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EDITION

103

CELESTEWARREN

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Yao Huang AN UNDENIABLEFORCE

MOBILIZING, EQUITY, INNOVATION, & TRUST

KIMBERLY S. REEDEmbracing the Kaleidoscope of People

SUNITA HOLZER Going Beyond Boudnaries

MindfulLEADERSHIP

INCREASING GENDERDiversity On

Corporate Boards

Sandra Garcia Lowery3C’S TO MARKETING SUCCESS

We have the energy to make things better.[ ... for you, for our communities and for our future. ]

www.pseg.com

We make things work for you.

PSEG strives for inclusion of employees with

diverse backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion drive

success across our company, and are an essential

part of everything we do, every day.

AGENDA

Executive PanelistsExecutive

Panel Moderator

Keynote Speaker Emcee

Executive Session Speakers Closing Keynote

Savaria HarrisSenior Lawyer

Johnson & Johnson’s

Regulatory Health Care

Compliance Group

Sunita HolzerExecutive Vice President &

Chief Human Resources Offi cerRealogy Holdings Corp.

Celeste WarrenVice President, Human

Resources and Global Diversity

and Inclusion Center of

Excellence

Merck

Karen LeeNews Anchor News

12 New Jersey

Sandra Garcia Lowery

Founder

Encounter Marketing

& Public Relations (EMPR) &

President

National Association

of Multi-Ethnicity in

Communications (N.A.M.I.C)

Kimberly S. ReedDiversity and Inclusion

Strategist

Yao HuangFounder and Managing Partner

The Hatchery

Theresa TorresPresident

ALPFA New Jersey Chapter &

Owner

Beso del Sol LLC and JOTA

Consulting, LLC.

Tiffani ScottGlobal Inclusion

& Diversity Leader

Becton Dickinson

Sponsored by:

10:00 AM - 11:00 AMRegistration

11:00 AM - 11:30 AMOpening Remarksand Keynote Speaker

Keynote SpeakerCeleste WarrenEmceeKaren Lee

11:30 AM - 1:00 PMExecutive Panel Discussion

Executive ModeratorSunita HolzerExecutive PanelistsSavaria HarrisTiff ani ScottTheresa Torres

1:00 PM - 2:00 PMNetworking Lunch

2:00 PM - 3:00 PMSession I

Executive Speaker Yao Huang

3:00 PM - 3:15 PMBreak

3:15 PM - 4:15 PMSession II

Executive SpeakerSandra Garcia Lowery

4:15 PM - 5:00 PMClosing Keynote

Executive SpeakerKimberly S. Reed

5:00 PM - 6:00 PMNetworking Reception

Agenda

Join the conversation! Tweet and follow today’s event using the hashtag

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Color Magazine is the premier

all-inclusive magazine that

highlights and promotes

professionals of color.

10 Milk Street - 10th Floor,

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Dear Partners,

In February of 2017, Color Magazine joined the BridgeTower Media family, an affiliate ofGatehouse Media. Merging with GateHouse elevates our stories, articles, and events to the level of a national audience. Our mission of highlighting and celebrating professionals of color is intact, thriving, and expanding. As such, we have introduced several new events: the Health & Life Sciences Conference; pOp UP Color; and the Professionals of Color Career Summit.

We’re excited to announce that WOC is also expanding into new areas. Women of color leaders are now inspiring New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The 2018 Women of Color Leadership & Empowerment Conference continues to represent our dedication to growth with the return of the Executive Panel Discussion and concurrent sessions with executive leaders in the Business, Marketing/Branding, and STEM industries.

As an all-inclusive publication, Color Magazine is able to provide high-quality exceptionalcontent and high-level professional events, because you, our partners, share our heartfelt mission of expanding diversity and inclusion to even higher levels. We look forward with enthusiasm to doing great things together.

In deep gratitude for your continued support,

Josefina BonillaPresident, Color MagazineChief Diversity Officer, BridgeTower Media

About BridgeTower MediaBridgeTower Media is a leading provider of business information, events, and marketing services for the legal, financial, construction, and government sectors in more than 20 local and regional markets across the United States. In addition to providing subscribers with content relevant to their daily professional activities, BridgeTower has a research unit focused on employee satisfaction, lead generation services, and live events centering on awards and education.

About GateHouse Media LLCGateHouse Media is one of the largest publishers of locally-based print and online media in the United States, as measured by its 125 daily publications. As of December 25, 2016, our company operates in over 535 markets across 36 states, with over 600 community publications, over 535 websites, serving over 220,000 business

advertising accounts, and reaching over 20 million people on a weekly basis.

SPEAKER


Karen Lee is the weekend evening anchor at News 12

New Jersey. Prior to that she was a reporter in New

Jersey’s Bergen bureau.

Before joining the News 12 team, she was a reporter at

WFSB in Hartford. She’s also worked in New York at YNN

in Syracuse and News 10 in Binghamton.

Lee is a graduate of Boston University’s College of

Communication and Paramus High School.

When she’s not reporting, she’s putting her scuba diving

certii cation to good use.

KarenLee

PENNSYLVANIA

Keynote Speaker

LISA M. COLEMAN, PH.DChief Diversity OfficerNew York University

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present:in a city rich in shades, here is a COLOR that includes all...

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FRIDAYOCTOBER 5

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Keynote Speaker

CAMILLE CHANG GILMOREVice President of Human Resources,

Interventional Cardiology, & Chief Diversity Officer

Boston Scientific

SAVE THED A T E

News AnchorNews 12 New Jersey

6

SPEAKER

Sunita Holzer:

In applying innovative methods

beyond the boundaries of her

job description, Executive Vice

President and Chief Human

Resources Oicer at Realogy

Holdings Corp., Sunita Holzer has

an undeniable talent for creating

spaces where employees thrive.

Rather than taking a narrow view

on the real estate industry and

customer needs, Holzer’s approach

uses a wide and inclusive lens.

“I’m a irm believer that if you open people’s minds, you

improve their lives,” Holzer reveals. “Go to a museum, read

a book, or take a course that has nothing to do with your

job, but [that] you are passionate about or always wanted

to try. Having those kinds of life experiences makes you

a better person and can positively inluence your career.”

Holzer’s holistic view of the world places value on culture,

art, science, and ideas that may not appear to correlate

with real estate, but that enable her to connect with, and

relate to, all sorts of people and, as such, help her company

meet the needs of a variety of unique individuals.

“My greatest passion is diversity,” Holzer declares. “The

real estate industry has to be a leader in diversity, both

in terms of the people who work with realtors, and of the

realtors themselves. Because it is such a customer based

industry, the marketplace demands it. And it’s not just

about ethnic diversity. It’s working across generations.

Millennials, for example, have very diferent housing

needs than their parents and grandparents. It’s also

working with those who have unique physical needs. A

diversiied workforce is better able to understand and

serve a diverse customer base.”

The focus on diversity was a seed planted inside the heart

and mind of Holzer years earlier. “Having been the Chief

Diversity Oicer at American Express early in my career,

I saw the importance of having an inclusive workforce.

Since then I have tried to drive inclusion in the companies

I work at, and in my personal life. I believe you have to live

inclusion; you don’t just do it as a task or assignment. It is

part of who you are. And you can learn it if you are open

to it.”

For Holzer, the bottom line is about creating genuine

connections in diverse areas of interest that go beyond

the task at hand. Helping people feel at home requires

knowing what home feels like for them.

By: John Black

Going Beyond

BOUNDARIES

SPEAKER

Savaria Harris:

As Senior Lawyer at Johnson & Johnson’s Regulatory

Health Care Compliance Group (J&J), Savaria Harris

is passionate about helping patients. In 2016, Harris

left a ten-year litigation focused law irm to work for

patient focused J&J.

The transition has been rewarding for Harris, who

values J&J’s intention to prioritize patients and the

consumers who use their products. Her enthusiasm for

her work is obvious. “I’m able to advise on projects that

make a positive impact on people’s lives. I don’t think

that’s ever going to get old, and it’s very motivating.”

In her role, Harris advises on fraud and abuse issues

in healthcare. In this capacity, she is able to advise

a diversity of teams, including marketing and

compliance, as well as support cutting edge initiatives,

such as a World Without Disease.

Since joining J&J, Harris has also sharpened her

understanding of what it means to be an efective

leader. In speaking of the “servant based” leadership

model, she has observed at J&J how leaders inspire

and support those who report to them to do their best

work. Far from the traditional hierarchical structure,

she refers to it the “horizontal” culture within J&J’s

Law Department where “people want to do their best

work.”

In relecting on her career, Harris admits that she did

not always envision becoming a lawyer; however, she

advises those who do know where they want to be,

but aren’t sure how to get there, “If I could have given

my younger self advice, I would have told her, ‘have a

goal in your mind of how you want to feel and what

kind of role you see yourself in when you are doing

your best work, but do not be attached to the details

of the path that you’ll take to get there.” The details

of the path may be vague or even imperceivable at

times, but having a clear end goal in mind will keep

one focused on getting there.

How does Harris feel about her role in the evolution

of Diversity and Inclusion? “Being a woman of color in

2018, I think, is magic. We are in a historical moment

when women of color are more visible in the political

and corporate space. In some ways, it’s better than it’s

ever been.”

By: Monsurat Olugbode


FOCUSEDOn The End Goal

CONTENT

8

Mindful Leadership: An Inside Job with External Results

By Daniel Gutierrez

You may be wondering, what does it mean to be a mindful leader? Well, we must begin by dei ning “mindfulness.” Simply put, mindfulness, or being mindful, is the act of becoming aware. It’s the act of becoming present in the moment. When we are in the present, we have the ability to control our emotions, to allow ourselves to become centered, and to really become aware of the power that we have to lead from a more solid place.

Meditation is just one way of becoming mindful. We can also achieve this through the practice of yoga, or simply taking a mindful walk, being aware of our surroundings, noticing our breath, and ensuring that our mind does not wander.

In an article published by The Harvard Business Review, “How Meditation Benei ts CEOs,” Emma Seppala cites i ve benei ts of mindfulness through meditation:

Meditation builds resilienceMeditation boosts emotional intelligenceMeditation enhances creativityMeditation improves our relationshipsMeditation helps us focus

However, many ideas and practices have been introduced to the business community in an ef ort to increase the bottom line. The practice of being mindful is not about what is on the outside; rather, it’s about what is on the inside—it’s an inside job, with external results. In other words, we can become mindful but when faced with stressful situations, we may not be able to use what we’ve learned.

So, the next step is the application of mindfulness. I like to call this radical mindfulness. It is the constant redirection of our thoughts on a moment-by-moment basis, allowing us to redirect our thoughts and emotions toward our current problem or situation. If we practice radical mindfulness, we are not allowing ourselves to wander into the past or future, but stay focused on the present moment. This allows us to stay calm and centered, be focused and compassionate, be adaptable to change, and have the ability to listen and make more thought-out decisions.Ultimately, mindfulness and the practice of radical mindfulness can have long lasting results for leaders way beyond business. The practice and application of mindfulness create more centered lives, with results in body, mind, and soul; thereby leading to more compassionate, focused, thoughtful, and focused leaders.

How should you start? Turn of your phone and give yourself sixty seconds. Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and just notice your breathing. Most of you may i nd that hard to do at i rst. That is why it is called a practice, and we all know that practice makes perfect.

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FridayOCTOBER 5, 201811:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.1149 Harrisburg Pike, Carlisle, PA 17013Hosted by:

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SPEAKER

10

In the two decades since joining Merck in 1997, Celeste

Warren has held numerous leadership roles within the

Human Resources department. However, it is in her current

hybrid role as Chief Diversity Oicer and Vice President of

Human Resources at the Global Diversity and Inclusion

Center of Excellence that her near thirty years of Human

Resources and Diversity and Inclusion experience truly

shines.

Recognized as one of the “2017 Inluential Women in

Global Diversity” by Diversity Global, Ms. Warren is a model

of wisdom in action. We are honored to welcome her as

the keynote speaker for the irst-ever Women of Color

Leadership and Empowerment Conference of New Jersey

and invite you to read on and be inspired.

CM: Can you tell us about your roles

as Vice President of Human Resources

and the Global Diversity and Inclusion

Center of Excellence at Merck?

CW: As the Human Resources leader

for our Legal, Compliance, Global

Communication, and Public Policy

organizations, my team and I provide

human resources support in the areas

of talent management, compensation

and beneits, training and

development, etc. As Chief Diversity

Oicer, I am responsible for the

development and implementation

of Merck’s diversity and inclusion

strategies.

CM: Are there certain challenges that

arise from handling your hybrid role?

CW: I would say that serving in this

hybrid role has been an asset more

than anything else, in fact. These

organizations have been strong

partners with D&I throughout the

years and instrumental to the success

of our D&I eforts. Working with them

as their HR Leader provides an even

deeper relationship, as we integrate

strategies for optimum outcomes.

CM: What are some of the other

rewarding aspects of your position?

CW: Speaking directly to the Chief

Diversity Oicer role, it’s been very

rewarding to mobilize the organizational

change. I’ve had the opportunity to

work with various diferent employees,

managers, and executives to move

Merck forward to a point where D&I

can be sustained throughout the

organization. I ind it rewarding to work

with people who are passionate about

diversity and inclusion and ultimately

creating the culture that we all want

to see within the organization.

Also, I believe that it’s not enough to

drive D&I within your own company;

you have to work outside of your

company with other organizations

to transform the entire business

landscape. I enjoy working with

my peers in other companies, and

learning from them as well.

CM: In terms of D&I, could you shed

some light on some of Merck’s

strategic goals?

CW: At Merck, we evaluate our

strategy with four strategic outcomes

in mind:

Global Compliance and Risk

Mitigation. As certain laws and

policies regarding Diversity and

Inclusion develop around the globe,

we want to ensure we are doing

what’s best for the company and our

employees. We want to make sure we

by Evan J. Cutts

Mobilizing, Equity, Innovation, & Trust

Celeste Warren

SPEAKER


For example, in the hiring process,

when a manager posts an available

position, they immediately receive

a video “Unconscious Bias in the

Hiring Process” to review. It’s helpful,

because the resources are provided at

the moment of relevance, just in time.

CM: In your own words, how would

you deine success?

CW: Success is being able to make

an impact on our employees and

our leaders--not just within our

organization--but with my colleagues

across the business landscape. Being

a blessing to others is what I strive to

do.

CM: In your opinion, what skills are

necessary to be an efective leader?

CW: First and foremost, an efective

leader is a servant leader. One must

understand that the focus is not on

oneself, rather on those one leads.

Additionally, an efective leader must

be authentic and an efective listener.

You must be able to communicate

your vision, work collaboratively with

others to achieve it, celebrate the

wins, and learn from the mistakes

together.

CM: Who, or what, motivates and

inspires you?

CW: My parents played a huge part in

who I am and how I think about D&I.

My father was the irst Black teacher

and principal in Western Pennsylvania

and Eastern Ohio. There were a lot of

irsts in my family, and with that comes

a lot of struggle. I recall a time earlier

on in my career when I was having a

particularly bad day, and I reached

out to my dad to ask: ‘How did you do

it? How did you work through being

the irst Black teacher in that day and

age?’ And he told me the story of his

irst teaching job. After graduating

from the University of Pittsburgh with

a degree in English and Education,

he was hired as a gym teacher at a

predominately white high school. The

school lacked a gymnasium, [so] he

taught class in the parking lot. Parked

at that same lot, watching him, were

the parents of his students. I asked

him how he managed. He responded:

‘I did my job. I taught those students,

built their trust, and built the trust

of the parents. Eventually, those cars

began pulling out of that lot.’

That’s what diversity and inclusion

is about to me: building trust. To

this day, there are people who aren’t

sold on diversity and inclusion. Many

still view it as a win-lose scenario;

it’s believed that if women, people

of color, members of the LGBTQ

community, etc. continue to ‘win’ by

earning their leadership roles, then

those in the majority are ‘losing.’

That isn’t what we’re trying to build

here at Merck. I aim to build trust

the way my father did. We have to be

able to understand where everyone

is coming from and meet them

where they are, to bring them along,

mobilize the organization, and create

change.

CM: In your opinion, what does it

mean to be a person of Color in 2018?

CW: It means that you have to be a

role model to those [who] have come

behind you. We haven’t approached

a point where people of Color are

the majority in major corporations.

There’s still work to do.

What it meant to me as a Black [girl]

growing up has changed. Even so,

those challenges and experiences are

still a part of me. I think, in this day

and age, it’s important for me to listen

to diferent perspectives, so that I can

grow and evolve.

As our communities change, I must

ask: Are we reaching back and helping

others? Paying it forward? Because

I didn’t get here on my own--I had

sponsors, mentors, and prayers--I feel

it is also my obligation to do the same

for others.

are not just following the “letter of the

law,” but also understanding what is

intended by the “spirit of the law.”

Building D&I capabilities within

our employees at every level. In

order for us to have a truly inclusive

environment and leverage the

spectrum of diversity within our

organization, we have to develop D&I

excellence within our leaders and

executives, our people managers, and

[our] employees.

Ensuring D&I is integrated into

our business performance. I

fundamentally believe that at the

intersection of business performance

and global diversity and inclusion you

create a competitive advantage for

the company. We have to establish

an employee base that relects the

diversity of our patients. And so,

we aim for our business strategies,

whether they be in marketing,

research, commercial, etc,. to be

implemented through a D&I lens. In

doing so, we are able to best serve our

patient base.

Maintaining our reputation and brand

as a leader in Diversity and Inclusion.

It is imperative that the transformative

work we do within Merck permeates

outside of the organization, in

the forms of community outreach

and external partnerships with

associations and coalitions who have

the same mission and values around

D&I that we do, as well as [in] locking

arms with other companies interested

in raising the business landscape in

D&I.

CM: Can you tell us about one of

Merck’s successful D&I capability

initiatives?

CW: Merck has shifted its approach

in addressing unconscious bias.

As opposed to solely utilizing the

standard one- to two-hour training

model, we have leveraged shorter,

more targeted training, to integrate

unconscious bias training videos and

resources at the crucial junctures of

the employee management process.

12

Tiffani Scott:

By Juri Love

As Global Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Leader at Becton Dickinson (BD), the third largest medical technology

company in the world, Tif any Scott assists in the development and implementation of BD’s strategies to create

a more inclusive workplace and corporate culture.

“I work with our regions around the world to help them put in place an action plan for creating a more inclusive

workplace, [as well as] with various employee resource groups for our African American, Asian, Latino, LGBT,

Veteran, Women employees,” says Scott. “I am able to meet various employees from around the world at BD, and

it’s great connecting with diversity professionals from other companies.”

Taking key areas at BD to a higher level is the core of Scott’s strategy. Whether improving

program ei ciency, saving money, or increasing associates’ engagement, Scott is

motivated and excited by “building something from nothing.”

Seeing happier and more comfortable employees at work achieve increased

productivity, as a result of their renewed passion for what they do, also

inspires Scott to continue building.

“Working in a place where everyone’s voice is heard and [where everyone]

feels empowered is important to me, and to [them],” she says.

As a leader, Scott believes it’s essential to be empathetic, to value dif erent

opinions and perspectives, and to imagine yourself in someone else’s

shoes.

“I think emotional intelligence is important, in terms of how you deal

with dif erent people and how you achieve [both] your goal and theirs.

Persistence is important, [as well as] being able to bounce back. If you’re

disappointed, or [if ] things don’t go your way, it’s important to hang in there

and keep at it,” ai rms Scott.

If she were to give advice to her younger self, it would be: Don’t listen to

naysayers. “People might have told me [that] I couldn’t do something, or

[that] it wasn’t possible. [I] just ignore those people, because I can do or

believe whatever it is I want to do or believe.”

Scott sees the challenge of being a person of color in 2018, but

believes that it’s always important to speak up and speak out. “I

think it’s important that people of color realize that they matter.

They also need to i nd allies in white male [coworkers]; you

all have to work together, in order to make things better

for everyone,” rel ects Scott. This is an “opportunity to

make things better for future generations.”

SPEAKER

Building Up D&I Around the Globe

SPEAKER


Theresa Torres:

Refocusing he Lense of Inclusion

By Andre LaFontant

From her senior roles in Campus Recruiting and Diversity at Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, to Director of

Staing and Employment Brand at Verizon, Theresa Torres has accrued a vast scope of knowledge in addressing

the challenges that face corporate America’s Diversity and Inclusion arena. Having recently brought her wealth

of experience into her own companies, Beso del Sol, LLC and JOTA Consulting, LLC, Torres has maintained her

commitment to shaking up old business paradigms and creating more holistic workspaces.

Founding her own business shed new perspectives

on the potentials of talent directed corporate roles.

Explains Torres, “If they [women] didn’t have all of

the experience or all of the background that the role

required, [companies] would be apprehensive and say

that the candidate is not ready. This experience over

the last two years has smashed through that [outdated

view], enabling me to understand that no matter what,

if you’re smart you’re going to learn, and you’re going

to be able to create what you need in whatever role

you’re in. You just need to be motivated.”

The key to channeling this motivation lies in companies

not bowing down to the dominant norms that hinder

potential growth. She suggests, “companies who build

a culture that allows for everyone across a multitude

of diferences to contribute, have their ideas valued,

and feel connected to their colleagues are truly the

winners in diversity.”

Torres knows that there is more to inclusion than what

has been commonly perceived. “We have to remember

that inclusion does not mean assimilation. Inclusion

does not mean submission, and it does not mean that

the dominant norm--even if you can assimilate into

that--is what needs to [remain such].”

A continual pushback of established norms is what

will ultimately lead to the change that is needed in

Corporate America. “People have to feel okay that they

can speak openly without it [their expressions] being

career limiting...feeling comfortable enough that they

can trust that if they say something, or bring up an

idea, it’s not going to be ridiculed. When you actually

have those ideas lowing...that’s collaboration and

innovation,” asserts Torres.

14

SPEAKER

Yao Huang: Despite not having a clear roadmap

into her technology endeavor, Yao

developed an organization with

undeniable force. Surrounding

herself with tech experts, she

learned the intricacies of the

industry, while maximizing her

biggest asset: a i ery disposition,

hungry for new challenges. “I

picked up a lot of tech along the

way, and I taught myself how to

code, because I believe [that] if

you own a restaurant, you should

at least know how to cook,” says

Huang.

Early experiences pushed her to

gravitate toward the changing

company culture, adopting a

personal willingness to continually

evolve and absorb new ideas. “I

enjoy building companies,” shares

Huang, “and that has morphed

into a business model that allows

us to assist large corporations in

adopting the startup mindset.”

In addition to her endless

willingness to evolve, another

consistent characteristic of Huang

is her commitment to the simplicity

of building genuine connections

with everyone she does business

with. The value of her authenticity

and directness shines brightly

in her presence in the corporate

arena. Huang adamantly expresses

that success must be dei ned on

a personal level, and teaches,

“Instead of trying to copy someone,

or follow in someone’s footsteps,

i gure out what you want, what you

see your future to be, and what you

think is going to make you happy.

Once you write that down, you can

reverse engineer the things that

you need, [in order] to get there.”

By: Andre LaFontant

Yao Huang, Founder and Managing Partner of The Hatchery, ef ortlessly embodies the qualities of a true visionary. Yao’s unwavering coni dence in

her foresight and willingness to forgo the comfort of a successful career in the healthcare industry

allowed her to make the leap into the newly forming technology frontiers. “I saw the internet to be

something that was the future, where everything will be driven, and that has turned out to be true. I felt and saw that twenty years ago, and that’s where I wanted to be,” explains Huang. “I am, essentially, a product of

the growth of the tech sector, learning each of its new innovations as it comes out, [in terms of] what it is,

how to use it, and how to monetize it.”

An Undeniable FORCE


CONTENT

It took me a day to write a book about loving

myself, but it took me a lifetime to learn the

lessons. When I released my irst book, The Love

Project: 365 Ways to Love Yourself and Get the

Love You Deserve, little did I know it would teach

me one of the greatest lessons of my life and

usher in a new work/life philosophy that would

change the course of my career.

As the owner of a fast-growing marketing irm,

Communiqué USA, I was the walking epitome of

stress. My days were long, running from thing

to thing, putting out ires, burning the candle

on both ends, and my nights were sleepless.

Something had to give. There had to be a better

way.

It was in the middle of one of those sleepless

nights that I came up with a live-saving vision.

A new plan. What if I stopped striving and

started being? What if I learned to play more and

pursue joy instead of money and achievement?

What would life look like if joy was the currency

by which I measured by my success? “JOY

Economics,” I bolted out of bed. And just like

Why Recess Isn’t Just for 1st Graders:

How Learning to Play More Still Allowed My Business To Grow

By Shani Godwin, CEO of Communiqué USA, Inc.

that my Live. Work. Play. corporate philosophy

was born.

By shifting my focus from achieving to being, I have

been able to rediscover the fun in my personal and

work life. Long gone are the days where I feel I must

control everything. Instead, I’ve learned to let work

and life low. By taking time for me, I now show

up focused and rested and my staf, my clients, my

family and friends all beneit. So how did I do it? I

gave myself permission to have fun. That’s right…

by iguring out what matters to me, prioritizing

and planning fun into my work day and being as

intentional about my play time as I am about my

work I have been able to ind more joy in my days

and infuse that same spirit into the very heart of my

company.

So, this summer you can ind me writing more,

relaxing at the Braves Game with my team during

our annual Play Day, delivering popsicles to our

stressed-out clients and soaking up the sun. A

pretty simple epiphany in the middle of the night,

but one that has proven valuable and proitable for

my business and more importantly for my soul.

16

SPEAKERSSPEAKER

Sandra Garcia Lowery:

By: Karla Amador

When asked what it’s like to be her

own boss, Lowery responded that

“there is no playbook for being an

entrepreneur, but I ind fulillment in

being able to help my clients drive

sales, increase productivity, and

elevate brand presence. Success is

living a life on your own terms, in a

way that works for you, doing what

you enjoy and being able to sustain

yourself doing so.

Originally from Honduras, the impact

of being bilingual and Afro-Latina

inluenced her ability and drive to

relate to people, which she later

transferred into her leadership and

entrepreneurship strengths. One

of her business services is to help

her business owner and corporate

executive clients grow their brands,

generate leads, and drive sales: “A

lot of business owners are working

on their love for something,

which is their brand. Knowing

your audience is essential to

establishing a connection, a culture,

and a colloquialism [for] driving a

marketing campaign [that] reaches

that market.”

Before becoming the founder of Encounter Marketing and Public Relations

(EMPR), for eleven years Sandra Garcia Lowery strategized media sales and

marketing plans for brands including Toyota, L’Oreal, Almay, Estee Lauder,

SnapChat, Apple, Verizon Wireless, Sephora, Pepsi, and American Express

to name a few on behalf of media partners. Early this year, Lowery took

a leap of faith and stepped away from Corporate America to pursue her

vision as a female founder, something she had longed for.

“Gaining conidence in my cultural

identity as an Afro-Latina, I realized

that I’m not alone in this journey.

Now as a founder, woman, and

entrepreneur, I hope to use my

voice to inspire conidence in other

individuals both personally and

professionally.”

As the current New York Chapter

President of the National Association

of Multi-Ethnicity Communications

(N.A.M.I.C), a Forbes 30 under 30

2016 nominee, and a Latino Leaders

Magazine top 25 Future Latino

Leader, Lowery has clearly made

her mark. When asked how she felt

about her accomplishments so far,

she responded that accolades are

not something I work for, I am just

doing what I feel I need to do for

me and the people around me. As

a woman of color in 2018, Lowery

believes that it’s a magical time to

share your story with people who

may be able to identify with you.

to MarketingSuccess

Connection - Culture - Colloquilism

3C’s


CONTENT

A Critical CDO Success Factor: RESILIENCE

INTRODUCTION

If you are leading diversity and inclusion in your organization, by now you know that you have to be well grounded

in who you are, what you believe in, and how far you will go to stand by your beliefs. In fact, the most accomplished

diversity and inclusion leaders admit that they are challenged almost daily and they have to continually examine,

reairm, recharge, and decisively continue on. This state of continuance is called resilience. Resilience has been

deined in a variety of ways, but having worked in the ield of diversity and inclusion for a signiicant number of

years, I’ve formulated the following deinition of resilience: the ability to withstand daily opposition, setbacks and

regressions, while patiently, yet conidently and persuasively, guiding, modeling, communicating, and promoting

behaviors and actions that relect your core values and beliefs, including equality, fairness, inclusion, and social justice.

In my personal experience and observations of

others, I’ve determined that CDOs who are successful

in building resilience score high in four areas: self-

awareness; relationship building; continuous learning;

and maintaining a robust support network. In your

role as CDO, how resilient are you?

The following four self-assessment questions will

help you measure your level of resilience on a scale of

1-5, with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest.

While there are no right or wrong answers to these

questions, a thoughtful, candid response will help

you to determine how resilient you are. Answering

these questions will also help you to identify your

strengths and make note of opportunities to make

improvements. The more resilient you are, the more

successful you will likely be in your role of CDO.

Do you have a keen sense of self-awareness?

A state of self-awareness results from a CDOs mindful

steps toward fully understanding their own core values

and beliefs, their personal biases, and their impact on

others. I have adapted this familiar saying, “The change

that you wish to accomplish in the organization begins

with you.” In accomplishing diversity and inclusion, a

strong contributor to resilience is your keen sense of

self-awareness.

Are you a relationship builder?

CDOs know a lot of people, and they have many

interactions each day. However, it takes extra efort,

thought, and planning to identify the key people who

will impact (good or bad) the achievement of their goals

and develop a relationship with them. Putting forth the

efort to build strong relationships with champions and

challengers is a positive step toward resilience.

Are you continually learning?

In response, to a rapidly changing, increasingly

complex world, the ability of a CDO to adapt, innovate,

and stay ready for change produces the quality of

resilience. This requires staying on top of, and in

sync with, real time information, through speciic

actions that involve going beyond reading a book or

watching the news. Rather, this continuous learning

includes attending and participating in facilitated

conversations and learning groups and contributing

to thought leadership forums on a regular basis. The

knowledge you acquire leads to resilience.

Do you have a robust support network?

Having a robust support network is not a sign of

weakness, but rather an indication of strength that

contributes to resilience. “Robust” means that the

network is not just a product of happenstance, but

has been thoughtfully and planfully compiled and

assembled, with the intention of having access to

people and resources to help you to meet your

goals, and address unexpected challenges in a timely

manner. This network can also be viewed as a lifeline

that leads to resilience.

CONCLUSION

The perfect score is 20, but no matter what you

scored--and only you know--take to heart the

awareness that resilience is a key success factor in

your role as CDO. Make it a goal to take positive

steps to build resilience each day and keep it

strong as you lead diversity and inclusion in your

organization.

By Dr. Sandra Casey Buford

18

SPEAKER

“My life purpose is to ensure that women and People

of Color have a seat at the corporate table,” declared

Kimberly S. Reed, CDP, Diversity and Inclusion

strategist, Founder, and Chief Transformational Oicer

at Reed Development Group, LLC (RDG).

Since RDG’s founding eleven years ago, Reed has worked

to inform and educate senior executives and hold

them accountable to the organizational values of D&I

practices. Her strategies bolster recruitment, retention,

and professional development for women and people of

color, from entry level to C-suite positions.

“Diversity is not a corrective action; it is astute business.

It must be in the DNA of an organization, in order

to be sustainable. Efective D&I must be deliberate,

evolutionary, [tangible], and valued,” Reed explained.

“Every day, we’re required to take it to the max,” shared

Reed, “meaning, everything we do, we have to do with

excellence and integrity.”

Successful handling of the responsibilities of a D&I

strategist requires certain leadership qualities. Reed’s

experience has shown her that it’s necessary to be

sensitive “to the kaleidoscope of thought and execution

among your staf and clients.” In other words, in

supporting their teams and programs, efective leaders

and strategists recognize not only cultural diversity, but

the diversity within each individual, as well.

Reed realizes that, as a brand, her eforts are, in some

ways, representative of African-Americans in the US. As

such, she sets her expectation of high-quality service for

Kimberly S. Reed:

Embracing The Kaleidoscope

Of Peopleby Evan J. Cutts

both herself and her team. “I am continually motivated by

the legacies of my late grandmothers, Hattie V. Reed and

Mary J. Morris.” relects Reed. “They taught me, in their

own ways, to be unyielding and that I can do anything.

My debt to them is to be excellent and kind and to help

others in my life and work.”

“It is my father and my hero, Rhyme L. Reed, who taught

me to be fearless. And of my beloved mother, Barbara

E. Reed, who dwells only in my soul, along with God’s

spirit, who was my rock and my best friend, I will say

this: I am, because she was. I emphasize the middle

initial, in particular, because it represents her roots as

someone following the example made by these women

of strength.”

As a woman of color and a D&I leader, Reed believes that

people of color cannot take being great for granted. “We

have to be extraordinary and make sure we’re taking care

of each other.”

When Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, multi-time Silicon

Valley CEO, fi rst heard stories about companies wanting more women on corporate boards, but not

being able to fi nd any, she became frustrated—it just wasn’t the truth. She decided to create a

solution and in 2015, Cassidy founded theBoardlist.

“We’re an organization dedicated to increasing

the number of women on

corporate boards,” says

Lesley Grossblatt, COO and

VP of Product at theBoardlist.

“We identify qualifi ed women and make them visible and

accessible to companies.”

This organization works as a

tech platform in which men and

women can nominate women for

positions on corporate boards.

The nomination process is what

truly sets theBoardlist apart

from other organizations. There

are three different kinds of ways

to become part of theBoardlist

community—as an endorser, a candidate, or a searcher.

Endorsers are the ones who

nominate the great female

talent. Some are invited by

theBoardlist to be endorsers

and others apply. To join

theBoardlist community,

endorsers must have board

experience, and either a C-suite

executive title or be a Venture

Capital investor.

“Once they are accepted into theBoardlist, they can

nominate board-ready women,” says Grossblatt.

“[The endorsers] tell us who she is and what

stage company board she would be best suited

for. Endorsing members are contributing their

knowledge to the rest of the[Boardlist] community.”

ON CORPORATE BOARDS

INCREASING

Gender DiversityCandidates are often the founders, CEOs, and other

C-suite executives of their respective companies.

The searchers are the people who are searching

for qualifi ed women to diversify their boardrooms.

theBoardlist community is well connected and

engaged—often giving each other the inside scoop on women who would make excellent board members.

Grossblatt quoted Apple’s Tim

Cook when she explained that

being the CEO of a company

is a lonely job. However,

theBoardlist’s community allows

members to connect and share

their experiences with other

CEOs—it creates a network of true peers.

“Organizations perform so much

better when there are different

experiences,” says Grossblatt,

about the importance of gender

diversity in boardrooms. “If

you’re not representing the fi fty percent, you’re missing out on

something.”

In addition to the tech platform,

theBoardlist holds several

events throughout the year with

the support of their corporate

sponsors. They have different

events for different audiences

that focus on the theme of

boards. Some events focus

on the importance of having

diverse corporate boards and

others discuss what actions can be taken to build

stronger ones. They also have events that gather

young women who are interested in joining a board

sometime in the future.

CONTENT


How will youinvent the future?

SEE

BEYOND

THE

HORIZON

At Merck, we’re working in the

service of humanity. Toward

medical advancement. Toward

improved health outcomes. For

more than a century, we have

dedicated ourselves to a mission to

discover, develop, and provide the

medicines and vaccines that save

and improve lives around the world.

Our people work relentlessly

to find solutions to many of the

world’s most devastating diseases.

Be a part of something bigger:

Join a team united in inventing

medical advancements that impact

countless lives around the globe.

Merck is proud to embrace diversity in all its manifestations | EOE M/F/D/V/LGBT

merck.com/careers

20

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