® 2022 Second Quarter
Worth Watching
TM
INTERNATIONAL
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Embodying Pride Across All Lines
AWARD
Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
2022
ASIAN
LEADERS
AWARD
2022
$14.95
By Traci Wade (Oracle)
A Decade of Creating a Place for Diverse Talent to Excel By Kelly Jackson, Vice President of People & Culture at bp
To Women Everywhere: We Must Advocate for Ourselves (Part 4) By Bhavana Bartholf (Microsoft)
Cross-Cultural Communication: Beyond Words By Dr. Thomas J. Bussen (African Leadership University in Rwanda)
Women Invest 29% Less than Men? This Survey Says Yes By Paula Mariani, Director of user experience at N26
AND MORE . . .
NEXT ISSUE:
2022 Women Worth Watching® in Leadership, Diversity Teams & Native American Indigenous Leaders Worth Watching Awards
Our diversity of experiences makes for the best, most innovative teams. New York Life is proud of our richly diverse culture built on a foundation of inclusion. To learn more about our commitment, visit: newyorklife.com/diversity © 2022 New York Life Insurance Company, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
Be good at life.
New York Life is an Equal Opportunity Employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
PUBLISHER'S COLUMN “Endure Long Enough and All Sorts of Surprises Await.”
All Things Diversity & Inclusion FOUNDER/CEO/PUBLISHER
James R. Rector VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
James Gorman DESIGNER
Stephen A. Toth ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Teresa Fausey EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
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David Toth VECTOR FLAG ATTRIBUTION
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Profiles in Diversity Journal Gemini Towers #1 • 1991 Crocker Road, Suite 600 • Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: 440.892.0444 • Fax: 440.892.0737 profiles@diversityjournal.com SUBSCRIPTIONS
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issuu.com/diversityjournal Profiles in Diversity Journal® is a quarterly magazine dedicated to promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, higher education, and military sectors. For more than 24 years, we have helped to stimulate organizational change by showcasing the visionary leadership, innovative programs, and committed individuals that are making it happen. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and may or may not represent the views of the publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Registered in U.S. Patent Office
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In a June 4, 2022 article in the New York Times, titled, “Nadal Advances to Final as Zverev’s Ankle Injury Abruptly ends Match,”1 Christopher Clarey concludes with these words: “Endure long enough and all sorts of surprises await.” With a big smile on my face, I said, “Yes! What a wonderful and powerful mantra for these troubled and complex times.” And that’s why we’re excited to offer in this Q2 issue leadership profiles of Women Worth Watching® in STEM and Asian Leaders Worth Watching. See profiles beginning on page 20. PDJ continues to lead in the area of profiling diverse leaders by collaborating with organizations keen on acknowledging their leaders and achievers. For the past 24 years, our mission has been to advance diversity and inclusion, to increase the visibility of underrepresented groups, and to showcase women who have earned and achieved leadership positions in all areas of the world of work. See: www.womenworthwatching.com There are numerous people and organizations also dedicated to this work. For example, Janet and Gary Smith, the founders of Ivy Planning and frequent contributors to PDJ, have just launched their Go Next Executive Leadership Institute™ to assure that there are qualified diversity executives who will provide the leadership required to propel organizations to greater and more meaningful diversity and inclusion results. Hurray for Ivy Planning, as they endure long enough to achieve success and earn the respect of other DEI leaders. And hurray for all the people dedicated to DEI, as they endure long enough, too. In 2023, we will celebrate 25 years of publishing Profiles in Diversity Journal. For us, “Endure Long Enough and All Sorts of Surprises Await” has been, and continues to be, truly motivating and a driving force behind our commitment to find and feature inclusive organizations and dynamic leaders. Visit our websites, www.diversityjournal.com and www.womenworthwatching.com, to get the latest news, awards information, actionable quick reads, thoughtful essays by experts, and other content that will be interesting and inspiring to anyone who cares about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Read on,
James R. Rector Publisher & Founder Since 1999 1(https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/03/sports/tennis/nadal-zverev-french-open-semifinals.html)
2022 Second Quarter
1
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2
14
01 |
PUBLISHER’S COLUMN
05 |
EDITOR’S COLUMN
12 |
EMBODYING PRIDE ACROSS ALL LINES
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CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT: A DECADE OF CREATING A PLACE FOR DIVERSE TALENT TO EXCEL
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TO WOMEN EVERYWHERE: WE MUST ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES: PART 4
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ENSURING NONDISCRIMINATION AT OUR NATION’S AIRPORTS
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2022 ASIAN LEADERS WORTH WATCHINGTM AWARDS
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CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION: BEYOND WORDS
50 |
WOMEN INVEST 29% LESS THAN MEN? THIS SURVEY SAYS YES
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CAREER CHOICE: PERPETUATING INCOME AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY?
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EACH OF US MUST HELP TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE
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2022 WOMEN WORTH WATCHING® IN STEM AWARDS
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
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CORPORATE INDEX
2022 Second Quarter
www.diversityjournal.com
NEXTGEN Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) Executive Leadership Institute is a new groundbreaking 6-month executive development experience, created for DEI leaders to build modern critical business competencies for sustainable success. NEXTGEN CDO • Designed for those who lead DEI within their organization, whether they are a senior manager inside HR, or a CDO who reports directly to the CEO. • Delivers best-in-class training and coaching to develop the acumen, tools, and emotional intelligence needed to support sustainable business impact and value in your organization. • Designed to ensure participants obtain the richest and most relevant perspectives and experiences. • Delivered through 12 courses: two half-day, virtual, instructor-led workshops each month for 6 months.
For more information contact Ivy Planning Group at info@ivyplanninggroup.com
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Embodying Pride Across All Lines By Traci Wade, Oracle Traci Wade of Oracle talks with coworker Calvin Glenn about his experiences as a black gay man who has lived in multiple worlds—and how difficult it is to try to “fit in” anywhere. His solution is to stop trying to be what you think others expect, and instead, embrace who you are.
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CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT: A Decade of Creating a Place for Diverse Talent to Excel By Kelly Jackson, Vice President of People & Culture at bp Kelly Jackson shares her story. She discusses her commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as her adventures in HR, first at Wrigley and now, at BP, where she is vice president of people and culture.
Congratulations to Kathy Sheng on being named one of the 2022 Asian Leaders Worth Watching The Profiles in Diversity Journal recognized Kathy Sheng as an Asian Leader Worth Watching for her outstanding leadership and contributions to her community. At Freddie Mac, we value our inclusive workplace and believe it encourages diverse leaders, like Kathy, to succeed.
Join our team at careers.freddiemac.com
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EDITOR'S COLUMN
“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly.” –R. Buckminster Fuller
(American architect, systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, philosopher, and futurist)
I don’t know if any of you have ever felt like a caterpillar in a world full of butterflies. I have, and it can be pretty hard. The thing is that every caterpillar has inside itself the very thing needed to become a butterfly. In fact, that transformation is the caterpillar’s destiny. Imaginal cells (a lovely and unusually poetic name for a bit of biology), which are present within the caterpillar’s body, are responsible for the transformation. Once begun, the process is unstoppable. The caterpillar is no more. The beautiful butterfly emerges. I like to think that we have our own kind of imaginal cells. They are just waiting to help us become the butterfly we were meant to be—to listen to that voice inside us, instead of the noise around us. If we can have the courage to just be our true selves and follow our own paths, we can each achieve our own kind of success. Buckminster Fuller transformed himself, and his life, at a particularly low point in his life. He had lost his job, most of his money—everything seemed to go wrong. He was despondent, to say the least. When it seemed there were no good choices left, he somehow pivoted to a new path—his own path—and the rest, as they say, is history. His achievements are many and varied. He became a giant. So, I leave you this time with a second pearl of wisdom from Buckminster Fuller, or Bucky, as I understand his friends called him. I think it’s worth pondering . . . “The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it's a different kind of life.” As always, thanks for reading.
Teresa Fausey Associate Editor
www.womenworthwatching.com
2022 Second Quarter
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To Women Everywhere: We Must Advocate for Ourselves By Bhavana Bartholf, Microsoft In part 4 of her series for PDJ, Bhavana Bartholf presents and explains the last two of five steps for advocating for yourself at work and in life: Be Brave and Ask for What Matters and Find Your Pack.
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Ensuring Nondiscrimination at Our Nation’s Airports By Marcus H. England, Team Lead, National Airports Civil Rights Policy & Compliance, FAA Office of Civil Rights Marcus England discusses the FAAs role in nondiscrimination at the nation’s public airports, how individuals can file complaints, and where you can find out more.
The singular power of diversity Dechert is a global law firm dedicated to seeking and nurturing diverse viewpoints and experiences to develop the highest caliber of talent, leadership and service for our clients. We’re proud of our recent achievements – and eager for the continuing growth and progress to come. n n n n n n
Dechert’s Nitya Kumar Goyal named an “Asian Leader Worth Watching” and Angelina Liang named a “Woman Worth Watching in STEM” – Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2022 Diversity Leader Award – Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2022 Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality – Human Rights Campaign, 2022 (for the tenth consecutive year) Best International Firm for Diversity – Euromoney, Americas Women in Business Law Awards, 2021 Mansfield Plus 4.0 Certification – Diversity Lab, 2021 100 Best Companies, Best Companies for Multicultural Women, Best Companies for Dads, and Inclusion Index – Seramount, 2021
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dechert.com/diversity Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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2022 Asian Leaders Worth WatchingTM Awards PDJ presents its 2nd annual Asian Leaders Worth Watching Awards, We celebrate the commitment and achievements of these outstanding individuals, who have overcome obstacles, achieved success, mentored others, and more.
CONGRATULATIONS LIAT SHOCHAT FOR BEING NAMED AS ONE OF THIS YEAR'S WOMEN WORTH WATCHING BY DIVERSITY JOURNAL
Liat Shochat Senior Director, Research & Development
West has a long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is inherent in our Core Value of One West Team. We are in the business of helping our customers bring new medicines and treatments that advance life — for people of every background, race and belief.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WESTPHARMA.COM
www.womenworthwatching.com
2022 Second Quarter
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Cross-Cultural Communication: Beyond Words By Dr. Thomas J. Bussen, African Leadership University in Rwanda In this article, Dr. Thomas J. Bussen talks about the importance of language in cross-cultural communications. And the misunderstandings that often occur, the prejudice against foreigners who don’t speak the local language well, and literal translations that don’t work at all.
PAGE 50
Women Invest 29% Less than Men? This Survey Says Yes By Paula Mariani, Director of user experience at N26 Paula Mariani presents the results of a survey conducted by N26 that shows that women tend to invest less than men. The reasons are many—less money to invest, less confidence about investing, a closed male-dominated system that tends to shut them out, and more.
PAGE 52
Career Choice: Perpetuating Income and Social Inequality? By Amanda J Felkey and Dimitra Papdovasilaki Amanda Felkey and Dimitria Papadovasilaki discuss the lack of diversity, not just in the C-suite, but also at entry level, and how the racially motivated exclusion from particular career pipelines may perpetuate or exacerbate social inequality.
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Each of Us Must Help to Foster an Inclusive Culture By Yusuf Z. Zakir, Davis Wright Tremaine Yusuf Zakir shares his story of growing up in Canada, the child of parents who had immigrated there from East Africa, and the feeling of “homelessness” he often lived with. And how it made him the person and the diversity leader he is today.
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www.diversityjournal.com
Be a part of our upcoming Q3 issue! Our upcoming Q3 issue will be featuring our 21st annual Women Worth Watching® in Leadership award winners. We will also feature the 2022 Diversity Teams and our 2022 Native American Indigenous Leaders Worth Watching award winners. The issue will have articles written by executives from top corporations as well as articles from top influencers in the DEI field. You can participate in the upcoming issue by promoting your company or organization by writing an article or reserving advertising space. Please contact Jim Rector for details at profiles@diversityjournal.com or call 440-892-0444.
www.womenworthwatching.com
2022 Second Quarter
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2022 Women Worth Watching® in STEM Awards PDJ proudly presents its fourth annual Women Worth Watching in STEM Award recipients. This year, the magazine honors another group of outstanding women, who have overcome bias and achieved success in the one of the STEM fields.
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Where are they now? Catch up with another 12 past Women Worth Watching® Award recipients and find out what they’ve been up to professionally. Whether they have moved up the career ladder, joined a new team, or struck out on their own, their contributions and achievements continue to impress and inspire.
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Coporate Index Check out the list of organizations that appeared and/or advertised in this issue. Their contributions are invaluable.
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www.diversityjournal.com
2022 Awards Calendar
UPCOMING AWARDS
Magazine Issue - Fourth Quarter 2022 AWARD INFORMATION • Magazine Issue: Q4 2022
2022
LEADERS Worth Watching
TM
AWARD
BLAC K
• Featured Awards: Black Leaders Worth Watching • Nominations Close: Sept 16, 2022
Nominate Today!
• Winners Announced: Sept 2022 • Publication Date: December 2022
AWARD INFORMATION • Magazine Issue: Q4 2022
2022
INTERNATIONAL
AWARD
Innovations in Diversity
• Featured Awards: Innovations in Diversity • Nominations Close: Sept 16, 2022
Nominate Today!
• Winners Announced: Sept 2022 • Publication Date: December 2022
AWARD INFORMATION • Magazine Issue: Q4 2022
2021
ORGANIZATIONS Worth Watching
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INTERNATIONAL
AWARD
DIVERSE
www.womenworthwatching.com
• Featured Awards: Organizations Worth Watching • Nominations Close: Sept 16, 2022
Nominate Today!
• Winners Announced: Sept 2022 • Publication Date: December 2022
2022 Second Quarter
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Embodying Pride ACROSS ALL LINES
J
By Traci Wade, Vice President, Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Oracle
June is LGBTQ+ Pride month, and as we kick off the celebration, it’s worth reflecting on the momentous progress made by the gay liberation movement in the United States, and how the fight for LGBTQ+ rights has breathed life into so many other social-justice movements. That’s a topic I recently spoke with Calvin Glenn about. Calvin has thought a lot about intersecting identities and the ties between marginalized communities thanks to his own unique experience and his life-long dedication to empowering others. I learned so much from our discussion. But the big takeaway for me is that the great accomplishment of LGBTQ+ -rights activists, one that resonates far beyond that one movement, is allowing people to simply be themselves. Growing up, Calvin occupied—and thrived in—very different spaces. In his poor neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, he “got a lot of razz-
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ing” because his interest in books and computers wasn’t always cool. Then, his incredible academic talent thrust him into an elite all-boys school where there were few kids who looked like him; he was one of only two Black kids in his class and openly gay. “You live across different lines,” Calvin tells me. “I don’t think any of us lives in a single space, where we’re always part of a single group. That was my experience, feeling like I was in two different spaces: first I was a really poor kid because I lived in the hood, but also I was a really privileged kid because I went to a fancy private school. Then, add in the fact that I’m a gay boy—they all made up what my identity was.” Calvin became very good at “acting appropriate for whatever group of people I’m going to hang with,” he says. He learned to thrust forward, or hide back from view, different parts of himself. “Today I’m going to be more prim and proper. Today I’ve got to
be a little looser and more street. Some days I’ve got to make sure that when I’m hanging out with my straight friends I don’t say too much gayness. It’s interesting how all of that comes into play to create a single identity.” Minding those distinctions isn’t really part of his life anymore; Calvin strives to bring all these experiences and facets of his identity forward as a whole self. And as an Industry Marketing leader at Oracle, he focuses on promoting a culture that makes other people feel they can do the same. In his 14 years at Oracle, Calvin has found not only a professional home and a stellar career, but also an outlet for his sense of purpose through participation in employee resource groups that foster inclusive culture. Calvin provides an esteemed voice in two of our Employee Resource Groups (ERG): Oracle Pride Employee Network (OPEN) and Alliance of Black Leaders for Excellence (ABLE).
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OPEN, which promotes awareness of LGBTQ+ issues, is extremely important, he says. “In places I’ve been, there’s a lot of camaraderie around being Black, but not a lot for gay people.” While earlier in his life Calvin dedicated more energy to gay activism, an area that he felt demanded visibility, as he got older he came to appreciate his voice was more needed on Black issues, due to their underrepresentation in the tech industry. For that reason, the ERG he has chosen to formally lead is the Atlantachapter of ABLE. Calvin has collaborated with other Oracle ERGs like Oracle Latino Alliance to help give him greater insights into the balancing act of identity, and how it plays into a professional setting. The ultimate goal, Calvin has concluded, should be for everyone to feel comfortable bringing their true, most complete self to the workplace. One way to achieve that is by being each other’s allies. “We’re all more than capable of seeing someone else’s situation and understanding how to be empathetic toward it. That is one of the powers of being an ally,” Calvin tells me. “You might not feel the same way, but it’s really important to think about how someone else feels. When you’re in those spaces and you’re learning about somebody else, you’re going to hear something you experienced too for a different reason, or something you never thought about,” he says.
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It’s in these spaces where we’re intentionally teaching each other that we can forge connections, driving home how similar we all are—and make it possible to find shared experiences.
It’s in these spaces where we’re intentionally teaching each other that we can forge connections, driving home how similar we all are—and make it possible to find shared experiences. “At Oracle I’ve always felt comfortable doing that. Oracle has been great for that. It’s amazing how people can bring their whole self here and not feel fear about that,” he says. Calvin is a big fan of getting people who think differently together in a room, then watching what happens. Typically, everyone comes out of that situation having learned something, he points out.
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At this point in his life and career, Calvin says exploring his intersectional identity comes down to a matter of prioritizing his focus and energies. But in some ways it doesn’t matter where he shares his voice, what affinity groups he leads or participates in, what organizations he supports, because they’re all working toward the same end goal. “Our experiences are much more shared, we’re much more alike than different,” Calvin tells me. “We’re having the same experiences, just for different reasons and from different angles.” PDJ
As Oracle’s Vice President and Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Traci Wade leads programs that build awareness of the business impact and value of a diverse and inclusive culture at Oracle. She engages with senior leadership in creating and supporting strategies that infuse and elevate a culture of inclusion and equity. She established Oracle’s first di¬versity and inclusion team in 2009. Since then, Traci has become a strategic thought leader and subject matter expert on diversity and inclusion. Traci has received recognition and awards for her commitment and success in leading Diversity & Inclusion corporate efforts, including being named a 2021 Profiles in Diversity Journal Women Worth Watching, 2017 Top Diversity and Inclusion Executives in Corporate America by Black Enterprise Magazine, Bridging the Gap Award by 2015 by San Francisco African-American Chamber of Commerce, Corporate Champion of the Year in 2012 by Black Data Processing Associates, Rising Star at the Women of Color STEM Conference in 2013 and Outstanding Corporate Contributor by Black Data Processing Associates in 2013.
www.womenworthwatching.com
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Corporate Spotlight: bp
A Decade of Creating a Place for Diverse Talent to Excel
By Kelly Jackson, Vice President of People & Culture at bp
I began college thinking I would pursue a career in accounting. But I quickly realized that numbers didn’t excite me—people did. I think this love of people and my desire to help others was instilled in me from a young age. My father was an executive for United Airlines, and I grew up watching him work his way up the corporate ladder at a time when there were few minorities in senior-level roles at Fortune 500 companies. Despite his own difficulties, he remained committed to doing what he could to pave the way for others and proactively support the growth of talent that came after him. I found his drive and motivation incredibly inspiring, and his career journey ultimately had a profound impact on my own career. After graduating college, I decided to join a human resource consulting firm, Hewitt Associates, which is where I got my first taste for the world of HR. This experience spurred me to look for other opportunities where I could broaden my skillset and led me to apply for a position at Wrigley as a HR business partner. Wrigley, now Mars Wrigley, is the largest manufacturer and marketer of chewing gum in the world. One of the highlights of my time there was leading the HR function at one of the company’s manufacturing sites. I found being able to support, engage, and develop the talent that made the very products that allowed the business to be profitable to be extremely
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Corporate Spotlight: bp rewarding. I am also proud that I launched Mars Wrigley’s African American Network, working alongside senior leaders to form the organization’s first African American business resource group and inclusion lounge.
Empowering bp’s greatest asset—its talent After 12 years at Mars Wrigley, I felt the need to spread my wings and broaden my corporate experience. There was an opportunity at bp to lead HR for Global Business Services Americas that caught my eye, and I went on to begin my bp career in 2012. I’ve since transitioned across various roles at bp, working as an HR leader in petrochemicals and supporting bp America’s mobility and convenience business, before eventually moving into my current position as vice president of bp’s People & Culture capability. In this role, I’m responsible for developing, empowering, and engaging the extraordinary P&C talent within bp. On a day-to-day basis, my responsibilities include leading and supporting my team to deliver our P&C strategic capability priorities. Those priorities are: defining the P&C career narrative—the vision for how we develop careers in P&C moving forward; improving talent mobility through our new enablement group—developing a refreshed approach to how we fill roles and staff projects; supporting learning and development initiatives to foster the skills and capabilities that P&C will need in the future; and finally, creating a truly connected and engaged P&C community. Talent development is a key interest of mine and my team. We are passionate about ensuring that P&C receives the same support and development that our function provides to bp.
Caring for people and planet After 10 years with bp, I am confident that it is an employer committed to making a positive impact on the lives of its employees, people, and the planet. P&C plays a key role in supporting the development of the organization, which will help the business to deliver on its ambition to be a net zero
company by 2050 or sooner. I am proud that I can contribute to this mission in my own way by driving our P&C capability strategy and ensuring that our HR talent is cared for, which in turn allows HR to care for bp’s greatest asset—our people. Across bp, I have been pleased to see the progress we have made in promoting DE&I among our people. I am part of a recently launched program called LIfT which is an accelerated pathway to support black employees, with future cohorts planned to include other minority ethnic groups. Through LIfT, bp creates a new, highly personalized experience for each participant that includes targeted development based on his or her desired future career pathway. I am also part of the BELT (Black Extended Leadership Team), which is focused on
Across bp, I have been pleased to see the progress we have made in promoting DE&I among our people. I am part of a recently launched program called LIfT which is an accelerated pathway to support black employees, with future cohorts planned to include other minority ethnic groups. creating a connected and results-oriented culture within bp, where black talent excels. As part of my participation in the BELT, I am pleased to serve as the lead of the BELT mentorship subcommittee. This subcommittee was created in line with bp’s DE&I framework, and our ambition to grow and develop a pipeline of diverse talent. After more than a decade, I remain energized by bp’s commitment to making the workplace a diverse, inclusive environment where, no matter your age, gender, sexual orientation, or race, you can thrive and grow as your own authentic self. This is the vision my father hoped to actualize, and I am proud to be contributing to the creation of such an environment for future generations. PDJ
Kelly Jackson is Vice President of the People & Culture (P&C) Capability. In this role, she is committed to developing, empowering, and caring for the People & Culture talent within bp. Since joining bp in 2010, Kelly has held positions of increasing responsibility, including HR Director-Global Business Services Americas, HR Director-US Petrochemicals, and Head of P&C for Mobility and Convenience Americas. In addition to her core responsibilities, Kelly is also involved in driving multiple DE&I initiatives at bp. Prior to bp, Kelly spent 12 years across a variety of human resource leadership roles at Wrigley, now Mars Wrigley. During her career at Wrigley she provided HR business partner support across functions, including Manufacturing, Marketing, and Supply Chain. Kelly holds a BA in corporate communications, with an emphasis in public relations and advertising from Northern Illinois University.
www.womenworthwatching.com
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[PDJ : Part 4 in a Series]
To Women Everywhere: We Must Advocate for Ourselves
By Bhavana Bartholf, Chief Digital & Transformation Officer for Microsoft Commercial Solution Areas (Global)
T
hank you for joining me on this journey, where I have been sharing my Advocating for Yourself series in Profiles in Diversity Journal. Throughout this process, I have found myself gaining more and more clarity on where I’ve been and where I want to go—I hope you have, too. Today, in Part 4 of the series, I’m sharing my insights into the last two steps of the 5 Steps for How to Advocate for Yourself: 1. Believe in yourself 2. Be proud of your journey 3. You always have a choice 4. Be brave and ask for what matters 5. Find your pack
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Step 4–Be brave and ask for what matters “Be brave and ask what matters” always reminds me of that famous quote attributed to John Wayne, “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” Courage is literally not possible without fear. And everything we have done so far, in our previous steps, is learning to lean into embracing our fear. You will soon realize that when you know your strengths, acknowledge and work through your fear, and are prepared, this part, “Asking for what you want,” becomes easier. So, I would like to ask you to remember three things when you ask:
Be Clear–Spell it out I remember one time I asked my son to clean his room, and when I checked in on him a few hours later, he hadn’t done anything. When I started to fuss at him about it, he looked at me and said, “Mom, if you wanted me to get it done at a specific time, you should have just said that. I hope you know, Mom, I am not able to read your mind.” Now, obviously, my initial thought was, “You should be glad you can’t read my mind.” But I realized he was right. We don’t live in a world of mind readers, and it isn’t worth getting frustrated or upset when we are not clear. So, make sure you spell out exactly what you want.
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Be Bold–Don’t minimize your ask Remember what matters to you matters, so don’t get this far and start to backtrack on what you intended to ask. My grandfather would always say, “Live every day like it is your last and so make it count.” So be BOLD. As Norman Vincent Peale says, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Don’t overexplain your ask–Leave space for the person to respond This is one I continue to struggle with today. As a woman, I have this urge to explain myself when I have to do or ask for something for myself. I personally feel it helps others recog-
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need our people and, as women, we especially do. We need that validation, encouragement, and support through the good and the bad. Surround yourself with people who uplift and encourage you. Whether that’s family, or close friends, these are people who make you feel good about yourself and bring out the best in you. I would be remiss if I didn’t admit it is sometimes tough for women, especially in their careers, to find women who are truly happy about another woman’s success, and are people they can trust. Some of the toughest experiences in my career were due to my interactions with
Now that you know the framework for Self-Advocacy, I am confident that you can do it. Simply imagine what would happen if women everywhere stepped up to ask for what they want! I would like to thank Profiles in Diversity Journal Publisher & Founder James Rector for inviting me to share my ideas in this informative and inspirational publication. I hope that now that we’ve been on this journey together you’ll stay connected with me and let me know how you are advocating for yourself at work and in life. The big secret? Self-Advocacy is hard for everyone, especially hard for women! However,
Some of the toughest experiences in my career were due to my interactions with other women. There simply aren’t enough of us, so let’s make sure we make room and celebrate the success of every woman.
nize why, just so I don’t come across as “being selfish.” And while I fully well know it is important to take care of yourself and self-advocate, this is one area in which I have to lean into the discomfort of the silence that comes when you ask. And I need to pause, leave space for the person to process my ask, and then respond.
Step 5–Find your pack Finally, don’t go it alone! We all
other women. There simply aren’t enough of us, so let’s make sure we make room and celebrate the success of every woman. And remember, you are the CEO of your life. Every CEO has a board of directors that advises her, so make sure you engage with your sponsors, coaches, mentors, and advisors—let them guide and enable you. In addition, we need our allies to be there for us.
Please follow tedxwaterstreet.com to watch the release of Bhavana’s first-ever TEDx talk: “The Secret to Self-Advocacy,” where she spoke on this topic May 4, 2022! Stay tuned for the upload, expected in June.
www.womenworthwatching.com
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we honestly have a lot to gain and little to lose when we do it! So, I encourage you: Give it your best shot—we are all just works in progress! PDJ Bhavana Bartholf (https://www. linkedin.com/ in/bhavanabartholf) is the Chief Digital & Transformation Officer for Microsoft Commercial Solutions Areas (Global) and a Profiles in Diversity Journal Woman Worth Watching in Leadership for 2021. This is the fourth article in her Advocating for Yourself series. She hopes to continue to stay in touch with PDJ readers through LinkedIn and welcomes opportunities to connect.
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Ensuring Nondiscrimination at Our Nation’s Airports By: Marcus H. England, Team Lead National Airports Civil Rights Policy & Compliance FAA Office of Civil Rights
Every day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) works to ensure no traveler faces discrimination at our nation’s more than 5,000 public airports. The FAA’s Office of Civil Rights is responsible for the development and implementation of civil rights and equal opportunity policies and programs. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act requires, among other things, that airport sponsors ensure there is nondiscrimination in all facets of airport operations. To ensure compliance with the act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964, the FAA works with its external partners to guarantee that no traveler or person seeking to do business at the nation’s public airports faces discrimination. As the anniversary date approaches, the FAA continues its efforts to educate and help ensure there is no discrimination at the nation’s airports.
What is the FAA’s role in airport nondiscrimination? Airport sponsors who receive grants under the FAA Airport Improvement Program are obligated by the civil rights requirements of Title VI, CFR Part 21. Collectively, these authorities prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or creed. Airport operators, airport staff, contractors, concessionaires, and other entities licensed to operate at the airport must comply with these nondiscrimination laws and regulations. The FAA has established policy and addresses all complaints of unlawful discrimination
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on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, creed, sexual orientation, and disability in federally operated and federally assisted airport programs. Through the Airport Nondiscrimination Compliance Program, the FAA works with the owners and operators of public airports across the country to prevent the unequal treatment of travelers and businesses. To accomplish this mission, the agency partners with the Department of Justice, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Consumer Protection, and stakeholder groups to ensure compliance with Title VI requirements.
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How does the FAA ensure airports comply with Title VI laws and regulations?
How does someone file an airport Title VI complaint with the FAA and how is it addressed?
Each airport is encouraged to have a designated employee to coordinate Title VI compliance issues and most airports employ such a coordinator. These employees work closely with the FAA and look to the Airport Nondiscrimination Compliance Program team for training and guidance. As part of our compliance duties, the FAA conducts airport compliance reviews. Risk-based factors such as prior complaints, airport renovation projects, airport size, or the interval since the last review guide selection of airports for these reviews. Elements covered in the review include interviews of selected airport staff, evaluation of concessionaire training and policies, and review of airport contracts to ensure the inclusion of nondiscrimination language/clauses. The FAA shares lessons learned from its Title VI reviews with airport sponsors and others in the aviation industry during training conferences and webinars.
The number of airport Title VI complaints received by the FAA each year varies. Any member of the public can file a complaint alleging violations of Title VI requirements by mailing the FAA at:
How does the FAA, other federal agencies and stakeholder groups stay informed of changes to Title VI laws and regulations? Several times each year, the FAA provides updates at stakeholder conferences and collaborates with federal agencies on nondiscrimination compliance matters. The agency also sponsors a Civil Rights Training Conference for Airports where attendees receive specific training on regulatory updates, Executive Orders, Title VI guidance and best practices. The 2022 virtual training conference will be held July 26-28, 2022.
Federal Aviation Administration (ACR-4) 800 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC, 20591 Room 1030, FOB 10-A The FAA investigates all complete complaints involving airports, and issues written determinations to address the concerns. If an airport sponsor is found to be out of compliance with Title VI requirements, the FAA works to resolve the issue with the airport and complainant. The FAA also assists Title VI coordinators or designees to conduct their own investigations when complaints are filed locally.
How do I get more information on Title VI? Read more about the program through these resource links: Additional policy, regulations, and laws pertaining to Title VI can be found at: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters _offices/acr/com_civ_support/national_airport_ policy_compliance/ Airport Civil Rights Program National Airport Policy and Compliance https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_ offices/acr/policy_law_regulation/ Office of Civil Rights EEO Policies, Laws & Regulations Civil Rights Training Conference for Airports
Marcus H. England is the Program Manager of the National Airport Civil Rights Policy and Compliance Team in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Civil Rights in Washington DC. He leads a staff that is responsible for the oversight of federal civil rights policy and compliance at airports receiving federal funding as it relates to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (airport business opportunities including airport construction projects and airport concessions). Marcus prefers using a common sense approach to civil rights as ensuring equal opportunity, equal access, and equity is a win for all of us. Why not have equality and equity? Marcus is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a B.S. in Business Administration and Management. Marcus values leadership and has completed various leadership training programs in both the private sector and the federal government during his career. Marcus is an active and Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
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ASIAN LEADERS Worth Watching
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AWARD
2022
Second Annual
The 2nd Annual Asian Leaders Worth Watching™ Awards
PDJ Salutes our Second Class of Asian Leaders Worth Watching™ Award Winners For more than two decades, Profiles in Diversity Journal® has honored outstanding individuals who have blazed new trails, welcomed challenges, mentored others, advanced diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the community, and excelled in their chosen fields. Now, PDJ is honoring Asian Leaders with our second Asian Leaders Worth Watching Awards. The 23 profiles that appear in this issue recognize and celebrate the hard work and impressive achievements of these Asian Leaders. Each award recipient has also provided us with the answers to some interesting questions and an essay that will give you, our readers, a chance to get to know these multitalented and trailblazing individuals a little better. Welcome to PDJ’s second annual Asian Leaders Worth Watching Awards.
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We Need More Diverse attorneys in Leadership
Education: JD cum laude, American University, Washington College of Law; BA cum laude, Washington University in St. Louis Company Name: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Kim Koopersmith (Chairperson) Company Headquarters Location: N/A Number of Employees: 1700+ Your Location (if different from above): Los Angeles, California Words you live by: Dream (the verb)–I think it’s always important to keep dreaming; Change–I think it’s always important to keep evolving (It also helps to live by this word when you are in a tough moment in time; recognizing the moment is temporary helps shift the energy.) Who is your personal hero? Maya Angelou What book are you reading? The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho What was your first job: Working in an independent, small bookstore in the suburbs of Chicago, the Book Bin. Walking into a small independent bookstore feels like walking into home. Favorite charity: Mercy Corp Interests: Running, yoga, Pilates, hiking, picnics at the beach in Malibu, reading, interior decorating, and gardening Family: I have an 11-year-old daughter, Farrah Mila, and a 5-year-old son, Rion Alfie; my husband, Dale Smith, keeps me centered and grounded.
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As part of human nature, people are hard-wired to gravitate toward people who have had the same experiences and share the same backgrounds as themselves. As part of our subconscious biases, people typically have more compassion and empathy toward people who share their cultural background and upbringing. Subconscious bias is real—it is inadvertent, it is dangerous, and it is pervasive. The fact is that people in positions of power typically have had very different experiences and opportunities than a first-generation immigrant or a person whose parents did not go to college or receive a graduate degree. Success begets success. Connections beget connections. As a younger attorney at a prior firm, I remember sitting at an airport café in Montreal with my mentor, after finishing a long day with the client, eating a very bad (yet very tasty) chicken parmesan pasta dish. I said to my mentor, “I don’t know why I have this feeling, but it seems that I need to be twice as good as the other associates to receive the same treatment.” My mentor turned to me and said, “It’s true. But you have nothing to worry about, because you are twice as good.” I will always remember the feeling I had when I digested his response— it felt like a hard blow. While my mentor was trying to give me a compliment, I felt sick to my stomach. I was hoping what I felt was not real. I was hoping he would affirm that I was viewed just the same as my colleagues, that I was judged by the same standards, that I had nothing to worry about, and that my feeling was a paranoid thought not rooted in reality. In the legal profession, a younger attorney’s success depends largely on the training the attorney receives. Does the younger attorney have a strong mentor who is willing to devote the time and energy to pass on the tricks-of-the trade? Is that mentor willing to allow room for mistakes and improvement? Is that mentor committed to bringing the attorney into key relationships? As a younger attorney, I was lucky to have two very strong mentors. Without their guidance and support throughout my career, I would not be where I am today. I believe that as more diverse attorneys step into leadership roles, they will play a critical role in mentoring and ensuring the success of the next generation. As more diverse attorneys step into leadership roles, I am hopeful that subconscious biases will continue to be diluted and, in a perfect world, be eliminated. And that people will be judged solely by their performance and skill, and not by the color of their skin or their ethnic or cultural background.
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AWARD
Shiva Aminian
2022
Worth Watching
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Z.W. Julius Chen Partner
The Incredible Power of Choosing Engagement As a first-generation Asian American, I grew up with the familiar refrain that hard work and education lead to success, so long as you keep your head down. No doubt, that has proved true enough for many. But that mindset appears to be shifting rapidly. The events of the past few years have transformed the conversation about race in America. And notwithstanding the work of countless trailblazers and advocacy organizations, for many Asian Americans that has meant thinking and talking deeply about race for the very first time. I’ll be the first to admit that I fell into that group. But as I’ve connected increasingly with other Asian Americans and allies to share experiences, and to consider how we might use our voices and platforms to effect desperately needed and long-overdue change, I’ve also learned to shed my instinct to avoid the topic of race when it arises. I’ve even found myself playing the role of the proverbial “squeaky wheel,” rather than take my lumps, when the situation called for it. These days, as the hiring partner for a large office of a major international law firm, I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues—and in particular, how my own experiences might inform our approach to attracting and developing the next generation of lawyers and leaders. It goes without saying that addressing workplace bias, discrimination, and other related challenges is a monumental task with no easy solutions. But what sticks out to me as an Asian American is the incredible power that comes from simply choosing to be engaged—whether it’s in the form of participating in affinity groups, attending events, or agreeing to serve as a mentor. I’ve also been fortunate to find synergies with my legal work—for example, by advocating on behalf of organizations like the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality in the U.S. Supreme Court, and by speaking on panels about pressing legal issues in the DEI space. That being involved is critical might seem obvious (and it may well be). But time and again, I am amazed at the number of law students and young attorneys who tell me how meaningful it is to speak with an Asian American hiring partner, or how a weekend at a bar association conference imbues them with a new sense of community and inspiration. In my view, those interactions are invaluable because they facilitate the type of honest, probing, and often uncomfortable conversations that force us to explore our own identities and lead us to action. Perhaps surprising my younger self, I now find myself looking forward to the next conversation.
Education: JD, Columbia Law School; AB, history, Princeton University Company Name: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Kim Koopersmith (Chairperson) Company Headquarters Location: N/A Number of Employees: 1700+ Your Location (if different from above): Washington, D.C. Words you live by: Leave nothing to chance. Who is your personal hero? Too hard to choose! What book are you reading? The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin What was your first job: Life Guard Favorite charity: Asian Americans Advancing Justice Interests: Golf, classical music, traveling, and reading Family: Tiffani (spouse); Cadence and Travis (kids)
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CMO
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LEADERS Worth Watching
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Zarina Lam Stanford
No One Does It Better than the Best You
Education: MBA, Southern Methodist University; BA, University of North Texas; and Stanford University Graduate School of Business Asian Leadership Program Company Name: Bazaarvoice Industry: Technology Company CEO: Keith Nealon Company Headquarters Location: Austin, Texas Number of Employees: 1,255 Words you live by: Integrity. Be you. Have fun. Be relevant. One team. Who is your personal hero? My mother, Lai-Tak What book are you reading? Show Your Worth by Shelmina Babai Abji What was your first job: Proposal writer, InteCom, Inc. Favorite charity: I don’t have a favorite charity. Interests: Travel, Zen gardens, and Ikebana Family: I am the youngest of 5 siblings, and I have two sons who now live in Brooklyn, New York
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Born and raised in Hong Kong, I am a spirited and energized entrepreneur, and a believer at heart. I thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments, with change as an energizing element. As a teenager, right after high school graduation, I left Hong Kong for the United States in pursuit of higher education and growth, armed with two pieces of luggage and just enough cash for one semester’s tuition and living, which my mother, Lai-Tak, had saved for me. After being undecided regarding my major for my first two years in college, I landed in journalism and learned my most important life skill—one that would launch my career and enrich my life, then and now—asking the critical question to uncover the story beneath. Below are some of my thoughts and advice to share with my younger self and others: 1. Be one who envisions bold possibilities and delivers measurable impacts: In my personal life and my career, I exercise an entrepreneurial spirit—a can-do attitude coupled with positivity—to envision, execute, and deliver. I lead with the principles of seeing the possible, being relevant, getting things done, and having fun all at the same time. 2. Be one who dares to grow: Beyond passion, optimism, taking charge, and creativity, a leader has limits. By virtue of being a leader, he or she leads—the situation, the people, the business, and oneself. I believe in continuous learning and adapting for growth. Leadership is also a team sport, but as leaders, we need to continue to dare ourselves, our colleagues, our company, and others to grow. • Self-leadership: Leading self is equally as important as leading others; growth is about creating a compelling vision that mobilizes believers • Seeing potential in others and daring them to grow • Building lasting teams: Growth is a team sport; building lasting relationship and teams will be key 3. Be one who has a voice: Speak up when you have something that can advance an idea, a conversation, an approach, a belief, a business concept, or a mission. As an Asian female, petite and with English as a second language, this didn’t come easy for me. I am thankful for my mother who taught my siblings and me to believe in ourselves. I am grateful for having amazing mentors and sponsors over my entire career, particularly during my formative years at IBM. I have been blessed by amazing cohorts and teammates and youngsters to stay current. 4. Be proud of your heritage and who you are. No one does it better than the best you. 5. Don’t forget to stop to smell the roses, have fun, and celebrate.
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Worth Watching
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Nicholas D. Hartlep, PhD Robert Charles Billings Endowed Chair in Education & Education Studies Department Chair
Why I Don’t Wish to “Assimilate” As a Korean department chair in the field of teacher education, I am very aware that there is a shortage of Asian leaders in U.S. higher education. I have made the choice to serve as a department chair to model to other Asian Americans that they can and should also serve in this capacity or even a higher-level leadership position. I have the privilege of serving as the chair of the Education Studies Department at Berea College, the first interracial and coeducational college of the South. Based on the data I have read, I believe we need more department chairs, associate deans, and deans who are Asian American in the field of teacher education. In 1991, Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic wrote a law-review article entitled, “Derrick Bell’s Chronicle of the Space Traders: Would the U.S. Sacrifice People of Color if the Price were Right.” In their article, they write that “Storytelling is essential for social movement, precisely because it insists that our choice of narrative matters.” The counterstory I would like to share, and one that I have experienced personally, is that, the higher a leader ascends within an organization chart, the more he or she will be asked to assimilate. I don’t wish to assimilate. The best advice I ever received was to be comfortable being myself. If leaders allow themselves to become something they are not, they actually shortchange themselves. Changing who you are in order to be hired is not something I would ever do. The narrative I would like to share with readers of Profiles in Diversity Journal is that being an “Asian Leader Worth Watching” is extremely tiring, especially since Asians are not viewed as being leaders in U.S. higher education in the first place. Despite this challenge, more Asian Americans are needed in the field of higher education for this very same reason. Asian Americans ought to apply for leadership positions and reapply until they are hired. These individuals will need to move from entry-level leadership roles to executive-level leadership roles. Thank you, Dr. Sydney Freeman, Jr. for nominating me and thank you, Profiles in Diversity Journal for the public recognition for being an “Asian Leader Worth Watching.”
Job Title: Robert Charles Billings Endowed Chair in Education & Education Studies Department Chair Education: PhD, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; MSEd, Winona State University; BSEd, Winona State University Company Name: Berea College Industry: Higher Education Company CEO: Dr. Lyle Roelofs, President Company Headquarters Location: Berea, Kentucky Number of Employees: 862 Your Location (if different from above): Lexington, Kentucky Words you live by: “I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab-bag candy game.” – Toni Morrison Who is your personal hero? My wife What book are you reading? The Inequality Machine: How College Divides Us by Paul Tough What was your first job: Golf caddie Favorite charity: Habitat for Humanity Interests: Reading, and watching children play sports Family: Stacey Hartlep (Wife), Chloe Hartlep (Daughter), Avery Hartlep (Daughter), and Olivia Hartlep (Daughter)
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General Manager, Overwatch
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LEADERS Worth Watching
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What Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Taught Me about Success
Education: University of British Columbia Company Name: Blizzard Entertainment Industry: Entertainment/Tech Company CEO: Bobby Kotick Company Headquarters Location: Santa Monica, California Number of Employees: 9,800 Your Location (if different from above): Irvine, California Words you live by: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou Who is your personal hero? My mother is my personal hero. There was a period during my childhood when our family was in a tough financial situation. My mother worked multiple jobs to provide for my younger brother and I in a way that we never perceived any hardship. It was only years later that I realized the extraordinary effort and love she put into bettering our family circumstances. What book are you reading? The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams What was your first job: The first job I had was as an analyst in a bank. Favorite charity: Children’s Health Fund Interests: Dogs, video games, food, travel, cars, and martial arts
People may be surprised to know that I was a student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for seven years. I first moved to Southern California in 2011 to start my new job with Blizzard. With the relocation from out of state for the new job, I thought about other changes I could make. I had not been exercising much for quite a few years and wanted to bring a regular routine of physical activity back into my life. A friend and coworker talked me into visiting a nearby Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (“BJJ”) school to experience the martial art. That first class was tough. I could hardly make it through the warm-up. It only took a few jumping jacks, pushups, and sit-ups to make me feel severely exhausted. During the technique portion of the class, I felt embarrassed at my lack of physical coordination to mimic even the most basic moves demonstrated by the instructor. But the harshest part of that first class was the last 10 minutes spent “rolling” with other students. Rolling is the term for sparring in BJJ. I was completely dominated by every one of my training partners. It was pretty demoralizing. For the next three days after that first class, I was so sore throughout my entire body that you could even see it in my walking gait. But once I recovered, something made me head back to the school. Gradually, the warm up became easier, I was able to pick up techniques with fewer repetitions, and I was able to roll more competitively with my fellow students. I thought about what had changed. There was some improvement in my fitness. However, the biggest factor in becoming more successful was mental. With each end-of-class roll session, I was able to better control my natural panic instinct and mentally slow things down. This made it easier to process the sensory input and to command my body to take the appropriate action. Also, developing the expectation that there can be no quick path to expertise helped me switch from frustration about my slow rate of progress to appreciation of how far I had come over months and years of training. My experience with BJJ taught me lessons that I apply in many aspects of my life: 1) When something seems scary, slowing things down and thinking through the problem makes it much more manageable; 2) What seems to be an impossibly high mountain will always be an impossibly high mountain if you give up after a few small steps.
Family: Spouse, Amy; parents, Frank and Pauline; siblings, Terry, Bacharach, and Joanna
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www.diversityjournal.com
AWARD
Walter Kong
2022
Worth Watching
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Rahul Guha
Chief Executive Officer
My Path and Purpose Have Converged I was born and raised in Calcutta, India. After studying engineering as an undergraduate, and later earning an MBA, I came to Cornell University to further my education. In addition to pursuing my PhD, I also gained a new appreciation of community in the United States. I have been with Cornerstone Research for more than twenty-five years now. Throughout my tenure at the firm, in addition to providing the highest level of service to our clients, making a difference in my personal and professional communities has remained top of mind for me.
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The firm encourages employees to give back, through fundraising and volunteering with nonprofit organizations. In addition, we maintain a robust pro bono practice, providing services to a variety of organizations dedicated to fighting discrimination and defending civil rights.
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At Cornerstone Research, we are committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. The firm encourages employees to give back, through fundraising and volunteering with nonprofit organizations. In addition, we maintain a robust pro bono practice, providing services to a variety of organizations dedicated to fighting discrimination and defending civil rights. I am honored to be part of an organization that works on these litigation matters, which can make a real impact in peoples’ lives. When I became Cornerstone Research’s CEO, our firm’s commitment to equal opportunity, inclusion, and corporate citizenship was already in place. I have sought to use my leadership role to reaffirm this commitment by addressing issues of social justice and ensuring that we prioritize pro bono work. Working with the ACLU, I served as an economic expert witness in Brown et al. v. Madison County, Mississippi, which resulted in a landmark consent decree that mandated new policies to address racial profiling in policing practices. Each of my experiences has helped to guide my path and clarify my purpose. For more than two decades, my path and purpose have converged at Cornerstone Research. Today, I am proud to lead an organization that stands for something more. We strive to create a culture of service, nurturing a supportive community that can, in turn, offer support to others.
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Education: PhD, Cornell University; MBA, Indian Institute of Management; BE, Jadavpur University, India Company Name: Cornerstone Research Industry: Economic and financial consulting Company CEO: Rahul Guha Company Headquarters Location: San Francisco, California Number of Employees: 700 Your Location (if different from above): Chicago, Illinois Who is your personal hero? Rafael Nadal What book are you reading? The Man from the Future (a biography of John Von Neumann) by Ananyo Bhattacharya What was your first job: Associate at Cornerstone Research Favorite charity: Children International Interests: Tennis and cooking Family: Wife (Jamie) and thirteen-yearold twin daughters (Maya and Uma)
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The Key to Successful Mentoring is Authenticity
Education: BSFS, Georgetown University Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service; JD, The George Washington University Law School Company Name: Dechert LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Henry N. Nassau Company Headquarters Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania & New York, New York Number of Employees: Approximately 2,000 Your Location (if different from above): Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Words you live by: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn” – Benjamin Franklin Who is your personal hero? Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg What book are you reading? No Bad Kids by Janet Lansbury; The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday What was your first job: Banquet server (tuxedo and all!) at a private women’s club in Washington, DC Favorite charity: Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Interests: Listening to music from around the world, dance parties, and experiencing new things with my kids Family: My husband, Neerav, and our four-year-old twins, Nalin and Naina, who are my biggest cheerleaders
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Mentorship has been the key to success in my career. When I first started practicing law in the commercial real estate finance industry, I was the only woman and person of color starting in my practice group, and I made it a priority to find women and diverse mentors to help grow my career. I searched for a place where I could see myself reflected in the leadership, among the partners and associates and in each deal team. That is not always an easy task at any law firm or in finance, but I have been lucky enough to find great support and friendship among my diverse peers and clients over the past 10 years—those who gave me my first opportunities to learn and lead, those who acted as sounding boards through trials and triumphs, and those who championed me inside and outside Dechert. But what has been most surprising is that my biggest supporters have been partners at Dechert who some might say are the least like me. When I felt that I did not quite fit the mold of a partner, the mentorship I received from my partners completely changed my sense of belonging.
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By being open about myself, I have found that authenticity has been reciprocated and my relationships with my mentors have developed naturally and only strengthened over time.
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I believe that the one trait that has been essential in developing those mentoring relationships is authenticity. Instead of focusing on what made us different (whether it be ethnicity, religion, upbringing, or the fact that I will never understand golf), I focused on being true to myself and not hiding the things that make me who I am—a mother, an immigrant, a Hindu, a lover of basketball, and the list goes on. By being open about myself, I have found that authenticity has been reciprocated and my relationships with my mentors have developed naturally and only strengthened over time. I have learned that the best mentoring relationships are a two-way street involving a tremendous amount of vulnerability and trust. Now, having achieved my goal of being elected to the partnership at Dechert, I hope to pay forward all the support I have received and serve as a resource to all of my colleagues who are similarly looking for authentic friendship, mentorship, and support in their careers. Because, as Angelina Jolie once said, “Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same.”
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AWARD
Nitya Kumar Goyal
2022
Worth Watching
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INTERNATIONAL
AWARD
ASIAN LEADERS
Hyon Chu Leon
Director, Data Analytics & Underwriting
Embrace Your Differences My name is Hyon Chu. Growing up in America with a Korean name identifies you as other. It starts with, “I’m not sure if I’m pronouncing this right, but ‘Hi-On,’” or the look around the room for the Asian person, is this you? It’s present in social gatherings, in a restaurant, in the doctor’s office, in the workplace, everywhere you go. You look other, your name is other, you are other. Before you say a single word, before you’re even present, you are judged by your name, and it makes people uncomfortable. Should you correct the pronunciation? Yes, you should. Strangely enough, most people are probably already familiar with my name, they just don’t know it. Hyundai is a Korean car company that has an 8 percent of the U.S. car market—and the first part of the make’s name is the same as mine and 3,360 people in the United States—Hyun. If Hyundai is a household name in the United States, a similar name— my name—becomes other and is difficult to pronounce? We Asian Americans may have names that originate in a language other than English, making their transliteration a challenge for English speakers. Many of us as also have accents that prevent us from being understood and allow us to be easily dismissed. For five years of childhood, I was even in speech therapy for a supposed speech impediment. It wasn’t until years later that my sister clarified, “You don’t have a speech impediment. That was racism.” Something that defined who I was as a person, that prompted my lifelong fear of public speaking was racism, both internal and structural. But what’s most important is what you say, not the accent someone hears. None of us sound the same—aren’t we the melting pot? Doesn’t that mean it’s normal to have an accent? Today, businesses are embracing a new focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). DEI celebrates who we are and where we are from, and recognizes we are stronger together. As co-chair and founder of the Asian American Employee Resource Group at DentaQuest, I’m proud to be part of this new era, but it isn’t easy—it’s hard to weaken the status quo. When you look around a room of executives and you only see older white men, it’s because it’s been this way for 20+ years and these men were given opportunities while we were busy melting. So, let’s embrace the DEI era and open doors for more people. Call out the uncomfortable “other” of our names. Help discomfort shift to familiarity. The pot has melted—embrace your name, embrace your accent, embrace your differences.
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Education: BA, English, University of California, Los Angeles; MS, business analytics, University of Massachusetts, Boston (estimated completion in 2022) Company Name: DentaQuest Industry: Insurance Company CEO: Steve Pollock Company Headquarters Location: Boston, Massachusetts Number of Employees: 3,000 Words you live by: Happiness is most important. Who is your personal hero? My mother. She had an elementary education, immigrated to the United States, raised 4 children, and was the backbone of our family. What book are you reading? Business Intelligence: Practices, Technologies, and Management by Rajiv Sabherwal & Irma Becerra-Fernandez What was your first job: Cashier at McDonald’s Favorite charity: Cradles for Crayons Interests: Spending time with my family, reading, and watching Kdrama Family: Eduardo Leon (Spouse), Elizabeth Leon (Daughter)
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VP, Assistant General Auditor
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LEADERS Worth Watching
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Why I Am Passionate about Paying it Forward
Education: Master of Accountancy, University of Iowa; MBA, China Europe International Business School; BSc, Zhejiang University Company Name: Freddie Mac Industry: Financial Services Company CEO: Michael DeVito Company Headquarters Location: McLean, Virginia Number of Employees: 7,000+ Words you live by: Use yourself as a mirror, not others. Who is your personal hero? Dr. Terri Wahlig, CEO of ChildServe, for combining her human touch and her powerful leadership What book are you reading? Co-Active Coaching: Changing business, Transforming Lives by Henry Kimsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Laura Whitworth, and Phillip Sandahl What was your first job: Commodity trader Favorite charity: ChildServe, supporting kids with special needs and believing in the spirit of a child
In my home office, I have a precious black-and-white picture of me in China when I was five years old. This little girl was curious but very timid, wondering what the future would hold. Next to it is my recent headshot. What a difference! When I look at these two pictures and reflect on my career and life journey, I am proud of who I am today. Most importantly, I am grateful to those who have graciously offered me their wisdom, helped me grow, and inspired me to be an authentic leader. These people were not seeking anything in return from me. I show my appreciation for their generosity by paying it forward. I am passionate about developing others. I have coached people inside and outside the company and often encounter three common challenges: communication, networking, and confidence. Of these three, lack of confidence is the core challenge. When you judge yourself from another’s perspective rather than from self-recognition and inner strength, you are always aiming at a moving target. Confidence comes from within. I often call to mind what my executive coach told me: “Use yourself as the mirror, not others.” These days, when I coach and mentor others, I find myself often sharing this quotation. When I focused on how others might perceive me, I was focused on something beyond my control and imposed an impossible task on myself. I was bound to fail. How would that ever build my confidence? When I ask myself, “Do I give my very best considering the circumstances?” Then, I am focusing on what I can control. Environment is crucial for confidence to flourish. Confidence is like a seed that needs the right soil and warm sunshine. Diversity and inclusion are the right soil and sunshine. The environment must include support from the community and voices from many senior leaders about building the right culture and trust. Tolerance for mistakes is key. You never succeed without trying. Nobody tries without making mistakes. If mistakes are taken as evidence you are not good enough, the environment is not supportive. If mistakes are taken as evidence you are trying and open to coaching, that is a supportive environment. Freddie Mac strives to be such an environment. That is one reason I have chosen to have a career at Freddie. When I think about the long list of people who have graciously given me a helping hand and shared their wisdom, I am inspired to pass on what I have learned to an even longer list of those who could benefit.
Interests: Travel and Photography Family: Matt and Ray
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www.diversityjournal.com
AWARD
Kathy Sheng
2022
Worth Watching
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Magan Pritam Ray
Shareholder and Co-Chair of the Global Employee Benefits & Compensation Practice
Ensuring that America’s Promise Is Fulfilled Fearlessness and perseverance in the face of obstacles; compassion and kindness in the face of suffering—these are the lessons of my ancestors, refugees during the partition of India and Pakistan, that I share with you. Part of the first wave of immigrants to America after the 1965 Immigration Reform Act put an end to longstanding national-origin quotas favoring Europeans. I grew up in California as it switched from anti-immigrant and anti-affirmative state to a progressive beacon. I raised three brilliant “blindian” children through a long list of political changes—many tumultuous and counterproductive for people of color, immigrants, and other underserved communities—that exposed the sometimes ugly underbelly of our nation. Today, Biden and Harris give me and my children the hope of preserving our imperfect republic. I chose the law as a career for its power and promise—its power to liberate or incarcerate, its promise of equal treatment, justice, and fairness. My career has afforded me the opportunity to achieve a life full of the blessings of prosperity, intellectual satisfaction, and security for me and my family. These blessings demand that I do my part to dismantle the structural racism and inequality that plagues America and keeps it from fulfilling the promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for all. The current pandemic has illuminated the devastating impact of structural racism, xenophobia, and the dark shadows of crony capitalism, particularly on people of color and immigrants. My work as a board member of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Asian Law Caucus, and RIP Medical Debt allows me to do my small part by utilizing my blessings to rectify ongoing injustices. Our personal lives, our professional lives, our families and friends, our communities, our civic organization, and our government (local, state and federal) are part of a unified ecosystem. If some parts of our ecosystem are discriminated against, poor, unhoused, and lacking in adequate access to clean water, healthy food, a good education, and health care, the promise of America will remain just a promise. I hope to be remembered as an ancestor who was dedicated to ensuring that promise is fulfilled, whether it be in my lifetime or in the lifetimes of my brilliant, fearless, dedicated, compassionate, and kind descendants.
Education: JD with distinction, Stanford Law School; MA, University of California at Berkeley; BA, history, University of California at Berkeley Company Name: Greenberg Traurig, LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Brian L. Duffy Company Headquarters Location: As a global law firm, we do not have a headquarters. New York is our largest office, and Miami is the firm’s founding office. Number of Employees: 4,406 Your Location (if different from above): East Palo Alto, California Words you live by: Think about what kind of ancestor you want to be and, in each moment, act in accordance with that vision of yourself. Who is your personal hero? The Dalai Lama (and his infectious joy and compassion) What book are you reading? The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota What was your first job: Making and selling macramé plant hangers Favorite charity: ACLU Interests: Dance, hiking, avid Warriors fan, and supporting/attending live jazz, blues, and R&B music venues Family: Three adult children, mom, three sisters, seven nieces/nephews, one grandniece, and wonderful life partner
www.womenworthwatching.com
2022 Second Quarter
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2022
Director, Global Marketing
ASIAN
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Be Patient and Confident, and Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Education: Bachelor of Science, computer science, University of California, Berkeley; Master’s, MIT Sloan School of Management Company Name: HARMAN Industry: Technology Company CEO: Michael Mauser Company Headquarters Location: Stamford, Connecticut Number of Employees: 30,000+ Your Location (if different from above): New York City Metropolitan Area Words you live by: Believe. Preparation. Endurance. Who is your personal hero? My grandfather. He grew up in the rural Chinese countryside and only received an elementary school education, and he made his first life-changing decision, on his own, to join the army at age fifteen. From that point on, he began his lifelong journey of never giving up on learning and pursuing a higher purpose in life. The persistence and belief he maintained is truly inspirational to me. What book are you reading? The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson What was your first job: My first job was in IT at a software security company. Favorite charity: My favorite charity is the Clean Energy Innovation Program at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Interests: I love to travel. Family: Family is essential, especially once I became a mom.
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One of the biggest challenges I have overcome arose early in my life and taught me life lessons that I still think of today. When I moved to the United States from China, I was thirteen years old and barely spoke any English. At school, I struggled with schoolwork. It became the most depressing period of my life, on top of the already difficult and awkward experience of entering my teenage years. I remember being in my literature and history classes watching as all of my classmates finished the readings in fifteen to thirty minutes, while I was still stuck working through the meaning of the first two sentences. Of course, my grades were impacted, until finally the school administration recommended to my parents that I should start with English as a Second Language (ESL) classes before integrating with the standard English-speaking classes. It was absolutely devastating news to me. I thought that taking ESL classes made me too different from the other children my age, and at age thirteen, the last thing you want is to be perceived as weird or the odd one out.
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I also learned my first lesson in life: be patient, believe in yourself, and more important, prepare, prepare, prepare. I have always believed that preparation is essential to success, and to this day I strive to be properly prepared.
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So, I chose to forego the ESL classes and simply told myself that I could do it—I could handle “regular” American school and be just like other kids my age. I was committed to spending all of my free time studying, even staying up late at night reading ahead of the school assignment and reviewing each chapter at least three times. Slowly—at the time it felt like forever—everything started to make more sense to me. I began to notice repeated words, and understand sentences. I started to feel more confident and participate in class, which helped me learn even more. It didn’t happen quickly; it took me more than six months to get a strong enough grasp on the language. The school recognized my progress and commended me for it. I was thrilled to be “the same” as my fellow classmates. I also learned my first lesson in life: be patient, believe in yourself, and more important, prepare, prepare, prepare. I have always believed that preparation is essential to success, and to this day I strive to be properly prepared.
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Jennifer Liang
2022
Worth Watching
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Kuan Huang Partner
You Need to Fight for the Things You Deserve In 1990, I won Kramer Elementary’s highly cutthroat 1st Grade Spelling Bee. The stakes were dizzying. Not only would the winner be showered in glory, the principal had announced that the winner would also receive a $20 gift certificate to Ponderosa Steakhouse®. No one in my family had ever been to a steakhouse or eaten a steak before, let alone up to 20 dollars’ worth of steak from a culinary powerhouse like Ponderosa. The odds, however, were stacked against me. My family had only immigrated to America from China, where I was born and raised, a year earlier. English was a constant struggle for us. My first grade teacher had even told my parents that my linguistic skills were “poor” and “lagging far behind” my peers. But the allure of Ponderosa was too great, so I quietly resolved to win that gift certificate for my parents. And I did just that. On the day of the Bee, I felled one competitor after another, until only one remained—the cagey David S. When asked to spell the word “around,” however, David slipped up, spelling: “A-R-O-N-D.” All of a sudden, it was my turn. I deployed the letters slowly, carefully, and one at a time: “A-R-O-U-N-D.” David’s head fell into his hands. I had won. But the story does not end there. Even though I had won, my teacher— the same teacher who had insisted that my language skills were poor—refused to give me my prize, the $20 Ponderosa gift certificate. Instead, she scolded me for being “disrespectful” when I asked her for it, and sent me home empty-handed. To this day, I have no idea why. Crushed and confused, I went home and tearfully explained everything to my parents. The next morning, my father skipped work and drove me to school. He marched straight into the principal’s office, where he demanded a meeting with the principal, the vice principal, and my teacher. I did not participate in the meeting that ensued. And I do not know what exactly was said, but I still remember my father’s angry, raised voice. After some time, my father emerged from the office. My eyes darted to what was clutched in his hands—a $20 gift certificate to Ponderosa with my name filled in above the words “SPELLING BEE CHAMP.” He then drove me to Ponderosa, where I cashed in my winnings. Unable to afford anything else on the menu, my father sat and watched me wolf down my tiny steak, before telling me something I’d never forget: “We are in a strange land. You will need fight for the things that you deserve here.” This was one of my first lessons in advocacy. Now, as an attorney, I am honored to be an advocate for my clients. Though the cases I contend with now are much larger in size, and the stakes much greater, the model “advocate” in my mind that I seek to emulate is not Clarence Darrow, Thurgood Marshall, or Atticus Finch (great as they each were). It is my father fighting in broken English for my $20 gift certificate.
www.womenworthwatching.com
Education: JD, Columbia University School of Law; BA with honors, English & African American studies, Northwestern University Company Name: Latham & Watkins LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Richard Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner Company Headquarters Location: n/a Number of Employees: 5,000+ Your Location (if different from above): New York, New York Words you live by: “言必信，行必果” (“Words must be believed, deeds must be fruitful.”) Who is your personal hero? Kazushi Sakuraba What book are you reading? Where I’m Calling From by Raymond Carver What was your first job: Call center Favorite charity: The Robin Hood Foundation Interests: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
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2022
Innovation & Strategy Senior Manager
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Imperfectly Enough
Education: BS, business administration (concentrations: accounting, management information systems), University of the Pacific Company Name: Moss Adams LLP Industry: Finance and Accounting Company CEO: Eric Miles Company Headquarters Location: Seattle, Washington Number of Employees: 3,000 Your Location (if different from above): Sacramento, California Words you live by: You are imperfectly enough. Who is your personal hero? My parents for their courage, perseverance, and doing their best to provide for our family. What book are you reading? I am reading Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear, and re-reading the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. What was your first job: Student assistant at University of the Pacific’s SUCCESS-TRiO program Favorite charity: SPCA and other organizations devoted to animal welfare Interests: Eating delicious food, traveling, and playing video games with my family
Growing up in an Asian household, my family had very high expectations for me—to do it all and be the perfect individual. I needed to get good grades, have a prestigious career that provides financial stability and security, buy a house, get married, have two kids . . . (the checklist just keeps going). It wasn’t until seven years into my career that I realized I cannot be perfect and meet ever-changing expectations, nor can I do everything on my own. I am not a superwoman with unlimited time. What I realized I needed was a wonderful support system, personal and professional. It needs to be a support system that is supportive of my authentic self and my goals, as well as one that will help me achieve my goals. For example, my personal support system includes my immediate family, extended family, and friends. To succeed personally at home, I need my family to support me and my sometimes chaotic schedule. My career can result in long days, and my husband and family will help me with household work and taking care of the kids. My personal support system does not expect me to do it all, even though traditionally the mother is the one responsible for childcare and housework. My family does not expect me to pursue a prestigious career and supports my innovative career journey. To succeed in my career, I need a support system that includes my colleagues, such as my team members, management team, partners in the firm, and even my human resource team. These are individuals I can rely on to assist me with getting projects done, to be my sponsoring partner to communicate and enforce my innovative ideas, or to be my sounding board to help prioritize my goals and projects. The people and the culture at Moss Adams provided me with a wonderful support system that allowed me to progress in my career journey and pivot from assurance services to leading and managing our firm’s innovation efforts. It took a few years to redefine what success looks like for me and to gain the courage to pursue more innovative projects. And my professional support system was there, feeding me encouragement. There is an adage that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Not only does it take a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to support you and your dreams. I have learned and shared with others that I cannot successfully be my authentic self and climb the career ladder without delegating responsibilities and tasks to my support system. They are with me through my failures and accomplishments, and they believe that I am imperfectly enough.
Family: The greatest support system that ever existed: my husband, two children, pets, parents/in-laws, siblings, and friends.
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AWARD
Jennie Ly
2022
Worth Watching
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Karen Chiu
Builder Business Development Manager
My One Indispensible Trait I would have to say it’s tenacity. To draw an insightful parallel, I am a huge baseball fan, which is basically a game of failure. A great batting average is .300, which means you are unsuccessful 70 percent of the time. However, to be successful on that scale, you have to be constantly preparing and learning from your mistakes, and overcoming obstacles in order to get better. This is also true for loan originators. Each loan has different challenges and sometimes, the market can take a few twists and turns. Even with interest rates fluctuating, we have to strive to gain the advantage by providing added value to our customers and always outworking the competition.
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I am proud that my success helps fuel the representation of Asians finding their way in the mortgage community. I am honored to be a role model for future generations, who now know that success is possible!
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As a Chinese-American woman and a minority, I have made it a point to always work harder to prove myself. I’ve made Presidents Council every year I’ve been with New American Funding, and I’ve gone from starting out with the company 8 years ago to being its #1 loan originator in 2020, #2 in 2021, and currently #1 YTD 2022. I am proud that my success helps fuel the representation of Asians finding their way in the mortgage community. I am honored to be a role model for future generations, who now know that success is possible!
Education: BA, economics, University of California Los Angeles Company Name: New American Funding Industry: Mortgage Company CEO: Rick Arvielo Company Headquarters Location: Tustin, California Number of Employees: 4,400 Your Location (if different from above): Pasadena, California Words you live by: “I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg Who is your personal hero? Ruth Bader Ginsburg What book are you reading? Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach for Customer Service by Ken Blanchard & Sheldon Bowles What was your first job: Accountant Favorite charity: Union Station, they feed the homeless Interests: Hiking and watching baseball Family: Husband and 3 children
www.womenworthwatching.com
2022 Second Quarter
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2022
Vice President, CFO of Wealth Management Solutions
ASIAN
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It’s Been a Fulfilling Journey So Far While I was growing up, my parents were like many Asian parents in that they strongly urged me to become either an engineer or a doctor. As a result, I did not give much thought to other career possibilities. However, while volunteering at a hospital during my high school years, I quickly discovered that I am extremely squeamish around blood and needles. So,
Education: Bachelor of Science, chemical engineering, Rice University; Master of Business Administration, finance and economics, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business Company Name: New York Life Industry: Insurance Company CEO: Craig DeSanto Company Headquarters Location: New York, New York Number of Employees: 11,000 Words you live by: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu Who is your personal hero? My parents What book are you reading? Get it Done by Ayelet Fishbach What was your first job: Engineer Favorite charity: Financial Women’s Association Interests: Travel, hiking, and food Family: Husband and son (9)
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my fate was determined—I took the engineering path. I enjoyed working as an engineer immensely, but I also discovered that there was so much more to know about how the business world functions. So, it was not long before I decided to go back to school for more formal training in finance and economics. As someone who didn’t grow up contemplating infinite career possibilities, business school was an eye-opening experience. It was almost overwhelming, but I found the camaraderie of my classmates and support from the school very helpful in navigating the opportunities. In the years since, I have had several career changes that have given me exposure to different industries and corporate cultures. I also had the opportunity to try my hand at different roles. And, along the way, I have met many people and am grateful for all the colleagues who became friends and the managers who became mentors. My career path has certainly not been a straight climb, but it has been a fulfilling journey, thus far. While I have been navigating my own career path, I have been excited to see in-roads broadened for Asian Americans in all fields—from business and politics to entertainment and sports. These past few decades, I have seen barriers topple, and bamboo and glass ceilings broken through. And it has been inspiring! We have all heard that many of the jobs of the future have not even been invented yet. So, for the next generation, I hope the world of opportunities feels open and welcoming, as they chart their paths forward. The pandemic has taught this up-and-coming generation how to be agile. Combined with their love of learning and desire to make a positive impact, the future looks bright. With mentoring and guidance from the leaders of today, our next generation of leaders should be well equipped to navigate the challenges of tomorrow.
www.diversityjournal.com
AWARD
Helen Wei
2022
Worth Watching
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Scarlet McNellie
Norton Rose Fulbright’s U.S. Head of Corporate, M&A, and Securities
Where Would We Be Without Our Mentors? I have enjoyed incredible success in my career and that is largely due to hard work, always being willing to jump on any opportunity, and, in large part, because of the wonderful mentors I’ve had along the way. From a third-grade teacher, who first saw untapped potential in me, to a more senior colleague who took me under his wing as a young, wideeyed associate, these guiding figures have been instrumental throughout my life and career. Grade school was hard for me. My parents were Korean immigrants, and I had not yet mastered the English language. Struggling to understand those around me made it difficult for me to make friends, and I hated school. But that teacher invested her time and told me that she saw promise in me. She helped me see that I could work hard and have a successful future. It changed my life. After that, I became an honor roll student, graduated first in my class, got into an Ivy League university followed by a top law school, and now have a thriving legal career at Norton Rose Fulbright. Along the way, many other mentors and firm leaders have encouraged me, opened doors for me, and offered guidance that has been instrumental to my success. I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received over the years, and it has ingrained in me an unyielding drive to pay it forward. That’s why I strive to make sure our young women attorneys know that they can have babies and still be partners and also be leaders. I want them to have the mentorship and guidance to show them that they can absolutely be on the partnership track and have babies. It takes a village and they’ll need a lot of help, but they can and should do it. I am fortunate to sit on the firm’s management committee and partner review committee, which are positions that give me the ability to ensure the firm’s diversity continues to be strengthened, through hiring, retention, promotions, and mentoring. I want to see more women, Asian, and diverse attorneys at the leadership levels of law firms. Recruiting and hiring are important, but we must also retain the talent we have by investing in mentoring programs. I try very hard to be a resource for women, Asian, and diverse attorneys who are struggling with the unique issues they face and hope that maybe my experience and support can prevent someone from giving up their dreams and perhaps even pave the way for tomorrow’s glass breakers. As for some things that people would be surprised to know about me: earlier in my life, I was a sideline reporter for some local Texas high school football teams, and during the pandemic, we traveled in an RV for about eight weeks in South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado—making lemonade out of lemons! www.womenworthwatching.com
Education: JD, University of Texas School of Law; BA, Economics, Dartmouth College Company Name: Norton Rose Fulbright Industry: Law Company CEO: Jeff Cody, Managing Partner Company Headquarters Location: Houston, Texas (Texas), New York, New York (U.S.), London, England, UK (Global) Number of Employees: 6,954 Your Location (if different from above): Dallas, Texas Words you live by: Be Always Game—always game for your family and friends, always game for opportunities to serve, always game for work opportunities, and always game to be helpful and encouraging. Who is your personal hero? My mother What book are you reading? The Bible What was your first job: Cashier at a dry cleaning business Favorite charity: My church Interests: Traveling in our RV, hiking, and pictures (organizing them, photobooks, etc.) Family: Husband, Kent McNellie; daughter, Jackie (10); and sons, Joseph (9) and John (6)
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2022
Co-Managing Partner–San Francisco, Chair of Asian American Litigation and Finance Practice
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There Is Always Room for an Entrepreneurial Self-Starter
Education: LL.M. (Master of Laws), Thomas Jefferson School of Law; LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws), Zhejiang University Company Name: Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: David Sanford Company Headquarters Location: Washington, DC Number of Employees: 100 Your Location (if different from above): San Francisco, California Words you live by: Lively boldly, and make every day count. Who is your personal hero? My grandfathers What book are you reading? Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini What was your first job: Associate attorney at a boutique firm Favorite charity: YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley Interests: Traveling and exploring, singing, and emceeing conferences and community events Family: My husband, my best friend and partner in crime; my mother, the most kindhearted and resilient person I know; and my 20-month-old daughter, the cutest cutie pie and sunshine of my life.
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My legal career path is uncommon. I obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from a top university in China and a Master of Laws degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Soon after I entered the employment-law field, I noticed that segments of the Asian American community had a significant gap in their understanding of how the law works to protect workers’ rights. I also observed a scarcity of bilingual employment lawyers to meet the large demand for legal representation. That’s when I decided to launch a novel type of practice. I created a business plan and put my ideas into action. I quickly got myself up to speed on employment law and litigation. Then, I began promoting my practice by providing educational presentations tailored to the needs of various worker groups. I conducted workshops for lowwage workers on basic wage-and-hour laws, and gave presentations to professionals on various types of discrimination and retaliation issues. I also wrote bilingual blog posts on matters specific to Chinese American workers, and provided expert commentaries on emerging legal issues to local and international media outlets. My initiatives were met with overwhelming support and achieved great success. The community benefited tremendously from an employment-rights education, while at the same time I built a brand for myself and my firm. I brought in my first case within three months of joining the firm, and managed to build a solid client base and referral network within the first year. I have become the Chinese media’s go-to person on employment-law issues. In 2019, I became the first U.S. litigator to speak at the Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center’s annual workshops, designed to facilitate legal reform on anti-discrimination and harassment issues in China. Building upon the success of my business model, I continued to expand my practice. Leveraging my language skills and background in business, I started representing whistleblowers in complex qui tam matters. Victims of sexual assault and harassment with limited English proficiency reached out to me for legal representation. I also represented Tiger Brokers in becoming one of the first Chinese financial institutions to obtain a securities broker-dealer license in the U.S. In 2019, four years after I created this practice model, Sanford Heisler Sharp officially established the Asian American Litigation and Finance Practice Group and named me chair. The legal profession is highly competitive; however, reflecting on my career path, I would say that there is always a seat at the table for a self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit: always think creatively, focus on leveraging your strengths, lead with actions, and follow through and deliver.
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AWARD
Qiaojing Ella Zheng
2022
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Bruce Wu, PhD Chief Legal Officer
Be True to Yourself We all have felt the pressure to fit in. We are told that in order to be successful, we must be assertive yet restrained; speak with our own voice but not sound different; make waves but show humility. How should we navigate through all of these paradoxical expectations about what we should do and who we should be? For those of us who begin our careers feeling like outsiders due to certain attributes, such as gender, place of birth, or skin tone, we expend a lot of energy trying to show people around us that we are good enough to be here. However, when we focus on “fitting in,” molding ourselves to what we think different people expect us to be, we may easily forget that the most fruitful life experiences come when we are comfortable in our own skin. When we are true to ourselves, we open ourselves up to continuous learning and endless possibilities. Many of us have been taught that admitting we may not know everything is showing weakness. Several years ago, as the leader of a team crafting a company’s intellectual property (IP) strategy, I found myself working closely with a senior member of the company. In one discussion, instead of assuming that the available information painted a complete picture, I wondered aloud about what I might have missed previously. After I had asked a number of questions, this colleague turned hostile; he appeared to equate having questions with being incompetent. Yet thanks to those questions, we ultimately identified several gaps, and from there we built a high-value IP portfolio for the company. Without having asked my questions, I certainly might have looked smart, but I would have missed an opportunity to learn and then create something great from my learning. It is ironic that what would have made me look strong would have prevented me from growing. To be comfortable in our own skin is a learning process. However, once we find our own value and use that as our North Star, the fact that we have gaps to fill becomes an opportunity, not a deficiency. Along the way, we bring other people along with us on our journey, and what would have been something we attempt to hide from others becomes a common shared experience. By being true to ourselves, we no longer need to fit in. We belong by being exactly who we are.
www.womenworthwatching.com
Education: JD, Georgetown University Law Center; PhD, engineering, MIT; MS, engineering, MIT; BASc, engineering, University of Toronto Company Name: Sestina Bio, LLC Industry: Life Sciences Company CEO: Bill Colston Company Headquarters Location: Pleasanton, California Number of Employees: 30 Words you live by: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg Who is your personal hero? My two children, Lydia & Hayden, for showing me the courage one needs to shape one’s own identity in this wild world What book are you reading? Think Again by Adam Grant What was your first job: Student tutor in high school Favorite charity: Comfort Cases Interests: Cooking, travelling, and trying new restaurants Family: My husband and I live in San Jose, California, with our two children.
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2022
Senior Director and Assistant General Counsel
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Empowering the Next Generation of Asian Leaders
Education: BS, political science, Yale University; JD, University of Michigan Law School Company Name: TransUnion Industry: Information Services and Technology Company CEO: Chris Cartwright Company Headquarters Location: Chicago, Illinois Number of Employees: 10,100 Words you live by: Do good, give back and pay it forward. Who is your personal hero? Senator Mazie Hirono What book are you reading? The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias by Dolly Chugh What was your first job: Neighborhood babysitter Favorite charity: Greater Chicago Legal Clinic; Heartland Animal Shelter Interests: Tennis and travel Family: I love being auntie to my 2 young nephews who live near me.
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How we choose to empower the next generation of Asian leaders is important, and something that means a great deal to me personally and professionally. In my experience, one simple way to support young professionals is through mentorship. Opportunities for one-on-one time—whether through an open door policy, a brief chat over coffee, or even ongoing coaching— can offer the next generation a unique chance to learn and to enhance their business acumen. For young Asian professionals, it’s especially beneficial to build these types of relationships with Asian leaders in similar fields. I have found that having mentors with similar identities or experiences to yours can show young professionals what leadership looks like, and foster a more inclusive environment in which to ask candid questions and advance career goals. I always enjoy connecting with up-and-coming Asian professionals, both within my company and in other companies and law firms. Just as essential is creating opportunities for connections between young professionals, which is something we as leaders can promote and make more accessible. The workplace has shifted considerably over the past two years, and it can be easy to overlook the value of daily in-person social interactions we used to leverage for networking. For those who work remotely, stopping by a colleague’s desk to ask a question has become an instant message without any face-to-face interaction. This may be a challenge for networking, but it’s also a unique opportunity for us to lead by example. We can encourage virtual connection in new and unique ways, including with the help of associate communities like employee resource groups, and informal and formal opportunities to connect and mentor. It’s up to us as leaders to use our positions to make them more visible. At my company, TransUnion, we’re working to make these support systems a reality for associates of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage. For example, Pan-Asian Connect—our networking resource group promoting pan-Asian cultures inside TransUnion—is an excellent resource for camaraderie and networking. Pan-Asian Connect recently hosted a leadership panel for associates to learn firsthand from Asian leaders within our organization about their own career journeys, the state of Asian leadership at TransUnion, and more. This year, we also launched a training program to help our Asian associates enhance their management skills and build a foundational understanding of key business areas; I am proud to have been selected for the inaugural class. I feel supported in my role because our leadership is committed to taking action and making progress in support of our people and communities, as well as our enterprise Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goals.
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AWARD
Ann H. Chen
2022
Worth Watching
TM
INTERNATIONAL
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ASIAN LEADERS
Candice Xie
Co-founder and CEO
Re-imagining a Future Built for People Imagine a future where robust transit and shared mobility—paired with protected bike lanes and complete streets—make car ownership obsolete. I am motivated to make this future a reality. My company, Veo, is working to transform communities with custom-built shared scooters and bikes that work for everyone. I’m fortunate to lead a diverse, talented team that designs, develops, and deploys micromobility fleets that welcome riders of all ages and abilities. Rather than solely relying on bulk orders of standing scooters, Veo deploys fleets of mixed vehicles, including seated scooters, standing scooters, e-bikes, and pedal bikes. The company continues to roll out new vehicle types to better meet the needs for our broad user base, further improving accessibility and inclusivity. Veo’s user research has shown that these mixed fleets of vehicles better meet the needs of older riders and people who want to take longer trips. Veo focuses on mixed fleets because when riders have more options, more people will ride. And when more people ride, cities can achieve their clean transportation goals faster. Being in a fast-paced industry has many of our competitors more focused on unicorn status than on what is happening on the ground, and that is where Veo stands apart. While our peers have engaged in irresponsible spending and bullied cities with lawsuits, Veo has played the long game, working to foster deep partnerships with cities to customize micromobility programs to meet community needs. Veo is one of the only vertically integrated companies in the industry, which allows us to innovate quickly and develop mixed fleets of vehicles that are durable enough for the rigors of shared use. Veo’s focus on deliberate and responsible growth made us the industry’s first profitable micromobility company in 2020— and we’re just getting started. And finally, to realize the potential of micromobility, riders need to be able to find, ride, and park e-scooters and e-bikes safely. The pandemic spurred cities worldwide to undertake ambitious initiatives to improve street safety by reallocating space for people instead of cars. When cities installed slow streets, quick-build bike lanes and outdoor dining hubs, these spaces brought people together and expanded access to economic opportunity. Public spaces can and should be used to improve safety and connect people with each other instead of for single-occupancy cars. The status quo is being re-imagined, and my team is laser focused on collaborating with cities to create a better future together. Veo’s role is to be a profitable company grounded in high-quality vehicles and honest partnerships with cities, so they can rely on us to be around for the long haul. It’s all about the joy of living. We deserve a future with clean air and less noise pollution—one where micromobility runs seamlessly alongside public transit, helping cities thrive. I’m grateful this is a puzzle I get to work on every day.
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Company Name: Veo Industry: Transportation Company CEO: Candice Xie Company Headquarters Location: Chicago, Illinois & Santa Monica, California Number of Employees: 200+ Your Location (if different from above): Santa Monica, California Words you live by: “We all ride” because everyone deserves access to affordable, reliable, shared mobility Who is your personal hero? My mom What book are you reading? I am currently reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Haran What was your first job: Financial analyst Favorite charity: (Not a charity per se, but a nonprofit) Junior Achievement; I volunteered there for a couple of years, and believe in their vision and mission. Interests: Tennis and golf Family: I reside in Santa Monica with my fiancé.
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2022
Partner
ASIAN
LEADERS Worth Watching
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INTERNATIONAL
How We Practice Law Is Why I Stay When I came to WilmerHale, I thought I would stay for just a couple years. Little did I know that I would find colleagues who would become my mentors and my friends—and who are the reason I am still practicing here today, more than a decade later. To take a step back, I came to WilmerHale after clerking for two years,
Education: JD cum laude, Harvard Law School; AB magna cum laude, Harvard College Company Name: WilmerHale Industry: Law Company CEO: Susan Murley & Robert Novick (Co-Managing Partners) Company Headquarters Location: Washington, DC Number of Employees: 1,931 Words you live by: Make the most of it. Who is your personal hero? My parents, for showing me what true effort and sacrifice looks like What book are you reading? I’m re-reading the Harry Potter series. What was your first job: Working in a research lab Favorite charity: Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs; Children’s Law Center. Interests: Running, travel, and game night Family: My wonderful husband and two kids
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first for the Honorable Alan D. Lourie on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and then for the Honorable Richard J. Leon on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Both were wonderful mentors, and it was Judge Leon who encouraged me to go to a firm, for at least a little while, to get additional training and experience. I knew virtually no one at WilmerHale when I started. My first case was a large investigation conducted by the DOJ and the SEC. It could have been that I got lost on the case, as just another interchangeable junior associate that you hear about in Big Law. What happened was the opposite. It was on that case that I learned how to conduct fact interviews, prep witnesses for testimony, put together talking points for government presentations, and go through settlement negotiations. It was like taking Investigations 101 from the masters. But it wasn’t just that I was learning by watching; I was also learning by doing. One of the partners on that case liked to joke that the case was so busy that everyone was getting “battlefield promotions.” But what was really happening was far more deliberate. The senior attorneys were exemplary lawyers who practiced with integrity and dedication. They were patient and answered endless questions. They looked for opportunities for the junior attorneys. And when you showed the interest and ability to take on more, opportunities always came. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to WilmerHale—working with experienced attorneys who took an interest in my development and who showed me how to practice at the highest level, while maintaining a sense of humor and camaraderie. How we practice law is why I stayed. As I became more senior, taking on more responsibility and running larger matters myself, I often thought back to how this first case team was run. Today, I’m fortunate to keep working with many of the same lawyers—and to call them my partners and friends.
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AWARD
Brenda Lee
2022
Worth Watching
TM
INTERNATIONAL
AWARD
ASIAN LEADERS
Parada K. Ornelas Partner
In Addition to Hard Work, We All Need a Bit of Luck “Luck and hard work” were what Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong credited for his successful career in art and animation. As a first-generation immigrant and Asian American, I have shared and experienced those values earnestly in my career. Being an attorney was not my first choice. During my final year of college, I applied to Teach for America and was rejected. I took it as a sign that teaching was not for me. Lacking direction, I got a job as an administrative assistant at a small law firm in San Diego. It was apparently not enough to deter me from pursuing a legal career, so I applied to law school. Getting into law school wasn’t easy, but making it through law school was even harder. Throughout law school, I knew that I was never the smartest person in the room, but I also knew that hard work is a great equalizer. So, I worked hard and never took any opportunities for granted.
“
Without PALSD, I wouldn’t have found my purpose within the legal community beyond a job. I can only hope that I can do for law students and new attorneys what Judge Bae and Sotera have done for me.
”
But hard work is sometimes not enough; that’s when luck comes into play. I have been fortunate in my career to meet like-minded attorneys and mentors within the San Diego legal community, specifically through Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego (PALSD). Through PALSD, I met two of my mentors, the Honorable Judy Bae and Sotera Anderson--and I landed at my present firm because of Sotera. My luck turned into meaningful connections and mentorship. Without PALSD, I wouldn’t have found my purpose within the legal community beyond a job. I can only hope that I can do for law students and new attorneys what Judge Bae and Sotera have done for me. I have been able to turn my luck into giving back to the community. Today, I mentor high school students through Crawford High School’s Academy of Law, and law students through PALSD’s mentorship program. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Asian American Legal Education Fund and chair the Scholarship Committee for PALSD and Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego. With hard work and luck, I have been able to get to where I am today.
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Education: JD, California Western School of Law; BA, University of California-San Diego Company Name: Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Carolina Bravo-Karimi Company Headquarters Location: San Diego, California Number of Employees: 54 Words you live by: Be kind. Who is your personal hero? Tammy Duckworth, Thai American Army Veteran and U.S. Senator What book are you reading? Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner What was your first job: Working at Jamba Juice Favorite charity: World Central Kitchen Interests: Cooking, baking, dining out, and spending time with my family Family: I’m married with a 5-year-old son. My parents live in Bangkok, Thailand, and my sister is in New York.
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2022
Principal, Practice Leader for Financial Crimes
ASIAN
LEADERS Worth Watching
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INTERNATIONAL
AWARD
Peter Kim
Resiliency, Not Setbacks, Defines Who You Are
Education: Bachelor of Arts, economics, Pace University Company Name: Withum Industry: Professional services Company CEO: Bill Hagaman Company Headquarters Location: Princeton, New Jersey Number of Employees: 1,800 Your Location (if different from above): New York, New York Words you live by: “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan Who is your personal hero? Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary General of the United Nations What book are you reading? The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides What was your first job: Investment research assistant at a hedge fund Favorite charity: Ascend Interests: Reading, traveling, and downhill skiing Family: Three children: Ethan (20, at Emory), Emily, and Yae Jin (Syosset HS)
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Life and career aren’t always easy. The realities are sometimes messy and, a lot of times, heartbreakingly difficult. The path behind us many times is amazing and diverse, incredible to believe. Yet, if we can persevere and learn the lessons from setbacks, we find out how badly we want, and what we’re willing to do, to achieve our goals. My personal journey started with my parents and grandparents. They survived the Korean Conflict as refugees in a war-torn country, living by their wits and with only the clothes on their backs, doing their best to keep their large family from starvation. Some family members didn’t make it, with some still separated by the 38th parallel, which is still an open wound on my family and other families like ours. My family made it through the tough times, working and staying together, never giving up hope and doubling down on the ideals of family, education, hard work, and a benevolent God. They emigrated later with a golden chance of a new life in America, where they embraced a new life as small business owners in some of the roughest parts of the city. We all worked, even the little kids, doing what we could to help the family run the business when we weren’t in school. I won’t romanticize the tough years—business struggles, the hard work of running businesses 12 hours a day, six days a week, unforeseen disasters (fires, robberies etc.), and losing some of our family members and staff to addiction and illness. The lessons learned then, I apply today in life and work—how to treat others with respect, understanding, applying the golden rule (treat others as you would like to be treated), that we are all the same under our outward appearances, running a business is no different whether small or a large. Nothing comes easy. That, and I can still press my shirts like nobody’s business. In this crucible of life as an immigrant’s son, I learned that your very best effort is necessary to succeed in whatever you want to do in life. No matter how difficult work and life might be, nothing will compare to what I’ve seen my personal heroes (parents, uncles, aunts & grandparents) go through to give a better life to their kids. Setbacks experienced were many and varied, but nothing that could keep me down. Learning new skills, switching firms, changing careers, and surviving the 2008 financial crisis as a member of Bear Stearns, were ultimately things that one could survive and learn from. But no person is an island, and we all need to be a part of a team to be our best. In searching for others to build relationships with, I have found that having a supportive work “family” will provide the strength and support needed for optimum productivity and personal happiness. Working for an amazing firm like Withum is like working with family. The very best firms will embrace your core values and provide a sense of belonging, which I’ve found mean more. In closing, I would say that it’s important to be part of a family, have a core value system, find your inner resiliency, be unafraid of change or failures, and stay hungry. It’s been an amazing journey living my version of the American Dream to date; I am excited to see what more is to come.
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Cross-Cultural Communication:
BEYOND WORDS By Dr. Thomas J. Bussen
I think U.S. and Chinese businesses need a common language and dialogue. – Jack Mai
T
he 19th century Swiss philosopher Ferdinand de Saussure wrote, “In the lives of individuals and of societies, language is a factor of greater importance than any other.ii ” No doubt there’s some truth in this remark. But, as Bill Bryson
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writes in The Mother Tongue, a linguistic convergence is well under way, which may one day make the fears of Saussure a thing of the past. “For the airlines of 157 nations (out of 168 in the world), [English] is the agreed international language of discourse. In India, there are more
than 3,000 newspapers in English. The six member nations of the European Free Trade Association conduct all their business in English, even though not one of them is an English-speaking country. When companies from four European countries—France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland—formed
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a joint truck-making venture called Iveco in 1977, they chose English as their working language because, as one of the founders wryly observed, “It puts us all at an equal disadvantage.” For the same reasons, when the Swiss company Brown Boveri and the Swedish company ASEA merged in 1988, they decided to make the official company language English, and when Volkswagen set up a factory in Shanghai, it found that there were too few Germans who spoke Chinese and two few Chinese who spoke German, so now Volkswagen’s German engineers and Chinese managers communicate in a language that is alien to both of them, English.” iii Language barriers are indeed falling fast through such agreements and even through technological translation advances. This is
Deeper issues can arise if bosses’ and employees’ communication styles clash.” iv If we struggle so to communicate with people right down the hall, how are we doing with people across the globe? How are we doing with people who speak and think in a different language, who communicate in a different context, who express emotions more or less visibly? Judging by those living in a foreign country, not well it seems. InterNations, an organization whose core mission is to give expats a great experience around the world, conducted a study involving 12,519 expatriates, representing 166 nationalities and living in 188 countries or territories. Their central finding? “The major reasons why expats often feel unwelcome are language or accent. More than four in ten expats (42%)
• Both Procter & Gamble and Rolls Royce changed the names of products prior to launch after finding they were curse words in German. vii • Tiz Razor, an Iranian company expanding to Qatar, belatedly learned that its name meant “passing wind” in the island nation. viii • When Parker Pen Company marketed a ballpoint pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to say something akin to “Avoid Embarrassing Leaks.” However, the company mistakenly thought the Spanish word embarazar meant “embarrass,” so instead, the ads said, “Avoid Pregnancy.” ix • In Italy, Schweppes Tonic
Language barriers are indeed falling fast through such agreements and even through technological translation advances. This is especially advantageous for native English speakers, as English becomes the unquestioned lingua franca of business.
especially advantageous for native English speakers, as English becomes the unquestioned lingua franca of business. Nonetheless, language still presents a significant barrier. And it is worth noting that all of the ideas for managing internationally are of little advantage to us if they are rendered inappropriately. As the Wall Street Journal reports, even email exchanges between bosses and employees are a common source of conflict and miscommunication. They write: “The potential for email misfires between bosses and subordinates is mounting, as the volume of email grows and more people read it on the fly on mobile devices. Sometimes the boss is too rushed to read. Employees fuel the problems by sending poorly written emails.
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have felt unwelcome in their new country to some degree because of these factors. Expats are most likely to think that their language or accent makes them stand out in France, Austria, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Germany. For example, 62% of expats in France have recently felt unwelcome due to language issues.” v Unsurprisingly, there is no shortage of stories in which culturally driven miscommunications result in financial loss, embarrassment, and even physical harm. Nokia, for instance, introduced its Lumia phone into Latin American markets without consulting a native Spanish speaker, only to find out to their dismay that the term is a slang word for “prostitute.” Additional examples abound: vi
Water marketed the name as “Schweppes Toilet Water”, x which is perhaps not the image the company was going for. xi xii Similarly, India Hicks CEO Nicholas Keuper spent 24 years with Boston Consulting Group, rising to the position of managing director. He worked first out of Germany, while traveling throughout Europe, then went to Thailand, China, Hong Kong, back to Germany, and then onto the U.S. He relates this story from his time in Thailand: “We had an Australian senior partner and he used in the kickoff meeting an Australian expression which relates to big projects having to be approached step-by-step. He said, ‘How do you eat an elephant? Slice by slice!’ And of course, the core Thai
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executives’ faces just turned ashen because the elephant is a very sacred animal in Thailand. So they asked, ‘But why would you eat an elephant? Do Australians eat elephants?!’” xiii These stories illustrate the ways in which communication itself presents yet another barrier to overcoming cultural differences. But words alone are not the problem. Language consists not just of defined words and rules, but also the informal rules about speaking, listening, and even nonverbal body language. Let’s explore these ideas by first considering an emotional man named Spike and his calm counterpart Serena.
Neutral ---------------- Affective Spike and Serena are both honest, hard working and intelligent people, but to the outward observer they could hardly be more different. Spike shows his emotions easily. Some say he is volatile. He’s quick to flash a smile, but with the right spark, that smile can just as quickly devolve into anger or frustration. Spike is affective. Serena, by contrast, keeps her emotions in check. Rarely do you see her angry. She is calm, even stoic. When she is happy, she tries to hide it from others, even stifling her laughs or putting her hand over her mouth as if embarrassed. Serena is neutral. xiv Now imagine how you might perceive Spike and Serena if they were your coworkers. Let’s say one day you’re in a meeting where you find out the company made a costly, and let’s be honest, a dumb mistake. Spike reacts to the news by slamming his hands on the table and shouting angrily. His face is also contorted in anger. Now consider your probable interpretation of this behavior. You might say, “Whatever, he always does that. It’ll pass.” But now imagine if Serena acted in this way. For her, this is a remarkable display of anger. You might instead say, ‘Oh boy, this must be serious. Did you see how angry she was? She’s never like that.”
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We judge others through interactions, and so these and other differences in communication styles can lead to vastly different interpretations of people. Indeed, this is the incubator in which so many stereotypes grow strong.
The point is that how we interpret emotions is largely driven by what we expect of the emoting person. But Spike is not just your coworker. He may be seen as a stand-in for the highly emotive, or “affective” cultures found in many Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Latin European countries. xv Serena may represent the neutral cultures of the Japanese, Ethiopians, or Austrians. xvi We judge others through interactions, and so these and other differences in communication styles can lead to vastly different interpretations of people. Indeed, this is the incubator in which so many stereotypes grow strong. Neutrals traveling to an affective country full of Spikes, for example, may be tempted to say that their “blood runs hot,” just as affectives in a neutral country full of Serenas may feel they’re in a place full of cold-hearted dullards. But in truth, culture strongly influences an individual’s affective tendencies. Suppose Spike lives in an affective society and really wants to make it known that he is angry (or happy or sad); given how affective he and everyone around him is on a regular basis, he must be even more emotional than normal. To make any impact at all on his colleagues, he may have to scream like mad before storming out of the conference room (or laugh more than normal or shed tears). He is thus enculturated, or “mentally programmed,” to behave emotionally. And if Serena lives in a neutral culture, she knows that even
a minor expression of emotion may signal strong emotions. xvii To behave as Spike regularly does might be truly shocking. Although Americans are moderately affective on the whole, they tend to take a neutral approach within the business context. xviii Why the difference? The “it’s not personal, it’s business” mentality so often seen in American offices arises from a universalist perspective, which reinforces a rule-based approach to business in which human relations are somewhat subordinated to objective skills and general standards. This rules-based approach, in theory applicable to everyone regardless of race, gender, religion, and the like, is considered “fair” and even ethical, and thus provides the justification for a relatively dispassionate approach to business. Understanding the relative affectivity of the culture from which come your business partners, customers, and colleagues is important: the cross-cultural business person seeks not to miss the note of dissatisfaction that passes ever so subtly over Serena’s face; she avoids taking offense, or attributing too much significance, when Spike behaves affectively. Mutual understanding is at the heart of business relationships, but the risk of misunderstanding and the potential for mistrust is even higher in cross-cultural relationships. As the Wall Street Journal’s piece on emails lost in translation illustrates, communication is an imperfect art even among countrymen. PDJ
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i
Jack Ma Quotes, BRAINYQUOTE (last accessed July 29, 2018), https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/jack_ma
ii
The Philosophy Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained 223 (DK London, New York, Melbourne, Munich, and Delhi, ed. by Cecille Landau, Andrew Szuedek & Sarah Tomley) (2011). iii
BILL BRYSON, The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way 12-13 (New York, NY: HarperCollins) (2001).
iv
Dr. Nitish Singh & Thomas J. Bussen, Why Compliance Professionals Need to Think About National Cultures, ETHIKOS (2014) (citing to Sue Shellenbarger: “Email Enigma: When the Boss’s Reply Seems Cryptic.” Wall Street Journal. March 11, 2014. Available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-the-bosss-reply-is-cryptic-1394578397 v
Expat Insider 2017: Feeling (Un)Welcome Abroad, INTERNATIONS (last accessed July 29, 2018), https://www.internations.org/expat-insider/2017/feeling-un-welcome-abroad-39196 vi
Dave Smith, Lost in Translation: Nokia Lumia, and the Five Worst Name Oversights, INT’L BUS. TIMES (Oct. 26, 2011), http://www.ibtimes.com/lost-translation-nokia-lumia-5-worst-name-oversights-361866 vii
Adam Wooten, International Business: Chevy Nova Tale, Other Global Marketing Myths Debunked, DESERET NEWS BUSINESS (July 22, 2011), https://www.deseretnews.com/article/705388000/Chevy-Nova-tale-other-global-marketingmyths-debunked.html viii
Id.
ix
Rob Vandenberg, These Mistakes Will Kill Your Company’s Prospects When Trying To Go Global, BUS. INSIDER (Dec. 15, 2011), http://www.businessinsider.com/these-mistakes-will-kill-your-companys-prospects-when-trying-to-goglobal-2011-12 x
Glantz, Say What??? Campaigns That Failed to Translate, GLANTZ (Feb. 2012), https://glantz.net/blog/campaigns-that-failed-to-translate xi
For an entertaining top 10 list of market translation fails, See Top 10 EPIC Advertising Fails, YOUTUBE (last accessed July 29, 2018), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pHWZ_XNij8 xii
It is worth noting, the classic example of the Chevrolet Nova, a sedan produced from the 1960s through 1980s and sold around the world, is enchanting but unfortunately untrue. The story goes that while the word “Nova” may have a nice ring to it in English, in Spanish, no va of course means “no go”. No va does in fact mean “no go” in Spanish, but “nova” refers to an astronomical event just as in English, and there’s no evidence that Latin American consumers had any concerns or confusion about the name. Nova Don’t Go, SNOPES (last accessed July 29, 2018), http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova. asp. Stories of Coca Cola’s translating its product into Chinese characters that translated as “bite the waxed tadpole” are also inaccurate—this seems to have been more the product of local Chinese merchants in isolated markets. xiii
Keuper, supra note 194.
xiv
TROMPENAARS & HAMPDEN-TURNER, supra note 12 at 69
xv
Id. at 70.
xvi
Id. at 69.
xvii
See Id.
xviii
Id. at 70, 73. The partial exception to this are for those working in U.S. service oriented jobs, where affecting a positive attitude (and neutralizing negative emotions) is expected. See generally Brent A. Scott & Christopher M. Barnes, A Multilevel Field Investigation of Emotional Labor, Affect, Work Withdrawal, and Gender, 54 ACAD OF MGMT J. 116-136 (2011).
Dr. Thomas J. Bussen, with a Doctorate of Business Administration, a JD, and an MBA, is a professor of international business at the African Leadership University in Rwanda and a cross-cultural management coach. He is the author of several cross-cultural books, including Shaping the Global Leader (2019), from which this article is excerpted. He is also the author of The Rising Tide: A Neo-Collectivist Critique of American Individuality (expected, 2022), which makes the case for a more inclusive and globally minded professional ideology. To read more of his cross-cultural and social impact writings, visit biggsandbussen.com.
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Women Invest 29% Less than Men? This Survey Says Yes By Paula Mariani, Director of user experience at N26
I
nvesting can be a powerful way to safeguard your financial future. But, given the current state of the financial landscape, if you identify as a woman, you could be at a serious disadvantage. We women often face a range of external factors that negatively impact how much we earn in our lifetimes. This often means we have less disposable income to contribute to our pensions and savings goals than men. Currently, European women who invest, contribute 29 percent less than European men each month. This limits our ability to grow our wealth and enjoy more freedom and flexibility as we age. But, the pay gap isn’t the only reason we’re not investing as much. A male-dominated environment, inaccessible knowledge, maledominated language, and an absence of femaleled conversations surrounding investing can all prevent women from entering the field. To better understand the reasons for this investment gap, The Mobile Bank N26 conducted a survey about women and investing, in which more than 16,000 people from five European countries were asked about their investing behavior.
What keeps women from investing? It may not come as a surprise that the investing landscape is largely perceived as male-dominated. In our large-scale study, 64 percent of both male and female investors and 56 percent of noninvestors agreed that this was the case. A lack of female visibility within the investing space can be intimidating. This leaves many women feeling as though they don’t have an entry point into the world of investing. Additionally, 54 percent of non-investing women cited a lack of funds, compared to 43 percent of male non-investors, as a main obstacle to investing. The 11 percent difference could point to the costs of childcare and the gender pay gap that many women face.
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The behavior of investors complements that of non-investors. Over 70 percent of women who invest want to increase their contributions in 2022, so the benefits of investing are clearly being realized by those with a foot in the door already.
“By appreciating that women generally prefer safer investments and clarifying the risk profiles of different investments, we could reduce some of the anxiety non-investors may have and encourage them to begin investing.“
What we can learn from women who invest The N26 Online bank survey revealed some fascinating and surprising insights. According to respondents, 39 percent of women who haven’t invested yet said a lack of knowledge stopped them from investing, and only 48 percent of women who do invest consider themselves knowledgeable about the field. However, 77 percent of investing women said they felt confident making investment decisions. That means that a significant percentage of women investors are reportedly comfortable navigating and making investment decisions without feeling knowledgeable in the field. This indicates two things: 1. Women are less likely to consider themselves knowledgeable. 2. Confidence often comes with experience— something non-investors lack access to. Taking into account that the primary reason women don’t invest is that they lack funds, this gives
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weight to the idea that it can be better to invest a tiny amount each month rather than investing nothing at all, because the act of investing builds confidence over time. What’s more, women investors tend to be more cautious, with 43 percent prioritizing long-term stability, compared to 23 percent looking to make money quickly. These results are mirrored in other data: 37 percent of the surveyed women said they prefer to invest in secure bank products, such as savings accounts, and 28 percent said they invest in more speculative investments, such as cryptocurrencies. The investment environment can seem risky and overwhelming to an outsider. By appreciating that women generally prefer safer investments and clarifying the risk profiles of different investments, we could reduce some of the anxiety non-investors may have and encourage them to begin investing. But there’s still more that can be donce to help level the playing field for women who want to invest.
Three ways we can better support women in investing When asked what would empower women to start investing, women responded with the following: 1. 24% want women to talk more openly about their experiences with investing. Visibility in the notoriously male-dominated investment space may help some women feel confident enough to enter the field. 2. 23% called for more open conversations about the benefits and risks of investing. As women tend to be more cautious investors than men, discussing the risk and reward profiles of different investments can help decrease anxiety around the topic and empower women to make investment decisions that match their risk tolerance.
3. 21% want investment information to become more accessible. Many women, investors and non-investors alike, feel as if they’re not knowledgeable about investing. Promoting educational resources designed with women in mind could increase confidence and reduce some of the mystery surrounding investing. For years, the discussion surrounding investing has been shaped and controlled by men. In fact, currently we’re dealing with an investing ecosystem created by men for men. Investing requires significant emotional energy—that is, the emotional energy that is experienced when someone is forced to take on risk, and this is often ignored when designing and communicating investment products. Addressing this effectively is the key to unlocking the investment potential in women. Financial independence shouldn’t be gender dependent. By gathering and digging into the data, we can identify new opportunities to better support women as they build their financial futures. PDJ
The survey was conducted among a total number of 16,030 women and men in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, with an equal split between those who invest and those who do not. In this survey “investing” includes options like stocks, bank products, real estate, exchange traded funds, etc. and “investing” is limited to survey participants investing their own money, excluding investments as part of their profession. The interviews were conducted online in February 2022 by the research institute Sapio on behalf of N26, using an email invitation and an online survey. The asked questions aimed to find out about the participants’ preferences, needs, wishes, and pain points when investing or considering investments. The survey defines “women” and “men” as all persons identifying as such. Persons who identified as “non-binary” were not included in the analysis due the sample size not being representative. Please note that N26 does not give investment advice and that investing comes with financial risk up to losing the invested funds.
Paula Mariani joined N26 in 2020 as the Director of User Experience of the Mobile Bank. Her responsibilities lie with driving a user-centric culture and developing the Design Leadership across the organization. Furthermore, she focuses on setting the vision and direction for the UX department and leveling up the practice. With over 10 years in User Experience, Paula has led many UX teams within startups and enterprises, gaining experience in hiring, training and setting up product design operations at operational, tactical, and strategic levels. Prior to joining N26, she was the Global Director Of User Experience at Adevinta (former Schibsted), where she put in place the UX operations and user-centric vision of the organization. Paula is the founder of “To Be Radiant”, a space dedicated to product and design leaders that enable transformation, offering coaching and workshops.
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CAREER CHOICE: Perpetuating Income and Social Inequality? By Amanda J Felkey and Dimitra Papadovasilak
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e tend to look at the C-suite, with its lack of racial representation, and conclude that racism comes from bias at the top, trickling down the ranks from the white men who make decisions. What if individuals who are more racially biased are sorting into the bottom of the career pipelines systematically as well? Insofar as career choice instigates income disparity, systematic exclusion from particular career pipelines may perpetuate or exacerbate social inequality.
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Bias causes career pipelines to leak asymmetrically and enforces choices that would be different in the absence of bias. Biases make it hard for individuals to stay in their field and advance. Interacting with biased coworkers affects mental burnout and thus increases the daily cost of working. Encountering bias in performance reviews makes advancing even more difficult. This means being in a field riddled with bias will make the pipeline even harder to navigate for those from underrepresented groups. Hence, it is important to consider bias throughout the career pipeline and notice that those entering the pipeline also have biases. Such biases can have detrimental effects. They exclude underrepresented groups early on and may perpetuate social inequality. Our newest research finds more racially biased individuals may be entering the bottom of the economics and finance pipelines, as early as in college. Whether the bias is unconscious or not, the outcome is the same. There is more racial bias in these fields at every level. Insofar as jobs in economics and finance are relatively lucrative, this bias perpetuates and widens racial income and wealth inequities (Bucciol and Papadovasilaki, 2022). With an incentivized online survey, we elicited information about racial biases from 247 undergraduate students. The survey collected sociodemographic information, including declared major. Using this information, we employed regression analysis to isolate the systematic correlation between racial bias and major. We found a significant positive correlation between being more racially biased and majoring in economics or finance. The findings provided evidence that these fields carry more racism at their foundations and pointed out the need for addressing these biases early and often in these careers. As jobs in the fields of economics and finance are often the most lucrative, identifying ways to mitigate racism in these fields is key to systematically combatting overall economic inequality. Material deprivation within minority groups is persistent due to their being misplaced in the socioeconomic ladder (Boen, 2016), causing an ever-expanding racial wealth inequality. Dr. Amanda J Felkey has a Ph.D. in Behavioral Economics from Cornell University and a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from eCornell. She has authored award-winning publications, is actively researching unconscious bias, has 22 years of experience in decision-making research and 17 years of experience in curriculum design. Felkey currently teaches at Lake Forest College where she is Chair of the Department of Economics, Business and Finance and Chair of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.
www.womenworthwatching.com
Income differences affect not only those individuals with limited means, but also there are significant negative ramifications for the economy as a whole. In fact, a recent study predicts closing the wealth gap could add $1–$1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy between 2019 and 2028 (Noel et. al., 2019). Our findings have several actionable implications for managers and educators, including the following: 1. Implement interventions to combat biases and exclusive behaviors early in one’s career and education 2. Readjust finance and economic courses, at the introductory level, to be inclusive and attract a more diverse population 3. If 360 reviews are important to promotion, carefully consider these processes in light of the biases held by entry-level employees 4. Provide onboarding employees with an initial exposure to the company’s inclusion priorities 5. Revise interview processes to screen for bias and prioritize meaningful inclusions 6. Frame recruiting materials to grow a less biased pool of applicants 7. Consider mentoring programs with local higher education institutions to engage students with the companies’ inclusive approaches to teamwork 8. Encourage real inclusion within the working/ learning environment and allow for meaningful conversations that can mitigate the negative externalities that are caused by biases PDJ
Dimitra Papadovasilaki is an Assistant Professor in Finance at Lake Forest College since 2017. She got her PhD in Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno while she also holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki. Her broad research interests are in Behavioral and Experimental Finance and Economics, as well as in Financial Economics. She studies the role of large macroeconomic and idiosyncratic shocks both on aggregate financial market dynamics and on individual financial behavior with a focus on risk-taking. She has also expanded her research interests to include Gender and Race disparities that happen in the field of Economics and Finance. She has taught several courses, such as Investments, Money & Banking, Statistics, and Financial Crises, among others.
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Each of Us Must Help to Foster an Inclusive Culture By Yusuf Z. Zakir
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y parents immigrated to Canada from East Africa in the 1970s. My family had lived in East Africa for several generations, having originally immigrated there from India. I was born in Canada and raised in an immigrant household. Growing up, I lived in both Canada and the United States, and in both places, I was viewed as foreign. I never felt that I was considered a “true” Canadian or American. Though there was no single reason why, the comments I heard often had to do with the way I looked, the food we ate, the way my family dressed, or the language we used at home. This perception was amplified after 9/11, when fear took a firmer grip on the way we were othered. When I had the opportunity to visit East Africa and India, I was excited about the prospect of finding a place that would accept me as one of their own. That excitement was short lived. In those places, too, I was perceived as foreign—I was the western brown kid, who did not truly understand his culture. As I grew older, it dawned on me that I did not feel as if I had a true home anyWe must welcome our colleagues, where. To this day, I struggle with this. And support one another, and create it is one of the many reasons I ultimately spaces for the humanity we bring decided to become a DEI professional. The feeling of not having a home is with us to work every day. overwhelming. You feel isolated, unwelcome, and lonely. You feel untethered. People from underrepresented backgrounds can feel that same way in organizations. When you’re only one of a few, of any particular background, you feel out of place. You feel as if you don’t belong. This sentiment has significant impacts. It makes one feel less loyal to his or her organization, less connected with colleagues, and less invested in the work. When you do not feel at home, you are functioning as a visitor. It does not have to be this way. The feeling of home can be built, in a genuine way. At Davis Wright Tremaine, our DEI vision rests on four pillars: Community, Growth, Education, and Engagement. With our community pillar, we seek to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging. This takes effort. We are prone to fall back to our default state, where we permit silos to grow. After all, everyone is busy and speed often deters intentionality. Fostering an inclusive culture requires all of us—each of us—to do so. We must welcome our colleagues, support one another, and create spaces for the humanity we bring with us to work every day. We must make each other feel that we all belong. PDJ
Yusuf Zakir is the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Davis Wright Tremaine. Yusuf leads the firm’s efforts to continue building a culture where all attorneys and staff—including those traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession—can have, and can see, a path to long-term success. He collaborates with key stakeholders to develop and implement strategies, programs, and initiatives to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. Yusuf collaborates with DWT’s practice groups and professional development departments to scale and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion across the organization, including by working with the firm’s diversity structure to propel and accelerate these efforts. He also partners with clients and external organizations in order to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the broader legal profession and to cultivate an industry that recognizes intersectionality, empowers authenticity, and nurtures belonging.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
The 4th Annual Women Worth Watching® in STEM Awards
PDJ Salutes its Fourth Annual Class of Women Worth Watching™ in STEM Award Winners We are proud to feature the 26 Women Worth Watching in STEM® Award winners for 2022 in the following pages. Nominated by a leader or colleague within the organization where she is employed, and selected by Profiles in Diversity Journal based on her contributions, leadership, mentoring, and professional achievements in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, each of these outstanding women is an example for the rest of us. This is the fourth year PDJ has recognized women who have pursued, and excelled in, STEM careers with its Women Worth Watching in STEM Award. So, take this opportunity to get to know these remarkable women—learn about their personal interests and professional passions, and read their essays for some interesting insights and valuable advice.
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Company: Ally Financial Industry: Financial Services Company Headquarters: Detroit, Michigan Number of employees: 10,700 CEO: Jeffrey “JB” Brown
Donna P Hart, CISO My credentials: BSBA, computer information systems, Appalachian State University My work location: Charlotte, North Carolina Words I live by: “Seek first to understand.” – Stephan Covey (paraphrase from Peace Prayer) My personal philosophy: You cannot change others, you can only change your reaction to them. What I’m reading now: Sandworm by Andy Greenberg My first Job: Dishwasher My favorite charity: Wounded Warrior Project My interests: All things family, books, hiking, and travel My family: Two sons (19 and 16), a husband, and two rescue dogs
Increasing Diversity in STEM In order to increase diversity in STEM fields, we must create an all-inclusive environment. In general, the funding in schools for STEM in the last 15 years has focused on building a diverse pipeline. Funding STEM for all students will continue to be important as a way to show both boys and girls from any background that they can be successful and have fun in a STEM career.
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap in STEM We need to remove the bias that one has to be skilled at math and science classes to enjoy STEM programs. STEM is more than doing equations and memorizing theories. STEM is about building things, using logic and finding solutions.
How the World is Changing with Regard to STEM STEM degrees are leading the pack for individuals coming out of college with jobs. The top paying jobs according to US World News and Report are in STEM-related fields. We are most focused on STEM from a recruitment standpoint at Ally.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years Since STEM is a top growing industry, I think it creates a lot of opportunity for women. In five years, I would like to see the number of women working in STEM increase to a level that is comparable to the number of men in the field.
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Company: Ally Financial Industry: Financial Services Company Headquarters: Detroit, Michigan Number of employees: 10,700 CEO: Jeffrey “JB” Brown
Jovan Talbert, Sr. IT Director, Digital Engagement & Marketing My credentials: Master of Science Information Technology, Lawrence Technological University My work location: Detroit, Michigan Words I live by: Be comfortable being uncomfortable. My personal philosophy: Trust the energy. What I’m reading now: Essentialism by Greg McKeown My first Job: Print Modeling (at 3 years old) My interests: Gadgets My family: Mother of an 8-year-old son AJ, sister—the oldest of 3, and daughter—my parents have been married for 45 years
How the World Is Changing with Regard to STEM We used to view STEM in an old-fashioned traditional sense. STEM is now rooted in everything we see, touch, and imagine. It’s a core part of everyday life. The lifecycle of all products, services, and experiences consumed daily is rooted in STEM, giving way to a broader range of opportunities in and around STEM. This growth offers women more choices in aligning their professional STEM careers with organizations or industries that personify their personal goals and interests.
Moving Women Ahead in STEM We are all aware and recognize the gender gaps in STEM. We must be intentional in our actions and efforts around recruitment, development, and retention of women. Acknowledgement of the lack of diversity is not enough. We need to ensure that our teams at all levels in an organization represent our consumers.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years I hope to see more women in STEM roles at all levels. Data has shown time and time again that women positively influence and strengthen a company’s culture, team, and the bottom line. Women are the core demographic of most products, experiences, and services. As the number of women in the educational pipeline with STEM majors increases, we should also see an increase of women in STEM careers. Our companies will begin to better reflect the diverse set of customers we serve.
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Company: Altimetrik Industry: Technology Company Headquarters: Southfield, Michigan Number of employees: 5,000 CEO: Raj Sundarasen
Carol May, Head of Agility Practice My work location: Salt Lake City, Utah Words I live by: Focus, Finish, Fun My personal philosophy: Be a good person no matter what. What I’m reading now: Biology of Belief by Dr. Ralph Lipton My first Job: Mail room clerk My favorite charity: Ladles of Love in South Africa (feeding the hungry) My interests: Travel, experiencing new cultures, hiking, and being out in nature My family: Husband and three sons (27, 25, and 22)
Barriers to Gender Gap in STEM Worldwide, the barrier is potentially cultural—“STEM is not for girls” Even if this is unconscious bias, rather than explicit in some areas of the world, this barrier is probably the hardest to break down, as it will take education of potentially a few generations to reach true gender equality in STEM. In addition, the pay gap between males and females is a barrier that has been challenged for many years and positive strides are being made, but there is still room for improvement.
Moving Women Ahead in STEM Encouragement and opportunity. Women have the talent and aptitude, but without the opportunity, it will never be realized. Although it is not an easy field of work, with the right type of talent management, mentorship, and career guidance women can grow and evolve in STEM. It is a leadership responsibility to enable this.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years Within a five year timeframe I see broader gender parity within STEM, but I do not expect that it will yet be an even playing field across the globe. I believe, though, that there will be greater intake of women into STEM fields of study at university.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: AT&T Industry: Telecommunications Company Headquarters: Dallas, Texas Number of employees: 200,000+ CEO: John Stankey
Sarita Rao, President, Integrated & Partner Solutions My credentials: MBA, Northwestern University; Bachelor of Commerce, DePaul University My work location: Dallas, Texas Words I live by: Be curious. Think big. Thank people. My personal philosophy: Don’t limit yourself. Be comfortable with discomfort. What I’m reading now: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (re-reading) My first Job: Retail sales My favorite charity: Saturday Place—an organization helping 3rd & 4th graders in Chicago Public Schools improve academic performance My interests: Travel
Increasing Diversity in STEM Fields Diversity matters, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes good business sense. Not only do we need more women in the STEM field, but more overall diversity. A mix of backgrounds, thoughts, and approaches to problem-solving makes us stronger and more resilient to marketplace changes. We need to build up the ecosystem of women and diverse leaders in tech, starting with having more role models for women to look up to. Young women need to see examples of people like them, pursuing their passions, so they can be empowered to do the same. And it’s not enough just to have women in tech; we need female inventors, founders, and C-level executives to serve as role models and advocates for other women in all stages of their careers. Today, at AT&T women can reach their highest potential. They’re innovators, team players and leaders. Some of the world’s finest inventions and innovations come from AT&T women in STEM, including Dr. Shirley Jackson, whose work at Bell Laboratories led to the create of fiber optic cables and caller ID. More than 13,600 women from diverse backgrounds work in STEM roles and more than 1,100 have earned patents.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years Women in STEM have much to look forward to, including a change in the dynamics of the field. They are feeling less isolated, more capable of being hired for their skills and assets, and more optimistic about the future of their careers. Without the participation of women in STEM, we have only half the brainpower, half the spirit, and ultimately, half the potential. We need more female voices in STEM to gain new perspectives. As more female students realize the impact their work can have on the environment, human rights, and more, our world will change for the better.
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Company: Dechert LLP Industry: Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (law) Company Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania & New York, New York Number of employees: Approximately 2,000 CEO: Henry N. Nassau
Angelina Liang, Partner My credentials: BA, The University of Chicago, Dean’s List, recipient of the Howell Murray Award; JD, Columbia Law School, recipient of the Pauline Berman Heller Prize, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, editor-in-chief of the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law My work location: New York, New York Words I live by: “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” – William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream My personal philosophy: Do it afraid. What I’m reading now: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner My first Job: Math tutor My favorite charity: Housing Works My interests: Ballet, boxing, and ukulele My family: My husband, Ben Guarino
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap in STEM Opportunity and due consideration are among the gatekeepers for closing the gender gap in STEM. Decision-makers need to continue increasing the diversity of the candidate pool in order to both attract and retain more diverse talent. Internal promotion can be a particularly black box process as information about a typical opportunity—from the application process to timing and qualifications—may not be published, so potential candidates are not able to advocate for themselves and will require sponsorship from someone “in the room” to put them forward. If organizations are not actively monitoring for potential/unintentional biases, these advancement processes may continue to marginalize women.
Moving Women Forward in STEM In order to create a more inclusive work environment, individuals in positions of authority (men and women alike) should raise their voices on behalf of more junior women and bring them into the conversation. These interventions may be indirect, such as recommending them for internal and external profile-raising opportunities, or direct, such as asking them to speak during meetings and purposefully attributing and amplifying their comments. Given the historical disparity in representation at senior levels, we should also not be preoccupied with titles and set thresholds for potential contributors or participants on such a basis. Rather, we should aim to actively foster an environment that embraces each individual’s unique background, experience, and perspective, and by actively highlighting underrepresented views and aim to create more opportunities to promote such ideas, as well as the individuals offering them.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years I hope to see fewer references to the “first” and “only” woman, and greater references to “mostly” and “many” women. This change is beginning to happen as mentorship and development programs implemented across industries empower women to succeed in traditionally male-dominated, homogenous workplaces. At Dechert, for example, I am a local woman liaison for the Global Women’s Initiative. I help identify and implement initiatives that promote opportunities for women lawyers navigating the path to partnership and other senior legal positions. Mentorship and development programs like these help women in STEM prepare for the leadership positions of tomorrow, fostering an environment in which references to women as “first” and “only” will, hopefully, be rendered relics of the past.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: e.l.f. Beauty Industry: Beauty Company Headquarters: Oakland, California Number of employees: Under 300 CEO: Tarang Amin
Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer
My credentials: BA, technology and ops management (minor, Finance), California Polytechnic State University–Pomona My work location: Oakland, California Words I live by: I always have to practice empathy and put myself in other people shoes, because when I do, I can really understand how to resolve an issue or feel what they’re feeling. My personal philosophy: If you set your mind to anything, it is possible. If you really want something, there’s no force that’ll stop you because you’re the only one who can get in your way. I have evolved this post pandemic to add a gratitude element, which really helps me not get worked up about things and, instead, focus on what truly matters. What I’m reading now: Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez and Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown My first Job: Newspaper Delivery. That where I learned the value of customer service because I used to make more in tips dropping the newspaper. My favorite charity: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Girls Who Code My interests: I love to cook—it’s how I distress and where I harness my creativity. I also love to give my time to young women who are trying to figure out what their career is going to be. I would say these, plus I love spending time with my husband and daughter, Anyu (age 7). My family: Husband, Tarun; daughter, and Aanya, my idol; also my mom, 2 sisters, and a brother
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap One of the main barriers to closing the gender gap is not seeing men as our allies. We need to remove that stigma and know that men are our allies. You have to be open and courageous to bring your allies along with you in your journey. I have found that many of the mentors in my life who have fought the hardest for me have been men.
The Changing World of STEM STEM is everywhere. It’s not a nice to have, it’s a must have. Coding is an important skill that all children should learn. In my mind, when people say STEM, it really means STEAM because the art is also an important element, fueling creativity and innovation. The landscape has shifted so that STEM is not just for certain people with particular interests. It’s a must for every age, gender, and group.
Moving Women Forward in STEM As a leader, you need to make sure that you’re bringing along the right people with the right skill sets. That’s fundamental, because otherwise you’re not going to be serving the business and moving your mission forward. You need to bring others along with you, particularly women, lifting others as you climb.
Where I See Women in STEM Five Years from Now Ruling the world. More and more women in STEM will be in positions of power. There will be more women on boards, as CEO’s, and in other powerful roles. And hopefully, we’ll have a woman president too.
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Company: Fish & Richardson, P.C. Industry: Law Company Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts Number of employees: 1,242 CEO: John Adkisson
Bailey K. Benedict, Principal My credentials: BS, chemical engineering (minor in musical theater), University of Southern California; JD, University of Texas School of Law. My work location: Houston, Texas Words I live by: Live life spherically—in all directions at once. My personal philosophy: Only you can make yourself happy. If you aren’t happy, make a change. What I’m reading now: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir My first Job: Waitress at Brooklyn Bagel Cafe My favorite charity: LLS (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) My interests: Hiking, travel, tennis, calligraphy, science fiction and fantasy, cooking healthy foods, and eating unhealthy foods My family: Husband, Daniel, and two children, Annelyse (3) and Cole (1).
Increasing Diversity in STEM Fields Companies should strictly audit their hiring practices to implement blind evaluations where possible, and consistent evaluations of candidates at the very least. For example, interviewers should choose three questions to ask every interviewee, so that their answers can be directly compared to one another. This helps combat the unintentional bias created when you simply share extracurricular interests with an interviewee, or “click” with them. Too often, this is interpreted as the interviewee being a great fit for the “company culture.” It is an easy trap to fall into that accidentally weeds out diverse candidates. They may not have the same extracurricular interests as their interviewers or the same personality type as the rest of the company. However, it is important to recognize that those differences provide value by helping to create a diverse workforce with a diverse approach to problem solving.
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap in STEM We have made great strides in closing the gender gap at an entry level, but still face a significant gap at senior positions. In the legal industry, from my point of view, the gap is due to two main factors. First, the oft-mentioned issue of work/life balance. While flexible work arrangements are becoming more common, many women still struggle to find an acceptable work/life balance if they choose to have children or are otherwise serving as caretakers. Second is the fact that frequently in family dynamics, women are not the sole breadwinner. When both spouses work, the financial pressure is shared. When only one spouse works, that spouse feels the pressure to support his/her family financially by seeking higher paying positions with more responsibility. And when only one spouse works, it is often the man (although of course this is not universal). These two factors combine to mean that even when entry level positions in an industry begin at 50/50, more women leave than men. And women in senior positions who stay are often juggling family issues and are unable or unwilling to seek additional responsibilities. As a result, there is still a huge disparity between the number of men and women in senior positions, and an even larger disparity in roles that affect the shape and future of a business.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years I think we will continue to remove barriers to entry-level positions, and to increase the number of women who graduate from university with a STEM degree. While the change at senior positions will be slower, I hope that we see more and more women rise to those positions, so that it is no longer unusual, and so there is a clearer road map to that kind of success (at least in broad strokes).
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Fish & Richardson, P.C. Industry: Law Company Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts Number of employees: 1,242 CEO: John Adkisson
Kelly Allenspach Del Dotto, Principal My credentials: BA, English & BS, biology, Norwich University; JD, The Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law My work location: Wilmington, Delaware Words I live by: Let go or be dragged. My personal philosophy: I can do anything I can set my mind to. What I’m reading now: Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood My first Job: Mother’s helper for my neighbors My favorite charity: Junior League of Wilmington and Read Aloud Delaware (I volunteer at both) My interests: Decorating royal icing cookies, scuba diving, calligraphy, and writing handwritten notes to friends and family My family: Husband, Jay; 16-month old daughter, Nora; and 2 flat-coated retrievers, Teddy and Harry
My Own STEM Experience As a woman in STEM, I have had the great fortune of having many female mentors. From my very first day as a junior associate in a law firm, senior women have taken the time to sit down with me and answer any questions I have had about our law practice in general or navigating this practice as a junior woman. These mentor relationships guided me as I learned not only how to be a trial lawyer and best serve my clients, but also how to be a working mother and best serve my family as well. The value of these female mentors is immeasurable. As a means of giving back, I aim to share my time and advice with junior women to, hopefully, give them the same feelings of inclusion and support that I experienced in my career.
Moving Women Forward in STEM We need to support working mothers in STEM fields. Highly educated and trained women are being squeezed between the demands of their jobs and the demands of their families. Retaining these women is imperative if we are to increase workplace diversity—both gender diversity and diversity in general. Parents are great multitaskers, project managers, and negotiators! Implementing parent-friendly practices, including generous parental leave policies, back-up childcare options, and flexible in-person work requirements, can provide necessary support to working moms. Even something as simple and thoughtful as making sure nursing moms have a dedicated space where they can feed their babies or pump at conferences or team meetings is essential to making these moms feel recognized and included.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years Just like today, in five years, women will be in every science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field, working to advance their fields and achieve the impossible. The difference between today and five years will be representation—the number of women will grow in both entry-level and mid-level positions, as well as positions of authority and leadership. Better representation at all levels in STEM fields will lead to different perspectives, which will spark increased creativity, faster problem-solving, and better decision-making.
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Company: Globality Industry: Enterprise software Company Headquarters: Palo Alto, San Francisco Number of employees: 300 CEO: Joel Hyatt
Neda Pitt, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) My credentials: BS, computer information and security systems, High Point University My work location: Raleigh, North Carolina Words I live by: Honesty, integrity, passion, and curiosity My personal philosophy: Always strive for constant improvement and bring people along the journey. What I’m reading now: Hacker Crackdown by Bruce Sterling My first Job: Business systems analyst at American Express My favorite charity: Global Kitchen; Doctors without Borders; and HRC in the United States My interests: Spending time with my family; traveling and understanding different cultures; trying to give back and help women get into STEM My family: Wife Diane and teenage son
My Own STEM Experience I’m fortunate that I had great male mentors who have encouraged and supported me in the beginning of my career. When I first started, I was lucky to know amazing leaders who helped me develop my information security skills, as well as leadership skills in general. These early connections helped me succeed. My journey was not without challenges, particularly in the beginning when I had to fight against the stereotype that women couldn’t understand the nuts and bolts of technology. It wasn’t easy to overcome these perceptions, but with the help of mentors and determination on my part, I’m proud that I did. I’m glad that while young women and girls still face challenges in STEM, the obstacles are not as great as they used to be. It doesn’t really matter where you are in your career. We all have a job to do. Just because someone is higher up doesn’t mean they have all the answers. The most important thing is to meet people where they are, understand where they are coming from, and show them how you can help them with your skill set and background. The key is building long-lasting relationships with people who will support your success. My very first day as a junior associate in a law firm, senior women took the time to sit down with me and answer any questions I had about our law practice in general or navigating this practice as a junior woman. These mentor relationships guided me as I learned not only how to be a trial lawyer and best serve my clients, but also how to be a working mother and best serve my family as well. The value of these female mentors is immeasurable. As a means of giving back, I aim to share my time and advice with junior women to, hopefully, give them the same feelings of inclusion and support that I experienced in my career.
How the STEM World Is Changing For a start, having more women, including me, take on the CISO role is a major step forward. The CISO role has traditionally been held by men, so women taking charge means that some positive change has occurred. The same applies to the CTO role. In addition, we’re seeing more diversity in engineering. More women are pursuing that path, which will help bring more women in upper-management roles overtime. Finally, education has become a crucial focus, with many schools around the country prioritizing STEM. This can help close the gap and bring young girls in as early as possible.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years Women will be much closer to parity. There are many women in the world and an increasing number of them are joining STEM. It is inevitable.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: HARMAN Industry: Technology Company Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut Number of employees: 30,000+ CEO: Michael Mauser
Mary Joseph, Vice President–Digital Leadership, Lifestyle Audio Division My credentials: Bachelor of Science, physics, Madurai Kamaraj University; MCA, computer applications, St. Joseph’s College, India; and Master of Science, telecommunications, Iona College My work location: Los Angeles, California
Words I live by: Integrity. I believe in making decisions based on facts, not on personal needs, convenience, or beliefs. Integrity means to do what is right, even when no one is watching. Doing the right thing is not always easy, but I believe it leads to interpersonal and professional accomplishments and success. My personal philosophy: My parents are my personal heroes. My leadership style is based on what I learned from them. They taught me to lead by example, evolve to become a better version of myself, and live by strong values. What I’m reading now: Customer Karma by Arjun Sen
My first Job: My first job was as a lecturer at St. Joseph’s College in Trichy, India. My favorite charity: SunMary Trust is my favorite charity. It’s a small nonprofit organization in southern India that works to enhance the quality of life through education, empowerment, and environmental conservation.
My interests: In my spare time, I enjoy compiling and learning about my family history; I also love to paint. My family: My family provides balance and perspective to my life. They always support me and provide me with strength and motivation, bringing out the best version of me.
Barriers to Closing the STEM Gender Gap I believe the biggest barrier to closing the gender gap in STEM is the lack of a strong foundation in math, science, and technology education. Women are often incorrectly written off as less capable than men when it comes to STEM subjects. It is an idea instilled in girls from a young age, as educators and others subtly push them towards “more suitable” subjects like writing, literature, and social studies. Because young girls are not encouraged to embrace STEM subjects, they may be hesitant to study them. I believe the best way to reduce fears surrounding STEM fields is to introduce those subjects as early as possible, providing children with a strong foundation and a feeling of comfort regarding STEM.
Moving Women Forward in STEM I believe that early exposure to STEM subjects will reduce girls’ fears and increase their confidence in STEM subjects—before these fears become too difficult to unlearn or overcome. It would also be extremely beneficial to establish more networking events and opportunities for women to connect with other women in their particular STEM field. Establishing a sense of camaraderie across STEM will allow women to feel more comfortable and perhaps seek out leadership positions—something STEM fields desperately need. More women in STEM leadership positions will lead to more women in STEM.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years In the next five years, I hope to see significantly more female STEM leaders, adding to the number of female mentors and providing guidance and support to women who may be just starting out in their STEM careers. I also believe that education programs encouraging women in STEM will be much more robust, starting with early education and remaining focused on advocating for women to maintain their interest in STEM through the college level and beyond. When I look at the progress women have made since I began my own career in STEM, I have high hopes that we will continue to make significant strides.
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Company: Latham & Watkins Industry: Law Company Headquarters: n/a Number of employees: 5,000+ CEO: Richard Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner
Jekkie Kim, Partner
My credentials: JD, Boston University School of Law; Masters of Business Administration, Case Western Reserve University; LLM, Yonsei University Department of Medical Law and Ethics; MD, Yonsei University College of Medicine My work location: Silicon Valley (California) Words I live by: Integrity. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. It’s only fair! My personal philosophy: Be kind and do the right thing! Simple, perhaps, but sometimes so hard to do. What I’m reading now: Oh, William by Elizabeth Strout. I was fortunate to receive a signed copy. I’m not yet Lucy’s age (the protagonist), but I feel like I can understand her. It might be Ms. Strout’s writing style, which is short and concise, but conveys a ton of emotion. My first Job: I tutored while I was attending medical school in Korea. My first professional job was as a trainee physician. My favorite charity: I have two charities that I donate to regularly: The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, which has done just a fantastic job during the pandemic, and Doctors Without Borders, which we all know does great work throughout the world. My interests: My main hobby right now is restoring and protecting land we purchased outside the city, which includes magical redwoods. I love using power tools on these projects. I recently upgraded my chainsaw from 12 inches to 16 inches! My family: I have one husband (who also works in STEM), one canine, and two felines—all are rescues.
My Own Experiences with STEM When I entered medical school nearly three decades ago in Korea, female students weren’t just judged against others in their class, but also against each other. With very few spots for women in post-graduate residency programs, where we stood in our class and in relation to one another were both valued metrics. It created competitive intensity that I had not experienced before, and makes me truly appreciate how far women have come—how far I have come! For me, being a woman in STEM means that I can do what I enjoy doing—satisfying my intellectual curiosity and being able to do this work and get paid for it! Not being able to do what I enjoy doing, simply because I was a woman, would have been quite upsetting for me. So, I would say to those who have found their footing within STEM, consider reaching out to others who are trying to find their way in. And if someone reaches out to you, make time for them. I’ve been super lucky, and I am so grateful to be where I am now in my career. At this point in my career, people don’t really care about my gender; they care about my qualifications and skills as a lawyer. I’ve worked with clients at the heart of the response to COVID-19, from clients active with therapeutics, to vaccines, to even offering advice regarding the mask-supply chain. I work on integrating artificial intelligence and machine-learning platform technologies to new drug discoveries and surgical robots. I also help clients develop sustainable alternatives to meat. I am grateful to be working with all of our amazing clients, including pro bono clients, and for the small role that I’m playing in helping them. Even if nobody knew my name or what my role was in a particular instance, I’d know that I was able to contribute strategic, thoughtful, and meaningful legal advice. That is good work!
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Latham & Watkins Industry: Law Company Headquarters: n/a Number of employees: 5,000+ CEO: Richard Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner
Amy E. Speros, Counsel My credentials: JD summa cum laude, American University, Washington College of Law, Order of the Coif; BA, English cum laude, Boston College My work location: Washington, DC Words I live by: Integrity. This quote I have framed in my office: “I get up. I walk. I fall down. Meanwhile, I keep dancing.” – Daniel Hillel My personal philosophy: Love is all you need. And a bit of hard work. What I’m reading now: I’m working my way through the Wheel of Time series (and loving it), currently on Book 6. My first Job: My grandfather opened a flower shop in Fresno, California in 1949, and my mom took it over after him. My first “job” was cleaning flowers as a kid. I worked there until college. My favorite charity: I have a fondness for animal rescue charities and also enjoy working pro bono for the National Veterans Legal Services Program. My interests: I love the outdoors. I love audiobooks. I love listening to audiobooks while exploring the outdoors. My family: I have a wonderful husband and three fun kids, ages 6, 3, and 1.
How the World Is Changing with Respect to STEM Everyone knows STEM now; it’s part of the common lexicon. STEM-focused initiatives have succeeded in integrating STEM into broader aspects of society and driving recognition of its importance to our daily existence. My daughter’s kindergarten class explicitly includes STEM in the curriculum—just a small example of how widespread and embedded STEM concepts have become.
Where I See Women in STEM in Five Years I believe we will continue to see the effects of emphasizing STEM to the next generation, which means STEM leadership will include more women and more diverse talent. From my own experiences as a woman in a science- and regulatory-focused legal practice, I appreciate the effort to move away from the idea that STEM is a “boy’s club.” The industry has set expectations for diversity and inclusion that will become new benchmarks, so I envision the next five years will show how STEM companies rise to the occasion.
My Own Experiences with STEM Much of what I’m good at is grounded in the core competencies of reading and writing—I work best when applying these skills to the specialized STEM industries. I am adept at listening and comprehending, then transforming language into its most accessible and persuasive form. The concepts we encounter in STEM can be difficult to articulate, and these key skills enable me to take complex ideas and successfully translate them to targeted external audiences. In terms of being a woman in STEM, my role as a mother has strengthened my own understanding of technology and science. As I raise my children, I see more and more how concepts I encounter in my work connect with daily life, and how STEM truly touches everything in our society. My work also feels more meaningful, as I interact with the technology my children will use in the future and the emerging ideas that will soon become our reality.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
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Company: Latham & Watkins Industry: Law Company Headquarters: n/a Number of employees: 5,000+ CEO: Richard Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner
Susan Y. Tull, Counsel
My credentials: JD magna cum laude, Temple University Beasley School of Law; BS, mechanical engineering & art history, Duke University My work location: Washington, DC Words I live by: “No one can make you inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt My personal philosophy: I try to embody Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s “when there are nine” concept, and actively advocate for women in power in every field. What I’m reading now: I like to work my way through the Booker Prize finalists, and right now I’m reading The Promise by Damon Galgut My first Job: I worked as a video store clerk for a local chain. My favorite charity: My local dog rescue My interests: I enjoy cooking and bartending, as well as running trails. My family: I grew up in Philadelphia and am still very close with my sister and parents, although we’ve all spread out—my sister is on the West Coast and my parents moved to Florida.
How to Increase Diversity in STEM Fields Increase diversity at the top. When you place women and minorities into leadership positions and other positions of power, you pull more women and diverse talent in at all levels, and across industries related to STEM. We need diverse CEOs, heads of departments, and lead counsel. When we’re promoted into leadership, we show up-and-coming talent that their ideal career trajectory—whatever it is—is possible. Leaders also have an obligation, starting with delegating responsibilities and providing opportunities, to junior talent. It’s critical to advocate for junior talent to establish their credentials and hone their skills, thereby preparing the next generation to excel when they get the chance to lead.
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap in STEM When you look at incoming talent, women begin as roughly half of each graduating class. But that percentage dwindles as you look up the corporate ladder across industries. It is fantastic that women have so many choices—including the opportunity to stay in or leave the workforce. But if we want them to stay, we need to do more to understand why women leave, and what more we can do to address the leadership gap. That period between women entering the workforce and ascending into leadership is one area we need to focus on.
Moving Women Forward in STEM The industry can lean into not just acknowledging, but also accommodating the flexible time issues that many women face. Many of my friends are planning their families and having children, so they’re now facing of the decision of staying in the workforce or stepping away. Remote work proved that productivity doesn’t need to suffer when a person has more control over how her time is structured. Helping women advance, both personally and professionally, benefits everyone. If women do decide to take a step back or take time off, companies should consider more ways to welcome them back to the workforce. Why not reach out to women three or five years after they take time off? These are incredibly skilled professionals, and not establishing that line of communication cuts off a major source of talent for companies.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Lincoln Financial Group Industry: Insurance/Financial Services Company Headquarters: Radnor, Pennsylvania Number of employees: 11,025 CEO: Ellen Cooper
Michelle DeCarlo,
Divisional CIO, SVP, Technology Leader for Corporate Functions My credentials: BBA and MBA, Temple University Fox School of Business My work location: Radnor, Pennsylvania Words I live by: Be kind. Stop arguing to win and start listening to learn. My personal philosophy: Your career is a lattice, not a ladder. Make sure you leverage lateral moves to max value in the organization. What I’m reading now: Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant My first Job: Technical support for a medical library My favorite charity: Wounded Warriors Project My interests: Exercise, spending time with family, and curling up with a good book My family: I have three children and a husband whom I love to spend time with.
My Experiences in STEM Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have a circle of male allies who championed me and my work, and operated with a gender-agnostic mentality. These colleagues and mentors offered me opportunities to demonstrate my skills, were accommodating to the needs and demands of being a working mother, and shared their network to strengthen my personal brand. They taught me how to think “like a man” in the field—a necessary tactic as I was beginning my career. Young women in STEM are still facing the challenge of their work being accepted and appreciated in a maledominated field. As a leader in a large, innovative IT organization, I have an obligation to help those who are advancing in their careers. I have earned a seat at the table and with that seat, I am an advocate for this cohort and can open the doors that will help early and mid-level talent have the opportunities they need to build their skill sets, develop professionally, showcase their talent, and advance in their careers. It’s my time to create a space for women in STEM, so that their talents are not only seen but also appreciated.
How the STEM World Is Changing STEM fields are much more welcoming to females today compared to 20 years ago. There has been acknowledgement of the gender gap, focused action among employers to improve the balance within their organizations, and increasing equity in education opportunities to advance female technologists. With a majority of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States requiring significant math and science skills, it would be a missed opportunity to continue to overlook women in these fields. A more diverse workforce with individuals who bring different life experiences and perspectives has been proven to increase creativity and foster innovation. Organizations have started moving in the right direction, encouraging women to continue to pursue careers in STEM and recognizing their skills and contributions. While there are always opportunities for improvement, STEM today is a lot different from when I began my career
Women in STEM Five Years from Now I expect to see the gender gap narrow significantly over the course of the next five years—both in the number of women in STEM fields and in compensation disparity. The gap in highest-paid and fastest-growing STEM jobs available is significant, so I hope to see the ratio of females to males become balanced in all settings, from entry-level to the board room. As more women advance, those who take on senior leadership positions have a unique opportunity to help solve the problem by acting as mentors and providing early-career talent with role models.
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Company: New York Life Industry: Insurance Company Headquarters: New York, New York Number of employees: 11,000 CEO: Craig DeSanto
Betty Smith, VP & CIO of Foundational Insurance Business
My credentials: Dual Master of Science degrees, organizational leadership and project & operations management, Southern New Hampshire University My work location: Alpharetta, Georgia Words I live by: Actions speak louder than words. My personal philosophy: Life is about the people you meet, the relationships you build, and the memories you make. Find the good things in people, rather than dwelling on the petty stuff; be kind to each other; and reach out in times of need. What I’m reading now: Gross National Happiness by Arthur C. Brooks My first Job: I had a newspaper route. My favorite charity: animal rescues; AHA My interests: Hiking, music, reading, kayaking, and aquarist My family: My wonderful husband of 38 years, and two great kids—a daughter and son
Increasing Diversity in STEM
Creating diversity in STEM fields starts with early education and exposure to what the STEM fields have to offer. Creating opportunities through after-school activities and clubs in partnership with business volunteer and sponsorship programs, allows students to gain hands-on experience and build confidence in their own abilities and interests. These programs cannot discriminate in participation and need to be led by diverse individuals that bring different ways of engaging, as well as their passion for the field. Parents and other family members play a major role in encouraging and supporting curiosity, along with exploring what might be of interest to their children.
How the STEM World Is Changing
As we can all attest to, we are living through unique times and the advances being made in the STEM fields are changing our lives on a daily basis through technology, medical research, and even in the way cities and transportation are engineered. There is a renewed focus on the sustainability of our environmental resources and how we can live healthier lives. As the growth in STEM jobs is expected to outpace that of non-STEM jobs in the coming years, there are exciting opportunities ahead. But while the percentage of women in the STEM workforce continues to make gains, we still have a long way to go to full representation.
Women in STEM Five Years from Now
I am optimistic that we will continue to make strides in increasing the number of women in STEM fields. I see more organizations coming together in partnerships to create development and mentoring opportunities for young women to build their skills and confidence. I see more women leaders who are in senior roles paying it forward to help the next generation of women leaders. My company partners with Girls Who Code and other organizations to provide our employees with opportunities to mentor and leverage their technical skills helping them to build their own leadership abilities. We have a very strong internship program that combines hands-on work with team-building and critical-thinking sessions. We continue to see an increase in female candidates in these programs. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic in which we all have been learning to function has opened up new ways of working and learning. I believe these new ways are here to stay and will help create a more diverse and accepting environment.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Oracle Industry: Computing Technology Company Headquarters: Austin, Texas Number of employees: 133,000 CEO: Safra Catz
Alison J. Derbenwick Miller, Vice President, Oracle for Research
My credentials: BA with Honors, history, BA, communication (journalism), Stanford University; MA, jurisprudence and social policy, University of California, Berkeley School of Law My work location: Austin, Texas Words I live by: Do justice, love kindness, live gently on the earth, and walk humbly with your God. My personal philosophy: Laugh first. Respect others, even when it’s hard. Be genuine. Give grace and raise up others. Love as much as you can. Be open to new ideas and experiences. Find joy in every day. What I’m reading now: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haines; Brain Fables: The Hidden History of Neurodegenerative Diseases and a Blueprint to Conquer Them by Alberto Espay and Benjamin Stecher My first Job: Ballet teacher for gymnasts (age 13) My favorite charity: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital My interests: Music (choral singing, cello, and piano noodling), hiking, hockey, and spending as much time as I can with my kids My family: My husband, Kurt, our two children, Addison and Blake, my stepson Kolby, and our menagerie of pets
Increasing Diversity in STEM
The lack of diversity in STEM fields is a multifaceted problem at all points along the education-career pipeline; increasing diversity won’t come from a few, easily articulated changes. That said, some important steps can be taken to attract, enrich, and retain women, LGBTQ people, and people of color in STEM fields. We need to improve early STEM education by ensuring elementary and middle school students have qualified, passionate, and supportive math and science teachers. We must increase access to and equity in STEM classes and majors in high school and post-secondary education. And, we need to do a better job ensuring that all workplaces are welcoming and provide growth opportunities equitably. Many of the current gaps and inequities are rooted in unconscious biases, and these must be identified and addressed.
Breaking Down Barriers to STEM
Identifying the problem as a “gender gap in STEM” is one of the barriers to closing said gap. Most often, this is interpreted as the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, but in my view this paints too narrow a picture. In some STEM fields, like biology, women are actually overrepresented. Little data is available about the representation of non-binary people in STEM fields. Imbalances in representation are inherently intertwined with pervasive pay inequalities and uneven opportunities for growth and leadership. It is exceptionally difficult to solve a problem that is not well-defined; to move the needle on any of these issues, we need to more carefully define what we are working to change.
Moving Women Forward in STEM
I believe that if our daughters have early role models and well-qualified teachers in STEM, they will be more inclined to believe they can and should pursue and succeed in STEM careers. As parents, we need to be champions and advocates for improving the professionalization of primary and secondary school teaching. We need excellence in STEM teaching from pre-K onward. As our STEM-loving daughters grow up and move into careers, some seismic changes will be needed to retain them in STEM fields over time. Pay and opportunities need to be equalized, bro-culture in the workplace needs to eliminated, and the “mommy track” that takes women off leadership paths in the workplace needs to be fixed. In the home, caregiving responsibilities and the assumptions about who assumes them must become more evenly balanced. Women must have the same time and support to pursue and succeed in demanding careers, and this can only happen if workplace obligations and social expectations undergo a massive reset. Men need to be allies in effecting these changes.
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Company: Regor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Industry: Biotech Company Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, and Shanghai, China Number of employees: 100 CEO: Xiayang Qiu, PhD
Marjorie Zettler, PhD, MPH; Executive Director of Clinical Science My credentials: BSc (Hons), University of Manitoba; PhD, University of Manitoba; MPH, University of Manchester My work location: Falls Church, Virginia Words I live by: Never stop learning. My personal philosophy: We can carve out our own paths that align with our own values and priorities. What I’m reading now: Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang My first Job: Summer intern at the public library My favorite charity: Mutt Love Rescue My interests: My family, our rescue beagle, Chip, and our wildflower garden My family: Husband, Joel; son, Joe (11); and daughter, Sophie (8)
Barriers to Closing the STEM Gender Gap
Lack of awareness (or the perception that the gender gap is a thing of the past) is one barrier, but it can be overcome with evidence. Organizations interested in advancing and retaining women in STEM can collect and learn from data on hiring, compensation, promotion, and attrition within their company. If disparities are identified, they need to be resolved directly. This is a second barrier: many organizations take a “fix the women” approach to a gender gap within their ranks, offering coaching, leadership courses, or public-speaking training to women, rather than addressing the underlying systemic and structural issues. But a 2018 study comparing company programs intended to engage women in STEM found that the intervention that was most effective in advancing and retaining women was a commitment to pay equity. To me, this study speaks volumes: fair compensation should be a baseline expectation, not an “intervention.” It’s what women want and deserve. Fix that before anything else.
Moving Women Forward in STEM
Moving women forward in STEM is really about creating a working environment where women want to stay. An analysis of the primary reasons that women with STEM degrees took jobs outside their field showed that, while family responsibilities ranked high, other factors including pay, promotion, and working conditions, contributed significantly to their decisions. Collecting and analyzing organizational metrics is one way for companies to find workplace issues in need of correction. Beyond that, I would encourage organizations to listen to what women in STEM are saying about their experiences at work: are they receiving the same opportunities for visibility on projects, the same recognition for accomplishments, the same resources and support as their peers? Bias, discrimination, harassment, hostility, and microaggressions in the workplace all contribute to a culture in which qualified, competent women in STEM can become disillusioned and discouraged. The cost of turning a blind eye to a toxic culture will be the continued loss of talented women in STEM from these organizations.
Women in STEM Five Years from Now
I’ve worked as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry for nearly 20 years, and change has come slowly over that time. But some recent examples of positive developments I’ve noticed include a dedicated nursing room for mothers at a national scientific conference, and commitments from conference organizers to avoid “manels.” Similarly, several prominent scientific and medical journals have committed to a minimum 50 percent female members on their editorial advisory boards, and to increasing gender diversity in peer reviewers. These are small but important steps towards making women feel more welcome in these spaces. However, we’re still far from where we need to be in terms of gender pay equity and representation in leadership. In five years, I hope we’ve made greater progress towards equality on those measures.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP Industry: Law Company Headquarters: Silicon Valley, California Number of employees: 30+ CEO: Courtland Reichman, Managing Partner
Khue Hoang, Co-Managing Partner, New York Office My credentials: BS EE, University of California–Irvine; MS EE, University of Californai–San Diego; JD, University of California–Berkeley My work location: New York, New York Words I live by: Everything in moderation, including moderation. My personal philosophy: Ignore the jerks. What I’m reading now: Taste: My Life through Food by Stanley Tucci My first Job: Bagging groceries My favorite charity: Orchard Valley School My interests: Gardening, architecture, and gastronomy My family: Partnered
My Own STEM Story I was fortunate to be encouraged by parents who never saw gender as a barrier to pursuing STEM studies, and I adopted that attitude as my own. Throughout my career, I’ve found that having a strong background in STEM prepared me for nearly every professional challenge I’ve faced, first as an engineer in the private sector and then, as a complex technology litigator. Critical thinking is a universally applicable skill and the confidence that comes with that is invaluable. Research has shown that imposter syndrome plagues many women in STEM. Know that you are not an imposter. Please embrace that you are extremely competent. Never doubt your ability to succeed. Together, we can build a more inclusive environment for women in STEM. The Changing World of STEM Technology pervades every aspect of modern life, from the way we eat, exercise, and obtain medical care to how we drive, travel, and dress. This science-saturated world demands a workforce trained in STEM, thereby making obtaining education in these fields foundational to our existence. Ensuring that women and minorities have access to these areas of study is not only desirable, it is critical. Women in STEM Five Years from Now I believe that, if we continually recognize and work to deconstruct the barriers that discourage or prevent women from pursuing STEM, the number of women in STEM will steadily climb, the pay gap will narrow, and STEM-related industries will continue to become more inclusive—dispelling the stereotypes and biases that have long held women back in STEM. We will undoubtedly continue to see progress in waves, but in order to achieve this we must remain vigilant in our approach to amplifying the voices and abilities of women in STEM.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
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Company: Sandia National Laboratories Industry: Science & Engineering Federally Funded Research Laboratory Company Headquarters: Albuquerque, New Mexico Number of employees: 15,000 CEO: Dr. James Peery
Sondra Spence, Engineering Program Project Lead My credentials: Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, political science, University of New Mexico My work location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Words I live by: Every 24 hours, we all get a fresh start. My personal philosophy: Run your own race; don’t be distracted by comparisons or “what ifs.” What I’m reading now: Anything science fiction/fantasy My first Job: Office clerk at Auto Glass Services My favorite charity: A21, dedicated to ending human trafficking globally My interests: ck climbing, international travel, visiting U.S. national parks, and spending time with family My family: Married to my husband of 10 years, with two kids
My Experience in STEM When I started my career in nuclear security more than six years ago, I was one of only a handful of women in my department. I was fortunate to find several key mentors—women and men—that have helped me find my voice and build on opportunities. I have had to work hard to prove to others, and to myself, that I can lead teams and establish new processes that benefit domestic and international nuclear security. While it hasn’t always been easy, I have learned from every challenge. I hope that I will have the opportunity to be a mentor and help more young women establish themselves in this important field.
The Changing World of STEM I work in international nuclear security, where STEM education is critical to creating new technologies that make the world a safer and more secure place. New types of nuclear technology to power our homes and businesses, cybersecurity to keep the power grid safe from attackers, systems to prevent the theft of nuclear materials and sabotage of nuclear facilities from outside and insider threats—all of these nuclear security related-fields will grow in the next ten years, and all of them require advanced STEM education. I would encourage young women who want to begin a rewarding career that makes a global difference to explore STEM field in nuclear security.
Women in STEM 5 Years Down the Road In five years, I hope to see more women in executive-level roles in nuclear security, and in all STEM industries. Currently, women are making tremendous headway into STEM careers, especially in the early- to mid-level jobs, but I think we could use more women at the top. One of my inspirations is Jill Hruby, who previously served as Director of Sandia National Laboratories, and is now serving as the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. She is helping to open doors and to motivate women scientists and technologists across the country. Also, I hope that organizations like Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy, which is sponsored by our current Labs Director James Peery here at Sandia, will help break down barriers women face when entering the nuclear security field. I am encouraged by both the national and local support women receive.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Teltech Industry: Mobile apps & telecommunication Company Headquarters: Oakland, California Number of employees: 100 CEO: Patrick Falzon
Giulia Porter, Vice President of Marketing My credentials: Master of Business Administration, management & Bachelor of Science, business administration, marketing, Merrimack College My work location: Boston, Massachusetts Words I live by: The best leaders bring people with them. My personal philosophy: Pay it forward. What I’m reading now: Radical Candor by Kim Scott My first Job: Dog washer! My favorite charity: MSCPA My interests: Cooking, hiking, weight lifting, and dogs! My family: A wonderful, supportive husband and a 2-year-old golden doodle named Ruby
Increasing Diversity in STEM
Early access to education is key! Even those who have access to the best education and networks from a young age rarely get introduced to the career education paths and professional lifestyles that STEM can offer. Providing more visibility into how college majors and curricula can lead to various STEM careers can help people with diverse backgrounds get involved as early in their career as possible.
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap
Access to networks and resources that give people the right education, training, and networking opportunities will help close the career gender gap in STEM. For example, not many non-engineers go to school to be in tech. Many times, they are given a chance to try tech right out of college—as I was.
The Changing World of STEM
STEM continues to evolve and create new opportunities as technology evolves and expands worldwide. This presents great opportunities to bridge diversity and inclusion gaps, and continue to break down barriers for talent and operations in a global economy.
Moving Women Forward in STEM
To move women forward in STEM, we need continued mentorship, salary and network transparency, and a pay-it-forward attitude.
Where I See Women in STEM Five Years from Now
Globally, women will continue to be empowered to educate themselves and other women in ways that will let them increase their expertise in STEM, because women are awesome and that is what we do :)
My STEM Experience
Being a woman in STEM hasn’t always been easy. I often had to figure things out on my own, and ran into challenges along the way, such as finding mentors who were willing to spend the time to help me develop my skills and show me the way. This experience, however, has made me stronger, and made me appreciate the need for more women in STEM and the need to help bring others who are interested in the field on board.
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Company: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Industry: Education Company Headquarters: El Paso, Texas Number of employees: 2,000 CEO: Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., President of TTUHSC El Paso
Munmun Chattopadhyay, PhD, ssistant Professor My credentials: PhD, Jiwaji University, India My work location: El Paso, Texas Words I live by: Happiness, Gratitude, Forgiveness, Resilience, Good Health, and Mindful Eating My personal philosophy: Always be kind to others and do no harm; share if you can; there are no failures—just lessons to learn from. What I’m reading now: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer My first Job: Post-doctoral fellow to conduct research and teach students how to perform research My favorite charity: Feeding America, Feed the Children, and Wounded Warriors My interests: Cooking, music, travel, and helping those in need My family: Blessing, inspiration, and unconditional love
Increasing Diversity in STEM
Visibility and accessibility are two main criteria which will increase diversity in STEM fields. Most parents from non-academic backgrounds are unaware of the very inclusive opportunities from NASA, NSF and NIH for K-12 and undergraduate students. More community-based programs will help reach out to diverse populations and let the students know about the benefits of STEM fields.
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap
A sense of belonging and self confidence will motivate women in the STEM field to move forward. Bias, inequality, as well as visibility are other major barriers. Proper unbiased mentoring and guidance will help to lessen the gender gap. Higher motivation, fewer vulnerabilities, and effective support systems are also important factors in closing the gender gap.
The Changing World of STEM
At present, more women and minorities are entering the STEM disciplines, but still the wage gap exists. In academia, there are more women assistant professors than in earlier decades, but there are still very few women full professors, or chairs and deans, in STEM fields. Although lack of diversity still exists in STEM, there has been a 3 percent increase in participation of women in STEM in the last decade.
Moving Women Forward in STEM
Inclusiveness, a sense of belonging, equality, and merit-based programs with scholarship opportunities will help move women forward in STEM. Encouragement, uplifting self-confidence, and engaging role models will help more women to enter and succeed in STEM fields.
Where I See Women in STEM Five Years from Now
Catalyzing innovative community or school-based programs that prepare people to study and work in STEM with more impartial and inclusive agendas will help a new generation of women to commit to the field. The STEM workforce will have more women, as well as more racial and ethnic diversity, in the next five years.
My STEM Wisdom
It is very important to be productive and visible when you are a woman in a STEM career. It is very important to make the non-STEM population understand the importance and outcomes of your STEM work. Therefore, community-based lectures intended to help people understand the new technologies, as well as to motivate younger generations of school kids to pursue careers in STEM, is my most rewarding experience. The keys to becoming a successful woman in a STEM career are to never give up, stay positive and resilient, and help others without expecting anything in return.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Urenco USA Industry: Nuclear Company Headquarters: Eunice, New Mexico (U.S. headquarters) Number of employees: 230 CEO: Global CEO: Boris Schucht; U.S. CEO: Karen Fili
Karen Fili, President and CEO
My credentials: BS, mechanical engineering, Mississippi State University; MBA, Mississippi College My work location: Eunice, New Mexico Words I live by: Every conversation with the team, a colleague, coworker, boss, or employee is an experience for that person and creates beliefs about you as a person. My personal philosophy: Work Here, Live Here, Give Here. What I’m reading now: Together is Better by Simon Sinek. He’s one of my favorite authors for leadership and also wrote my favorite book, Leaders Eat Last. My first Job: My first job was as a deck hand on my father’s shrimp boat as a teenager. It was a fun job, but very hard work! That was a time that I’ll never forget, because my father and I had a lot of time to talk about his role as an engineer. He was a chief test engineer for the nuclear submarine program at Ingalls Shipbuilding. My favorite charity: The United Way My family: My foundation is my husband, Rick Fili. I’ve always said, “Every woman deserves a Rick Fili” For almost 33 years, he has been my biggest supporter in my career. Also, being part of a large Italian family is amazing. My 17 nieces and nephews and 5 God children are so much fun, and it’s a joy to watch them grow and excel in life.
My STEM Experience It is exciting to have a career in STEM, and in the nuclear sector we are moving the world toward a net-zero environment. With the clean technologies used in our industry, it is possible to provide a significant impact that will result in a carbon-free world in the upcoming years. It is amazing to have a job that allows me to not only make a local impact, but also provides me with the opportunity to make a global shift that will benefit generations to come. I have truly enjoyed every moment of having a career as an engineer and leader in the nuclear industry, and I hope my example will encourage other young women to pursue such a rewarding career.
The Changing World of STEM It seems like more and more STEM jobs are added each year as a result of the growth in technology. From the technologies that allowed us to transition seamlessly to work and study remotely, to the life-saving vaccines and interventions that are quickly and efficiently developed by scientists, the future is looking to STEM disciplines to support the economy, infrastructure, education, and health-care systems. We will need bright young minds to pursue careers in STEM in order to fill this enormous need.
Where I See Women in STEM Five Years from Now As one of a few female leaders in the nuclear industry, I can only imagine that in the next five years there will be many more of us, as I see so many capable female leaders emerging across our business. The future is bright for women in STEM because these new female leaders are resilient and capable of shifting industry cultures by championing one another and bringing innovative ideas and diverse perspectives to the table.
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Company: West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Industry: Pharmaceutical component and device manufacturing Company Headquarters: Exton, Pennsylvania Number of employees: 10,000+ CEO: Eric Green
Liat Shochat, Senior Director of Research & Development, SmartDose 10 Platform
My credentials: BSc, biomedical engineering, IIT (‘Technion’, Israel) My work location: Scottsdale, Arizona Words I live by: Be kind; be yourself; do not believe in something simply because you heard it, because it was spoken by many or because it was written. After observation and analysis, when it is agreeing with reason and conducive to good, then accept it and act upon it. My personal philosophy: Leave your surroundings a little better than you found them. What I’m reading now: Shogun by James Clavell; Togther Is Better by Simon Sinek My first Job: Tutoring children with learning disabilities My favorite charity: International Diabetes Federation; Upward My interests: Traveling, hiking, reading and learning about different cultures, and cooking new and old flavors My family: Supportive and amazing husband, best parents one can hope for, 2 loving siblings, extended family, and a lot of wonderful, smart nephews and a niece
My STEM Experience I am blessed to both come from a family, and have managers, who taught me that nothing was impossible and that each person has an equal right to be heard, to lead, to hold a position and have the ability to succeed. I often see that even the quietest, the youngest, or the woman with fewest years of industry experience can make a huge impact or come up with a great solution. As my career advanced, I was fortunate to mentor and support many engineers and managers, ensuring that they received equal work experiences, opportunities, and salaries, and helping them improve their skills to help them achieve their full potential. As part of my team at West, I have met wonderful individuals, each with a unique set of skills and strengths. However, what caused us all to thrive and succeed in developing and bringing to market great products, is that we are a strong, close team, where each person can work individually, with the collective knowledge, strength, and support of the team. In this fast-paced, highly regulated, high-tech industry, this is a vital need.
Barriers to Closing the Gender Gap in STEM There are several barriers to closing the gender gap in STEM. The following are a few of the primary barriers: • Work-life balance, especially for women with young age children • More accessible and affordable childcare education system • Extended and affordable maternity and paternity leave
The Changing World of STEM Throughout history, humanity’s respect for and belief in STEM has varied. Even during our lifetime, we see evidence of that. We are increasing the number of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, physicians, and health-care professionals, but we are still at the beginning of our path. Every day, wonderful and unique achievements are being made in STEM fields. With that comes a need for science, engineering, and critical thinking to be more accessible, with easy-to-grasp explanations and demonstrations, and communication paths that can reach a wider audience. Access to various content platforms, social and collaborative tools, data-sharing technologies, data analysis, and the Cloud are enabling this more and more.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: WilmerHale Industry: Law Company Headquarters: n/a Number of employees: 1,931 CEO: Managing Partners: Susan Murley, Robert Novick
Sarah Tegan Hogan, Partner
My credentials: BS, biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; MS, genetics, University of New Hampshire; JD, Northeastern University School of Law My work location: Boston, Massachusetts Words I live by: Be authentic and create an environment where others can do so as well. My personal philosophy: Find joy in the small things in life; it all adds up! What I’m reading now: Truth be told, I read so much for work I don’t read that much for pleasure. I just finished reading The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton with my teenage son, which was, for me, a surprisingly timeless story! My first Job: Working at a children’s clothing store My favorite charity: It is impossible to pick one! In the Boston area, two of my favorites are Greater Boston Food Bank and St. Francis House. My interests: Skiing, hiking, walking the dog, family games, going to the beach, and spending time with friends and family. My family: To many too count! I live with my husband, Shannon, my 13-yearold son, and our dog. I have 2 sisters, a brother, and 15 nieces and nephews. John and Lorraine Tegan are my parents. My mother died of breast cancer in 2012; she was a wonderful woman and such an inspiration to me!
The Changing World of STEM We’ve seen a substantial increase of women enrolling in and completing graduate school, with women substantially outnumbering men in certain types of STEM fields (e.g., biological sciences, and health and medical sciences). When I started my legal career, I was almost always the only woman in the room. Women are still in the minority in my field, but I’m more frequently finding myself on teams with a number of women.
Women in STEM Five Years Down the Road I think we can take the increases in women entering and completing higher education in STEM fields as an extremely positive development. It is up to the decision-makers in STEM companies to create an environment where these women can succeed and to identify talent to promote to senior roles. I’m optimistic about the future producing more gender parity, as I see that my colleagues—women and men—are all working to close the gender gap.
My Own STEM Experience I am a scientist by training, having received a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and master’s degree in genetics. I worked as a scientist at a biotech company for a few years before deciding that I was more interested in the business side of the industry. So I went on to earn my JD. I currently represent life-sciences and digital-health companies in negotiating strategic transactions. Throughout most of my career being the only woman in the room was not a major setback for me, although I had some experiences that might have made some people quit: I was asked to get coffee for the team multiple times; I was bullied by a senior attorney on a negotiation—he was screaming at me that his completely unreasonable position was normal; I was hit on by someone senior to me; and when I was pregnant, I was asked repeatedly if I was coming back to work after my baby was born. But I didn’t quit. I had a supportive group of peers, family, and friends who encouraged me and helped me believe in myself. I’m very happy that I didn’t let these experiences drive me out of my field because I really enjoy the work I do. If you suffer from imposter syndrome, you’re not alone! Sometimes, when I am speaking in a negotiation on a complex topic, I have a sort of “out of body experience”—I can’t believe it is me who knows this much about the topic. Don’t let it rattle you. Feel confident in what you know and believe that you really do deserve to be right where you are.
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Company: WilmerHale Industry: Law Company Headquarters: n/a Number of employees: 1,931 CEO: Managing Partners: Susan Murley, Robert Novick
Mindy Sooter, Partner
My credentials: JD, University of Colorado Law School; ME, telecommunications, University of Colorado at Boulder; BS, electrical engineering, Texas A&M University My work location: Denver, Colorado Words I live by: Where there’s a will there’s a way. My personal philosophy: Do the right thing and, whenever possible, have fun doing it. What I’m reading now: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson; The Overstory by Richard Powers My first Job: McDonald’s counter girl My favorite charity: Texas Civil Rights Project (txcivilrights.org) My interests: Camping, hiking, and visiting my grown kids My family: Married, with 3 grown kids: daughter at the Naval Academy, and two graduated sons
Increasing Diversity in STEM
To increase diversity in STEM fields, we need to level the playing field for all students at all levels. Diverse students need access to pre-K education and broadband, technical courses in middle and high school, college application mentoring, and scholarship funds. Without the proper foundation, and without access to college, diverse students are often at a disadvantage in preparing for and entering STEM fields.
Breaking Down Barriers to STEM
To help close the gender gap in STEM, we need to work harder to expose all students to STEM subjects and build confidence in diverse and female students in these areas. For example, schools should expose all students to computers and coding, as well as a STEM curriculum that is relevant to today’s technology. Teachers should then work to identify interested diverse and female students, and encourage them to sign up for more and more STEM courses. When I was in high school and college, personal encouragement made all the difference to my curriculum choices. Professors and teachers who praised my work and encouraged me to take their classes were largely responsible for my technical background and my love of engineering.
Moving Women Forward in STEM
To help move women forward in STEM, we need at least two things: • senior women mentoring and advocating for junior women • support and understanding around women’s roles in their families Regarding the first point, we need to intentionally place qualified women in senior roles so that they are visible and can serve as role models for more junior women. Then, these women should make themselves available to mentor and advocate for junior women. This unfortunately often places a greater burden on the more senior women, but until we achieve parity, it is likely going to be necessary. Regarding the second point, women often play a more substantial role in caring for and managing their families, whether caring for children or parents. While many spouses are supportive and play an equal role, they often do not and the burden falls to the woman. Workplaces need to understand, account for, and respect the employee’s need to care for family members, so that valuable employees can remain in the workforce rather than leaving.
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Women Worth Watching® in STEM INTERNATIONAL
Company: Withum Industry: Technology and Emerging Growth Services Company Headquarters: Princeton, New Jersey Number of employees: 1,800 CEO: Bill Hagaman, CPA, CGMA
Zsia Rosmarin, CPA, Partner, Head of Tax, Technology and Emerging Growth Services
My credentials: BS, accounting, MS, taxation, State University of New York My work location: Whippany, New Jersey Words I live by: Be kind and respectful of others; we don’t always all share the same opinions. My personal philosophy: If you are happy in your personal life, you find happiness and balance in your work life. What I’m reading now: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephan Covey My first Job: Ernst & Young My favorite charity: No one favorite; love helping children and supporting friends and family in their personal quests My interests: Passion for being a role model for women, football, kickboxing My family: Jon (husband), Michael and Dylan (sons)
My STEM Experience I work with many founders and C-suite women. It is an exciting place to see so many women start their own companies and occupy high-level positions with so much confidence. They are all an inspiration to me, my colleagues, and so many women around them. As a co-lead of Women of Withum, I also enjoy advocating for women at all levels. At Withum, the messaging comes from the top—our CEO, Bill Hagaman, and CEO-Elect, Pat Walsh. Both have been huge supporters since I joined Withum seven years ago. My most important note for women is that you should surround yourself with allies, sponsors, and mentors, and they don’t all have to be women. Men are great allies!
The Changing World of STEM Specifically in my field, the recent introduction of accounting to STEM has been a great step in the right direction. We have seen an increasingly large overlap with technology, data and analytics, AI/ML, and other related elements within our clients on a daily basis. For anyone looking to combine a more traditional STEM experience with the business world, our career path offers a fantastic opportunity, and this recent integration of accounting has only elevated the awareness of that.
Women in STEM—Looking Forward 5 Years Throughout my career, I have seen women make impressive advances. It has been an exciting journey to be part of and to watch. Today, I love that our entry-level women don’t view themselves any differently from men. I am looking forward to this generation of women, as they become managers, continuing to pay it forward by supporting and mentoring the next generation of women in STEM.
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Where are they now... Over nearly two decades, Profiles in Diversity Journal® has recognized more than 2,000 Women Worth Watching® in the pages of our magazine. In this issue, we catch up with 12 more past Award recipients, who have since been promoted, started their own companies, taken on new roles, or moved into entirely new fields of endeavor. Like all of our Women Worth Watching Award winners, they are dynamic leaders, who welcome challenges, embrace change, and share their knowledge and wisdom with the next generation of women. Read on, and see where their professional journeys have taken them.
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2010
Shari Ballard
Where are they now...
Chief Executive Officer, Minnesota United FC (professional soccer club)
Shari Ballard, recognized as a Woman Worth Watching® in 2010, today is the chief executive officer of professional soccer club Minnesota United FC. Before joining Minnesota United, Ballard held a series of increasingly responsible leadership roles with Best Buy. She began her career with the retailer as a store manager and advanced through a number of positions during her quarter century with the company, eventually serving as senior executive vice president and president of multichannel retail. Ballard holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan–Flint.
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Where are they now... Venture Partner, AP Ventures, London, United Kingdom
Birgit Behrendt
Named a Woman Worth Watching® in 2010, Birgit Behrendt is now a venture partner with AP Ventures. She is also a member of Umicore’s supervisory board and the board of directors for Infinium Holdings, Inc., as well as the supervisory board Ford Werke GmbH. During her career with Ford, which spanned more than two decades, Behrendt held several leadership positions. She finished her illustrious career with Ford by serving in the role of vice president of joint ventures and alliances and commercial affairs for Ford of Europe. Behrendt earned a business degree from VWA Hochschule and completed the Program for Management Development at Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business.
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Pamela Berklich
Where are they now...
Consultant, Specializing in Leadership Development and RPO Consulting A 2010 Woman Worth Watching®, Pamela Berklich now shares her considerable knowledge with others as an independent consultant, specializing in leadership development and RPO consulting. For nearly a decade, Berklich held leadership positions with Kelly Services, including serving as senior vice president, global solutions and services. Earlier in her career, she served as executive vice president at ManpowerGroup. Berklich holds a master’s degree in career counseling from Oakland University and a bachelor’s degree in political science/ psychology from Central Michigan University.
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Susan Blount
Where are they now...
Independent Board Member, Experienced Legal and Financial Services Senior Executive, Professor, Coach and Speaker
Susan Blount, a 2010 Woman Worth Watching® Award recipient, currently sits on the boards of directors of DISCO and Cavco Industries, Inc., and is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law. Previously, Blount spent more than a decade with Prudential Financial, finishing her career as executive vice president and general counsel for the company. Blount earned her JD at The University of Texas School of Law. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from The University of Texas at Austin.
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2011
Rebecca Allen
Where are they now...
Research Professor, UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture
Named a Woman Worth Watching® for 2011, Rebecca Allen is currently a research professor at UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture. A working artist for her entire adult life, Allen was a professor in the UCLA Department of Design Media Arts for nearly a quarter of a century. Earlier in her career, she served as director of Nokia Research Center Santa Monica, California and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as a senior research scientist at MIT Media Lab Europe. Allen earned her master’s degree in computer graphics and interactive media from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her BFA in film/experimental animation/graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design.
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Maria Arias
Where are they now...
Principal, Maria Arias Solutions (an Arias Ventures company)
Maria Arias, a Woman Worth Watching® in 2011, now shares her knowledge and experience, specializing in diversity & inclusion, multicultural initiatives, government affairs, business management, and leadership development. Previously, Arias served in several leadership positions during her decade with Comcast. Earlier in her career, she was a vice president of law and government affairs for Adelphia and a vice president of local government affairs for AT&T. Arias holds a JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from DePaul University. She also is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s CTAM (cable industry executive marketing) program.
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Lisa Ashby
President & CEO, Carestream Dental
Where are they now...
Recognized as a Woman Worth Watching® in 2011, Lisa Ashby has been with Carestream Dental for more than seven years, first as president and now also as chief executive officer. Prior to joining Carestream Dental, Ashby served in leadership roles with Cardinal Health and Allegiance Healthcare. And earlier in her career, she served as director for Baxter International. Ashby earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science, public policy, and psychology at Duke University.
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Lisa Atherton
President & Chief Executive Officer, Textron Systems
Where are they now...
Lisa Atherton, a Women Worth Watching® Award recipient in 2011, was named president and CEO of Textron Systems in 2017. Previously, Atherton held leadership positions with Bell Helicopter, including executive vice president, military business. Earlier in her career, she held leadership and tech roles with Textron and Scitor Corporation. Atherton holds a master’s degree from William & Mary Raymond A. Mason School of Business, as well as a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from the United States Air Force Academy.
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2012
Allison Aden
EVP & Chief Financial Officer, Cavco Industries, Inc.
Where are they now...
Allison Aden, a Woman Worth Watching® in 2012, is now the executive vice president and chief financial officer for Cavco Industries, Inc. Before joining her current company, Aden held executive-level positions with SWM International and Americold Logistics, LLC. And earlier in her career, she served as chief financial officer for Recall Corporation, and held various leadership positions with PRGX and Hewlett-Packard. Aden earned an MBA from University of Missouri–St. Louis and a BSBA in finance from University of Missouri–Columbia.
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Tara Noonan Amaral
Principal Consultant, Riviera Advisors, Inc.
Where are they now...
Tara Amaral, named a Woman Worth Watching® in 2012, recently joined Riviera Advisor, Inc. in the role of principal consultant. She also serves as HR venture advisor for SemperVirens Venture Capital. Prior to her tenure with Riviera Advisors, Amaral held leadership positions with Marsh & McLennan Companies, Fidelity Investments, and New York Life. Earlier in her career, she worked in roles with ADP, Hewitt Associates, and JPMorgan Chase. Amaral holds a Bachelor of Arts in organizational behavior from Brown University.
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Cindy Baerman
Chief Executive Officer, Executive Advisory Services
Where are they now...
A Women Worth Watching Award® recipient in 2012, Cindy Baerman is currently CEO of Executive Advisory Services and a member of the boards of the National Association of Corporate Directors and FPL Food LLC. Previously, Baerman served as chief human resource officer for Graphic Internationsl. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions with Diversey, Barilla Group, and Stericycle Corporation, as well as various operational roles with Kraft Foods, Miller Brewing Company, and Anheuser Busch. Baerman holds a master’s degree in management from Maryville University and a bachelor’s degree in management from Purdue University.
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Chanin Ballance
Chief Executive Officer and Cofounder, Roost
Where are they now...
A 2012 Woman Worth Watching®, Chanin Ballance now serves as chief executive officer for Roost, a company she cofounded. Before taking on her current responsibilities at Roost, Ballance served as managing partner for Blue Tile. Previously, she served as president and CEO of Veelo; as well as chair, president, and CEO of VIA, Inc.. Ballance earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from Marylhurst University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Portland State University. She also completed a real estate program at Harvard University and an executive program at Stanford University.
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CORPORATE INDEX
BOLD DENOTES ADVERTISER BLUE PAGE NUMBER OF AD
AP Ventures...........................................................................................................................................................................................87 African Leadership University, Rwanda.................................................................................................................................................49 Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP..............................................................................................................................................22, 23 Ally Financial...................................................................................................................................................................................58, 59 Altimetrik...............................................................................................................................................................................................60 AT&T......................................................................................................................................................................................................61 Bazaarvoice...........................................................................................................................................................................................24 Berea College.......................................................................................................................................................................................25 Blizzard Entertainment..........................................................................................................................................................................26 BP...........................................................................................................................................................................................................14 Carestream Dental.................................................................................................................................................................................92 Cavco Industries, Inc.............................................................................................................................................................................94 Cornerstone Research...........................................................................................................................................................................27 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP....................................................................................................................................................................55 Dechert LLP.....................................................................................................................................................................6, 28, 62 DentaQuest...........................................................................................................................................................................................29 e.l.f. Beauty............................................................................................................................................................................................63 Executive Advisory Services..................................................................................................................................................................96 FAA.......................................................................................................................................................................................................18 Fish & Richardson, P.C.....................................................................................................................................................................64, 65 Freddie Mac..........................................................................................................................................................................4, 30 Globality................................................................................................................................................................................................66 Greenberg Traurig LLP...........................................................................................................................................................................31 HARMAN International, a Samsung company.................................................................................................................................32, 67 Ivy Planning Group...............................................................................................................................................................3, 00 Lake Forest College..............................................................................................................................................................................53 Latham & Watkins LLP..........................................................................................................................................................33, 68, 69, 70 Lincoln Financial Group.........................................................................................................................................................................71 Maria Arias Solutions.............................................................................................................................................................................91 Microsoft...............................................................................................................................................................................................16 Minnesota United FC............................................................................................................................................................................86 Moss Adams LLP....................................................................................................................................................................................34 N26........................................................................................................................................................................................................50 New American Funding.........................................................................................................................................................................35 New York Life Insurance Company..................................................................................Inside Front Cover, 36, 72, Back Cover Norton Rose Fulbright...........................................................................................................................................................................37 Oracle Corporation.........................................................................................................................................................................12, 73 Regor Pharmaceutical, Inc.....................................................................................................................................................................74 Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP......................................................................................................................................75 Riviera Advisors, Inc..............................................................................................................................................................................95 Roost.....................................................................................................................................................................................................97 Sandia National Laboratories................................................................................................................................................................76 Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP.....................................................................................................................................................................38 Sestina Bio.............................................................................................................................................................................................39 Teltech...................................................................................................................................................................................................77 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso..........................................................................................................................78 Textron Systems.....................................................................................................................................................................................93 TransUnion............................................................................................................................................................................................40 UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture............................................................................................................................................90 University of Texas School of Law..........................................................................................................................................................89 Urenco USA...........................................................................................................................................................................................79 Veo........................................................................................................................................................................................................41 West Pharmaceutical Services..............................................................................................................................................7, 80 WilmerHale................................................................................................................................................................................42, 81, 82 Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP......................................................................................................................................................................43 Withum............................................................................................................................................................................................44, 83
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Nominations are open until Friday, Sept. 16 At Profiles in Diversity Journal ®, we truly appreciate all the support given to us over the years by many organizations and businesses, large and small. We’re reaching out and asking for your continued support for our work and recognition of your organization’s own outstanding leadership, creativity, and inclusive culture. Please take this opportunity to nominate candidates for our Black Leaders Worth Watching, Innovations in Diversity and Diverse Organizations Worth Watching Awards.
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YOU’ RE PROU D TO C A L L T H E M FA M I LY. WE’RE PROUD TO HELP YOU PROTECT THEM. We believe every family deserves the guidance and protection of an expert they can trust. That’s why New York Life has countless agents with the experience, compassion, and understanding it takes to serve the unique needs of all kinds of LGBTQ+ families. Including yours.
#LoveTakesAction
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www.newyorklife.com/lgbtq
