initial, in particular, because it represents her roots as
someone following the example made by these women
of strength.”
As a woman of color and a D&I leader, Reed believes that
people of color cannot take being great for granted. “We
have to be extraordinary and make sure we’re taking care
of each other.”
When Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, multi-time Silicon
Valley CEO, fi rst heard stories about companies wanting more women on corporate boards, but not
being able to fi nd any, she became frustrated—it just wasn’t the truth. She decided to create a
solution and in 2015, Cassidy founded theBoardlist.
“We’re an organization dedicated to increasing
the number of women on
corporate boards,” says
Lesley Grossblatt, COO and
VP of Product at theBoardlist.
“We identify qualifi ed women and make them visible and
accessible to companies.”
This organization works as a
tech platform in which men and
women can nominate women for
positions on corporate boards.
The nomination process is what
truly sets theBoardlist apart
from other organizations. There
are three different kinds of ways
to become part of theBoardlist
community—as an endorser, a candidate, or a searcher.
Endorsers are the ones who
nominate the great female
talent. Some are invited by
theBoardlist to be endorsers
and others apply. To join
theBoardlist community,
endorsers must have board
experience, and either a C-suite
executive title or be a Venture
Capital investor.
“Once they are accepted into theBoardlist, they can
nominate board-ready women,” says Grossblatt.
“[The endorsers] tell us who she is and what
stage company board she would be best suited
for. Endorsing members are contributing their
knowledge to the rest of the[Boardlist] community.”
ON CORPORATE BOARDS
INCREASING
Gender DiversityCandidates are often the founders, CEOs, and other
C-suite executives of their respective companies.
The searchers are the people who are searching
for qualifi ed women to diversify their boardrooms.
theBoardlist community is well connected and
engaged—often giving each other the inside scoop on women who would make excellent board members.
Grossblatt quoted Apple’s Tim
Cook when she explained that
being the CEO of a company
is a lonely job. However,
theBoardlist’s community allows
members to connect and share
their experiences with other
CEOs—it creates a network of true peers.
“Organizations perform so much
better when there are different
experiences,” says Grossblatt,
about the importance of gender
diversity in boardrooms. “If
you’re not representing the fi fty percent, you’re missing out on
something.”
In addition to the tech platform,
theBoardlist holds several
events throughout the year with
the support of their corporate
sponsors. They have different
events for different audiences
that focus on the theme of
boards. Some events focus
on the importance of having
diverse corporate boards and
others discuss what actions can be taken to build
stronger ones. They also have events that gather
young women who are interested in joining a board
sometime in the future.
CONTENT
www.colormagazine.com 19
How will youinvent the future?
SEE
BEYOND
THE
HORIZON
At Merck, we’re working in the
service of humanity. Toward
medical advancement. Toward
improved health outcomes. For
more than a century, we have
dedicated ourselves to a mission to
discover, develop, and provide the
medicines and vaccines that save
and improve lives around the world.
Our people work relentlessly
to find solutions to many of the
world’s most devastating diseases.
Be a part of something bigger:
Join a team united in inventing
medical advancements that impact
countless lives around the globe.
Merck is proud to embrace diversity in all its manifestations | EOE M/F/D/V/LGBT
merck.com/careers
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