48 minute read
Global Sisters in Innovation
Women Develop Policies for Everyone and Lead the Way for Future Leaders
A35th-generation New Mexican and an enrolled tribal member of the Laguna Pueblo, United States Representative Deb Haaland (NM-01) also has Jemez Pueblo heritage. Her father was a 30-year combat Marine who was awarded the Silver Star Medal for saving six lives during the Vietnam War. Her mother is a U.S. Navy veteran who was a federal employee for 25 years in Indian education. During her father’s military service, her family crisscrossed America, and she attended 13 different schools.
On March 15, 2021, the Senate voted 51-40 to confirm the congresswoman to lead the United States Department of the Interior, making her the first member of America’s Indigenous peoples to serve in the cabinet. The interior department oversees tribal lands and manages national parks, federal lands, and natural resources. As a single mother, Haaland volunteered at her daughter’s pre-school to help pay for early education. Like many New Mexicans, she relied on food stamps at times, lived paycheck-to-paycheck, and struggled to put herself through college. Haaland earned degrees from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and UNM Law School. She and her daughter, who recently graduated from UNM, are still paying off student loans. Always hardworking, Haaland started a small business producing and canning salsa. Mother and daughter drove around New Mexico, delivering cases of salsa together. Haaland recognizes many women still struggle with balancing childcare and childcare costs while working full time.
When she noticed her community in Indian country lacked representation in 2004, Haaland started organizing. She showed up at campaign offices and asked for a list of Native American voters. She knocked on doors, made phone calls, and registered voters at feast days and community events. Haaland became chairwoman of the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors, overseeing the second largest tribal gaming enterprise’s business operations in New Mexico. She advocated for the Laguna Development Corporation to create Earth-friendly business policies. She is also a former tribal administrator and has administered a local service provider for adults with developmental disabilities.
Haaland has served as an honorary commander of Kirtland Air Force Base, which gives her a better understanding of its missions and effect on New Mexico’s economy. New Mexico is home to federal research labs, including the Sandia National Laboratories in Haaland’s district, the film industry, and high-tech startups that develop innovative products in agriculture, clean energy, and security. Haaland is a proponent of job training programs and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. She supports the STEM Boomerang program, which connects young people with STEM field professionals. The program also helps create a pipeline for high-skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and employers. Haaland brings her life experience to the job, as do the women she works alongside. She is aware that women are still underrepresented in government, large tech companies, financial institutions, and even political office. Now she has a seat at the table; she sees it as her responsibility to leave the ladder down for women leaders to make a difference.
Her office uses social media to ensure people have the most accurate information about the pandemic and access to resources and keep people up to date on her legislative work. She sees lots of opportunities for young women who live in a digital age with access to information and technology. Growing up, she did not have a home computer, email, or even a cell phone, so the learning curve was different as she started her own business and organized in Indian Country.
Deb Haaland Senate-confirmed United States Secretary of the Interior
Lisa Jackson leads Apple’s $100 MILLION COMMITMENT
to racial equity and justice
APPLE’S CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE MADE HEADLINES AT THE START OF THE NEW YEAR WHEN THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED MAJOR NEW ADDITIONS TO ITS $100 MILLION INITIATIVE TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY AND COMBAT INJUSTICES FACED BY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
Apple is known for making some of the most popular technological gadgets globally, but it has also made a clear commitment to advocate and invest in communities facing racism and prejudice. The American multinational technology giant that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics and computer software, Apple has made it clear that these issues are among its top priorities. Apple CEO Tim Cook tapped Lisa Jackson to lead the firm’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, which was launched in the aftermath of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police violence. It will focus on racial equity efforts that address education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform. Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives, has led the company’s environmental initiatives, global community education programs, product accessibility work, community investment, racial equity, justice efforts, and worldwide government affairs. She joined Apple in 2013 and helped it become an environmental leader and a pioneer in clean energy, recycling, and green technology. Under her leadership, the company reached carbon neutrality for its corporate emissions and now powers its operations worldwide with 100 percent renewable energy. This year, the company announced its most ambitious target yet, pledging that every Apple device will be produced with netzero carbon emissions by 2030. Before joining Apple, Jackson was the first African American appointed administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by President Barack Obama. While an administrator, she prioritized reducing greenhouse gases, protecting air and water quality, preventing exposure to toxic contamination, and championing environmental justice by expanding environmental outreach to underserved communities and communities of color. She holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Tulane University. Women of Color magazine asked Jackson for insight into Apple’s racial equality,
by Gale Horton Gay editors@ccgmag.com
justice, and the environment. WOC:Why is it important for Apple to be involved in racial equity and justice? Jackson: There is no question we need to do more and to rededicate ourselves to these efforts. This is something I care deeply about, and I feel so lucky that our CEO and colleagues across Apple share that commitment to putting in the work to address systemic issues of racial equity and justice.
At Apple, we believe we have a responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. Part of that work means investing in our communities and ensuring all people—regardless of race or zip code—have equal access to the tools, resources, and opportunities to succeed. Inequity cannot be ignored. And at Apple, we are committed to helping create the positive outcomes communities of color deserve. WOC:Why is Apple addressing these issues at this time? Jackson: The events of the past year have made it abundantly clear that the work to achieve racial equity and justice is urgent and unfinished. Our collective future relies on every American having an equal shot at opportunity, success, and of course, health. Last year’s killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others reinforced the critical importance of this work and the urgency with which we all must commit ourselves to tackle systemic racism. And while there is a
Lisa Jackson, Malala Yousafzai, and Tim Cook take a selfie at an event at Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, CA.
new urgency in this moment, this work is not new to Apple. We have been working with partners in this space for several years, including Ed Farm and the HBCU community. So, when our CEO Tim Cook committed $100 million to our Racial Equity and Justice Initiative this past summer, it was in recognition that this was a moment that called for leadership and required us all to come to the table in new ways. It was a call for Apple to build on our existing work and use our voice and resources to knock down the systemic barriers for people of color in this country. We have expanded and focused our existing work—in everything from education to the environment to the economy—in service of advancing equality and creating new opportunities for underrepresented communities. And it is that focus on equity that will help our work have the greatest possible impact. WOC: What exactly are racial equity and justice from Apple’s point of view? How do you expect Apple to have an impact on these issues?
Jackson: Racial equity and justice mean dismantling systemic barriers to opportunity and combating injustices faced by communities of color. It means every student has access to high-quality education, and every family can live in a community with clean air to breathe and freshwater to drink. It means Black and brown entrepreneurs have the same access to funding as their peers and that people of color are treated with fairness and humanity under the law. Like our work on the environment, we believe racial equity and justice are issues where Apple can make a lasting and sustained difference.
We have deep roots in education, so we are committed to bringing our support to HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions. Unfortunately, so much of a young person’s educational outcomes are dictated by where he or she lives. Working alongside our partners, there is so much we can achieve together to address educational equity. If you look at economic empowerment, as a company, Apple has a lot of buying power and works with a lot of suppliers. There is an opportunity for us to invest in minority- and women-owned businesses and include them in our supply chain, building wealth through equitable spending. Equity is about all these things and more. But the key to creating meaningful and lasting change is for people with power, who have benefited from an unjust system, to use that power to make a more just world. WOC: How will you measure success in these areas?
Jackson: We set big goals for ourselves because we know that long-term commitments are key to making a dent in longstanding racial inequities. So is
accountability. Across each of our commitments, we have specific criteria we will be assessing to ensure we are achieving the kind of progress we expect. Whether it is the number of students we have supported, entrepreneurs who have learned new skills, or started new businesses—we want to make a real difference in people’s lives. WOC: When will the HBCU education hubs and developer academy come to fruition?
Jackson: We are so thrilled to start offering programming through the Apple Developer Academy later this year, starting with virtual learning before the program transitions to in-person instruction. There is ongoing work across the HBCU community to bring coding and creativity opportunities to three dozen campuses, and the Propel Center will build on that. We expect the Propel Center to begin construction on its physical campus toward the end of this year, and HBCUs will have access to extensive virtual programming before then. WOC: How are you helping Apple minimize its impact on the environment? Jackson: There is nothing more urgent than our planet and making sure future generations have clean air, clean water, and a safe environment to live in. I have dedicated my career to this mission and am proud to carry on that work here at Apple. Apple has dedicated our resources—and our best thinking—to considering the environment in everything we do: the energy that powers our operations, the materials in our devices, the companies we do business with, and the health and safety of those who make and use our products. We have led our industry in reducing our environmental footprint for years, but we know there is more to do. So, we have set a groundbreaking new goal to further reduce our impact on the planet we share. By 2030, we are committing to total carbon neutrality. We are already carbon neutral for our corporate emissions—we
use 100 percent renewable electricity for our facilities, and we are investing in projects that protect and restore forests, wetlands, and grasslands. And we are well on our way in our supply chain, bringing more clean energy sources online and innovating to reduce emissions at every stage of the process. But we are going further to cover our entire, end-to-end footprint—down to the shipping that moves our products worldwide and the energy used to power our customers’ devices.
WOC:What tips do you have for minimizing one’s impact on the environment?
Jackson: Start with “I”—be mindful of what you eat, how you get around, where you live, and your at-home routines. For Apple, this means focusing on the areas where we can have the most impact: reducing our carbon footprint and the footprint of our suppliers, creating a circular economy for our products where we create new ones without taking from the Earth, and advancing smart chemistry. Stay informed. Your readers can tap into resources to understand how companies are taking action to protect the planet. We know it can be confusing for consumers to evaluate which companies have effective programs and policies to better protect the planet. It is why we think it is so important to share what exactly we are doing. Each year, we put out detailed environmental reporting on our full impact, including the lifecycle of our products. Empower your network—use your voice, your platform to raise awareness and
challenge your leaders. Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing our planet. This is why Apple is using its voice to advocate for strong climate policies that promote decarbonizing our economy and support renewable energy. As part of this work, we regularly meet with leaders and policymakers worldwide to push for smart environmental policies and join groups like RE100 to support these efforts. You probably recently saw our CEO Tim Cook speaking about these issues at the UN Climate Ambition Summit last December. It is important to show up. Climate change is a universal challenge that impacts all of us. But its impacts are not felt evenly. And we can use our voices and amplify others to make sure equity is always a part of the conversation. We all need to understand that there is no justice without environmental justice. WOC:How is Apple addressing climate change? Jackson: We recognize that climate change is one of the greatest threats of our time and that we have a responsibility
to take urgent action to address it. For well over a decade, Apple has taken robust action to reduce our carbon footprint and drive energy efficiency in our products and processes. We announced this past July that by 2030—so ten years from now—Apple will be carbon-neutral. Not just for our operations, because we are already carbon-neutral the way a lot of companies measure carbon neutrality. Our stores, our data centers, our offices all run on 100 percent clean energy right now. Our goal is to extend that progress to our entire supply chain. We have hundreds of suppliers. And so, the challenge will be, in 10 years, to move all those suppliers over to clean energy. That will be huge. And we have gone one step further and said by 2030; we also want our customers to be able to charge their devices on clean energy, as well. And so, we committed that, by 2030, our customers will be able to do that. So obviously, that is not something we can do all alone. It is something that we can help with. We have sponsored cleanenergy projects around the world. But we also want to work with governments to make sure that there is more and more access to clean energy on grids around the world, especially in areas that, right now, have been under-invested in terms of clean energy. WOC: Are there other ways in which you are helping to change the culture at Apple for the better?
Jackson: Apple has an incredible culture of collaboration, innovation, and creativity. People here feel empowered to speak their minds and lead with their values—and you see that reflected in the products we make. My goal has never been to change any of those things. But what we have done is harness that energy and innovation as a force for good in our environmental work, our advocacy for equity and justice, in our support for students and teachers.
Apple was doing this kind of work long before I got here. But over the last few years, we have renewed and accelerated our progress—and that has meant drawing on Apple’s culture and our people, drawing on that innovative spirit, and tackling challenges like climate change in ways only Apple can. WOC: What are some words of encouragement you have for young people who may be interested in your line of work?
Jackson: Donna Brazile is a good friend who is said this a lot over the years— “Open the door and leave it open wide enough for somebody to follow behind you.” Whatever your field, wherever your curiosity takes you, to break down barriers and make a difference, you have to bring other people with you. I have had great mentors during my career who have challenged and encouraged me. Now I am trying to be a mentor and a cheerleader for young people striving to break down barriers and to carry the baton even further.
WOC: What can students do now to prepare for working in your field? Jackson: I have had a bit of a winding career path. I have worked in government for most of my life on environmental issues, and with Apple, I took on a new challenge. But for me, the common thread has always been trying to make a positive impact on people—whether in environmental justice, public health, technology, or what have you. The best way to prepare is to find your common thread and find mentors who can teach you. The learning does not end when you graduate from school—and the best way to prepare yourself is to follow your curiosity and find a great group of people to share the road ahead. WOC: Can you share a little about your background and how you arrived at your position? Jackson: When I was a little girl, I wrote a letter to President (Richard) Nixon imploring him to move forward with establishing the EPA to protect the health of people and the environment. That same year, we celebrated Earth Day in the U.S. for the very first time. And by the end of 1970, the EPA officially opened its doors. At the time, I had no idea I would go on to work at the EPA and one day lead it, or that I would one day be at Apple working on these issues. But I did know that at the heart of my concern for the planet was the health of people. Communities. Families. Everyone deserves a healthy place to live, clean water to drink, and clean air to breathe.
Today’s 8-year-olds are facing some of the same challenges and some new ones. But they also know a thing or two about the urgent work that lies ahead—and that the health of our planet and neighbors is a cause worth fighting for. Something I have found inspiring over the past year has been how young people have stepped up to speak out for what is right. It gives me a lot of hope about what our young future leaders, inventors, educators, and beyond will do to leave the world better than they found it.
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WOMEN FINTECHof
by Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com
The future is fintech, and these women are at the top of their game!
Women of Color magazine rolled out its “Most Powerful Women in Finance” list in spring 2010 and has featured diverse women in the financial services sector ever since. The 2010 list showcased 40 women who were trailblazers in banking, investment, finance, and insurance companies. The list also included women who were governing the ways Americans own homes and do business, with famous names like Rosa “Rosie” Gumataotao Rios, who served as the 43rd treasurer of the United States; leading women at the Securities and Exchange Commission, which protects American investors and the national banking system; Mellody Hobson, then president of Ariel Investments, one of the largest African American-owned money management and mutual fund companies in the U.S.; and a team of senior vice presidents and vice presidents from American Express. But it was not all big business and high finance. Women of Color magazine also looked at startups. Many were redefining terms such as fixed-rate mortgages, asset turnovers, and working capital for modern times. For a new decade, we bring you another cohort of women who expand their financial technology presence (fintech), all while taking the time to serve their communities. They are movers and shakers in banking, education, and investment management, helping people better manage financial processes by utilizing software and algorithms used on computers and, increasingly, smartphones.
BlueVine’s online platform offers banking to small businesses. Their products include business checking, line of credit, and invoice factoring. As chief people officer, GIANNA DRIVER helps organizations scale their people function while creating fun performance cultures. APRIL DANILE brings over 20 years of financial services experience to BlueVine from Goldman Sachs and Capital One. As vice president, Danile thrives on improving the customer experience. Before assuming her current position in 2019, CHRISTINA COLE served as vice president of marketing communications at Citi Ventures, Citibank’s innovation arm. As the first public relations hire, she was responsible for building awareness of Citi Ventures and Citi’s chief innovation officer.
CAROL WILSON began her career in finance and transitioned into tech. In her role as a senior customer success manager at Branch, she executes digital user experiences with a focus on mobile adoption. Branch Metrics specializes in increasing mobile revenue with links built to acquire, engage, and measure across all devices, channels, and platforms. Wilson has also taken on diversity initiatives by founding a resource group for Black employees.
LEANNE KEMP is the founder and CEO of Everledger, which develops technology to create a secure digital record of an asset’s origin, characteristics, and ownership. Kemp also co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Manufacturing and takes part in the Global Future Council on Blockchain. She leads workstreams at the Global Blockchain Business Council, co-chairs the World Trade Board’s Sustainable Trade Action Group, and is on the IBM Blockchain Platform Board of Advisors. In 2018, her entrepreneurial success saw her as the Queensland chief entrepreneur in Australia. More recently, Kemp has been appointed to the Global Blockchain Business Council as a regional ambassador of Australia, an adjunct professor in the Institute for Future Environments at the Queensland University of Technology, and Blockchain Advisory Board member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
LUAN COX is the founder and CEO of FinMkt, a leading software as a service (SaaS) provider of point-of-sale consumer finance technology. FinMkt’s platform has processed billions in loan application volume since launching in 2016. Cox is a seasoned fintech veteran going back to the mid-’90s in Silicon Valley. At that time, she joined a group of fintech pioneers that democratized access to stock quotes and “Wall Street quality” information to the masses via the web. Since then, she has not stopped bringing new and revolutionary fintech products to the market. She is an advisor to the Springboard Accelerator program comprised of women-led media and technology companies and is a Techstars mentor for its fintech accelerator. In 2019, Cox was included in the NYC FinTech Women’s Inspiring Fintech Females list to recognize her outstanding leadership and support of the community of women in financial technology. In September, she again joined a prestigious list of female leaders, named one of the Top 25 Women Leaders in Financial Technology of 2020 by the Financial Technology Report. At FinMkt, she directs the company’s flagship multi-lender platform, Lending Gateway, and the recent launch of the company’s SaaS, omnichannel, home improvement, medical, and retail consumer point-ofsale loan origination platform, FinFi. This state-of-the-art technology has paved a pathway for banks, credit unions, and alternative lenders to enter the rapidly growing point-of-sale consumer financing marketplace quickly and seamlessly.
SAIMA KHOT is a quality assurance and tech support engineer at FinMkt. She leads the team with testing web and mobile services and lender policies. Her work is vital to the performance and reliability of the end-to-end workings of FinMkt’s point-of-sale and consumer cash loan platforms. Before FinMkt, Khot worked as an adjunct professor at Pace University and the Borough of Manhattan Community College, teaching computer
April Danile
Christina Cole
Carol Wilson
Leanne Kemp
Luan Cox
Robin Palmer
Chaitali Mehta
Mugdha Vaidya
science classes. ROBIN PALMER is head of risk management at FinMkt. She has nearly 20 years of credit experience, including managing a portfolio of over $400 million at V.W. Credit and a portfolio valuing $17 billion at Toyota North America. Before FinMkt, she was head of merchant risk at Mosaic, a solar and home improvement financing company. In her role as head of risk management at FinMkt, she applies her expertise to enhance risk management efforts within the rapidly growing portfolio of merchants. She is responsible for developing solutions to address better partner needs regarding fraud assessment and mitigation, financial analyses, and forecasting. Since joining the company, she has been instrumental in improving productivity within the underwriting and risk department.
CHAITALI MEHTA is a business and financial analyst at FinMkt. She began her career as an intern. Her range of responsibilities now includes accounting, financial planning, and analysis, optimizing cash conversion cycles, managing, and maintaining state license compliance requirements. She also works with the chief financial officer and senior management to develop the annual budget and monthly investor report representing the company’s key performance metrics. She also analyzes industry trends and implements processes to improve profitability collaborating with stakeholders on financial and operational objectives. Mehta manages several analytical projects to assess expenditures and optimize revenue operations with high visibility and data sensitivity. She holds a master’s degree in business administration, specializing in financial management and technology management, which she obtained while also working full time.
MUGDHA VAIDYA is one of the rising stars behind FreedomPay’s commerce platform. As a quality assurance team lead, she heads a team of engineers to ensure payment processing service, loyalty programs, and FreedomPay’s solution used by businesses, such as Marriott International and Lloyds Bank. She is also an integral part of FreedomPay’s Commerce Academy, training production support and technicians on new products and features, system setup, and configuration. Vaidya is a certified tester from the American Software Testing Qualifications Board.
JUSTINE INTON has professional experience in legal services and financial technology industries. As a software quality assurance analyst at FreedomPay, she works with payment hardware devices and point-of-sale systems within a lab environment, performing tests that guarantee the customer is provided with quality software solutions. Inton is skilled in agile testing, Team Foundation Server, Jira, Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, agile methodologies, and test cases.
CAMILLE ROSALES is the director of customer support at Hippo. With over 12 years of insurance experience with Fortune 100 companies, Rosales has grown her leadership in process improvement and strategic direction. She is an advocate for women and people of color advancing in the insurance industry. She has been a part of leadership discussions, and panels focused on encouraging diversity in the insurance industry. She works with mentees to grow and develop their respected career paths as an active mentor through the Everwise mentor program.
Over the last 15 years, VIJEYTA AGGARWAL has led products and teams at startups and legacy technology companies. As director of product at homeowner’s insurtech company, Hippo, she has helped the company grow and earn its mark as an InsurTech Unicorn in 2019. Before Hippo, she led the mobile application at PayPal, where she established the product as a consumer acquisition channel. Under her leadership, app activations increased by 33 percent globally. Before PayPal, she led billing and payments at Upwork, a leading marketplace for hiring freelancers. Aggarwal advises early-stage companies
Justine Inton
Camille Rosales
and mentors high school and college students interested in technology. Propel builds technology that helps low-income Americans improve their financial health. Their free app, Fresh EBT, is used by over 2 million Americans. Growing up in Jamaica and southeastern Florida, RAJAY LEE-JAMBET
decided to study economics. While at university, she interned in East Asia for finance and technology companies. After graduating, she joined McMaster Carr Supply Company’s management rotation program in Atlanta, GA. Desiring more startup environment experiences, she spent the next few years of her career working in operations for various directto-consumer startups in New York, NY. Currently, Lee-Jambet serves as the head of the customer experience for Propel and works to help deliver high-quality customer service for Propel’s suite of financial product offerings.
SHENAE SIMMONS committed to a career change after working as a line cook and restaurant manager for ten years. She completed a web development fellowship from Per Scholas and then graduated from General Assembly’s Software Engineering Immersive Program in 2019. Simmons is a technical support engineer at Plaid; a company focused on democratizing financial services through technology. The firm started by building the specialized infrastructure APIs that connect consumers, traditional financial institutions, and developers. Simmons’s first hackathon at Plaid subsequently launched FinRise. This Plaid-sponsored program supports early-stage founders that are Black, Indigenous or people of color with resources to establish their businesses. She was an ambassador for Ladies Get Paid, an organization that offers access to education, resources, and a community that helps empower women, whether it is their career or bank account.
JANE ULLAH is a software engineer at Plaid with over five years of building software experience. Born in Nigeria, she moved to the United States to pursue higher education and earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and computer science. Before her current software development career, she worked in the natural sciences as a laboratory and research technician. An avid learner, Ullah is excited about introducing kids to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), completing challenges on Strava, and clean coding.
ANDREA CRUZ is a program manager for Plaid’s technical operations team. She recently launched a foundational piece to the evolving Product Inclusion Program, dedicated to weaving inclusive practices into how Plaid builds.
At Personal Capital, SUSAN SURAPRUIK is a senior director for mobile technology. She leads the mobile app development team as a digital wealth manager. She transformed requirements into a thriving app that caught the world’s attention in Apple and Google’s app stores. Previously, she spent nine years at Stanford’s Pediatric Emergency Department as its lead iOS kiosk application developer. She received her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, in cognitive science. “As a senior director of technology, she is keenly aware of the many nuances of both business and engineering concerns. On top of all that and more, she is also immensely insightful of the current Fintech industry and its trends. In a nutshell, Susan is a deserved nominee for the Top Women in Financial Technology,” wrote one of her teammates. YINKA MORAKINYO is a recruiting manager at Personal Capital. Her passion within the fintech world (aside from financial empowerment) is understanding and channeling each person’s unique strengths in working for Personal Capital. “Without experience in the financial advisor world, she has stepped in and recruited advisors successfully. She challenges the roadmaps people have created towards diversity beyond just a checklist since she knows it is more than today. It is how we plan for our future,” her manager said. In 1998, Sage came to North America
Rajay Lee-Jambet
Shenae Simmons
Jane Ullah
Andrea Cruz
Susan Surapruik
Kangelon “Kay” Dexter
Keshia Ellis
Lisa Godwin
to acquire leading desktop accounting software company Peachtree. Today, Sage has 13,000 employees and serves over 3 million customers in 23 countries.
Growing up as an Air Force “brat” living worldwide and adapting to new situations,
Nidhi Kashyap
Jan Chong
KANGELON “KAY” DEXTER
now serves as a global product marketing intelligence strategist at Sage. Based in Atlanta, GA, she advocates for risk-takers, startups, and entrepreneurs. Her career focus has been on consumer buying behaviors, product marketing, market and competitive intelligence, campaign creation, and go-to-market strategy. She champions diversity and inclusion as a co-leader for BUILD (Blacks United in Leadership & Development) at Sage, a colleague success network. Dexter is also Sage’s Global 2019–2020 Inspirational Woman of Year.
KESHIA ELLIS serves as a customer success coach at Sage, where she helps small business owners using Sage’s SaaS-based mobile app. In 2018, she transitioned to the role of senior Microsoft 365 analyst. In this position, Ellis helped other Sage colleagues and business owners adequately utilize the Microsoft 365 suite. Ellis is a diversity and inclusion champion and a co-leader of BUILD at Sage.
LISA GODWIN serves as the U.S. employee relations consultant at Sage. Godwin has held HR leadership roles for small, privately held tech companies and practiced employment law as an attorney in Texas for several years.
NIDHI KASHYAP is a development operation (DevOps) and test automation lead at Sage and provides technical expertise and guidance on quality and CI/CD. Always intrigued by how software impacts human life, she was inclined toward automated testing to engage her technical knowledge and systems thinking. Early in Kashyap’s career, she worked in diverse industries such as media and the financial sector to learn the art of automated testing and understand the various facets of a customer. Through Sage’s company culture of innovation and experimentation, Kashyap started exploring DevOps practices and thus embarked on a new journey.
JAN CHONG is vice president of engineering at Tally, a financial automation company in San Francisco, CA. She leads the company’s client engineering, infrastructure, and security and technical operations teams. Before joining Tally, Chong was an executive at Twitter, where she played a critical role in launching and scaling the social networking platform’s core mobile and web products. She led an overhaul of the entire engineering and recruiting process, implemented mentorship programs, and equipped managers with essential leadership skills through her peer coaching forums. Before joining Twitter in 2012, Chong ran client and server development at a cloud gaming platform. In 2013, Chong was named one of the Top 5 Rising Technical Superstars by Hackbright Academy. She received her master’s degree in computer science and a doctorate in management science and engineering from Stanford University.
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CHAMPIONS 2021 Diversityof
Women of Color magazine’s Best Employers “get it” when it comes to diversity. More than half have inclusive hiring programs led by employee resource groups. The majority also have a clearly stated diversity policy and conduct diversity training. Recent Career Communications Group (CCG) surveys have shown that employers who consistently make the most admired lists cultivate a diverse workforce. They have mentoring programs aligned with career progression and promotion, career development events, and learning opportunities. Although the single most crucial factor that helped survey respondents decide where to work was compensation, other significant benefits were telecommuting (40 percent), flextime (31 percent), tuition reimbursement (37 percent), childcare (31 percent), retirement benefits (33.8 percent), and gym facilities (32 percent). Employers at the 2020 Women of Color STEM Conference included General Motors, Consumers Energy, Amazon, AWS, Boeing, MITRE, NOAA, Defense Information Systems Agency, NASA, Department of the Air Force, AT&T, DTE, Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Cisco, IBM, Mattel, Navy Civilian, Forest Service, Ford, the U.S. Navy, PNC, Leidos, Kohler, and Infosys. Following are some of the top diversity and inclusion stories of 2020.
In July, Angela Thompkins was
named vice president and chief diversity officer of CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy. Thompkins is responsible for setting the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy and partnering with leaders across the organization to improve DEI results. Additionally, she has responsibility for establishing and building relationships with communities and organizations that increase the availability of diverse talent within our long-term talent pipeline. A month later, General Motors (GM) announced Telva McGruder’s
appointment as chief of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this role, she leads the development and execution of strategies that will ensure positive change toward a high-performing, inclusive organizational culture. She also partners closely with functional teams, GM employee resource groups, and centers of expertise to provide excellent practices for hiring, developing, and retaining diverse candidates at all levels. McGruder also works to mature and build community partnerships that align with General Motors’ commitments.
Rhea Antoine is vice president of supplier quality for Collins Aerospace, where she provides leadership and strategic direction. She is also an active member of the Collins Black Executive Council (CBEC). The CBEC is comprised of the top Black Executives within Collins Aerospace and has partnered with 52 participants across all of Collins to promote, enrich, and champion. In partnership with a colleague, Antoine developed the Black Talent Accelerator program designed to promote and champion young Black leaders across the organization. The mission is to support/influence increased Black professional representation in critical roles and succession slates, provide executive networking and exposure for Black professionals, support professional development actions for key Black professionals, build community and encourage mentoring of emerging Black professionals. Antoine says the efforts of employee resource groups such as the CBEC and Black Accelerator program must not be special projects, initiatives, or activities that are only here for a limited time. She stressed the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs that are lasting, and tailored to drive sustainable improvements in attracting, developing, and retaining Black talent across the organization. “As a result, our performance in DE&I will be planned, measured, and targeted just like other business-critical areas like quality and manufacturing,” Antoine said. “To do so, we have incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) into the very operating systems of our business and track both driver metrics and outcome metrics to ensure we’re making progress,” she added. Over the last six months, Antoine has had the opportunity to partner with the Aerostructures business unit to ensure DE&I is a foundational part of our culture.
As a member of Collins Aerospace’s aerostructures senior leadership team,
Rhea worked to develop metrics to support the organization’s DE&I efforts. She was actively involved in the African American Forum (AAF) and worked with the AAF Board to develop strategic initiatives and activities while providing leadership coaching. “Since joining Collins, I have had the pleasure of partnering with our AAF employee resource group on several critical initiatives to drive DE&I within our organization,” Antoine said. “Key initiatives include the Global Town Hall in recognition of Juneteenth, the creation of Career Development Profiles for AAF members, and speed mentoring events.” Before joining Collins Aerospace, Antoine worked at John Deere for over 15 years. She also led John Deere’s Black Employee Resource Group to implement a mentoring program and enhanced its community outreach programs. Antoine earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tuskegee University, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in Alabama. She also has a master’s degree in management from her alma mater and is an advocate of diverse talent. She is passionate about inspiring the next generation by mentoring and providing access to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. “I remain connected to Tuskegee and provide mentorship for the Freshman Accelerated Start-up and Training for Retention in Engineering Curricula (FASTREC) students,” Antoine said. “I mentor and coach female leaders who are early in their careers and work to introduce elementary school children to STEM.”
Antoine also formed a partnership with Tuskegee University to support oncampus activities and provide a talent pipeline via the hiring of interns. The Quality Leadership Team or QLEADS at Collins Aerospace partners with Smith College, a historic women’s college in Massachusetts, in addition to Tuskegee University, to recruit for college hire rotational programs that ensure Collins Aerospace has a diverse slate of candidates and builds a diverse pipeline. “One of my greatest lessons at Tuskegee University, a historically Black college in Alabama, was that we could accomplish almost anything with great people
who were always willing to support and challenge each other to be better,” Antoine said. “I’ve carried this lesson with me throughout my career, and it speaks to the type of people I surround myself with and the type of person I try to be for others,” she said.
Toni Vanwinkle is the senior director of digital workplace experience at Adobe. In 2019, she was named “Digital Workplace Leader of the Year,” recognizing the impact of her innovative leadership. Currently, she leads Adobe’s Digital Workplace Experience organization under the CIO’s office, focused on keeping Adobe employees collaborative and productive from anywhere. In addition to her functional role, Vanwinkle founded Adobe’s Black Employee Network and currently serves as the Site Council Leader at Adobe’s Headquarters in San Jose, CA. In her site leader role, she is an employee ambassador leading a site council whose mission is to amplify Adobe’s culture and connect employees to the communities where they live and work. “I got involved in D&I after being approached by one of our HR executives about becoming the executive sponsor for an affinity group at Adobe,” Vanwinkle said. “Before responding to the offer, I asked one of my mentors, an employee network sponsor, at another tech company in the Bay Area. He was so excited for me. He said that the D&I work he was involved in was the most rewarding career. Shortly after that call, I said yes to the offer and founded Adobe’s Black Employee Network. It was a leap of faith. I knew I had a lot to learn. So, I did my research by attending classes, reading books, HR research papers, D&I articles, listening to Ted Talks, and watching documentaries. There was a consistent theme across all this information: a lack of role models for pursuing tech careers. I stood in the truth of what I experienced my entire career. I was often the only woman and almost always the only person of color in the room. From that point on, my mission was to help give employees, students, partners, and peers a voice and a sense of belonging at Adobe.
“In the next five to 10 years, I see D&I as an expanding field focused on creating community and connection around the world. Organizations will begin to see diversity as an asset and inclusion as a tool to motive and inspire their most asset, people.”
Carita Marrow is a diversity and inclusion talent program senior manager at Adobe. She drives strategy around attracting and recruiting diverse talent into Adobe in close partnership with key stakeholders such as talent acquisition and branding teams in addition to employee networks. Before joining Adobe, Marrow was a senior manager for science education at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where she comanaged UNCF’s $48 million Fund II Foundation science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) Scholars Program, the UNCF Merck Science Initiative, and the historically Black college and university (HBCU) Innovation Summit.
“I dream that D&I will not be an add-on to tech and tech-adjacent companies but woven into the fabric and foundation of emerging and existing companies. I hope that companies will continue to peel away the barriers of exclusion and that each company’s demographics will mirror the U.S. census and beyond for fair representation across protected classes,” Marrow said.
One thing Cymantia Tomlinson has made a note of during her time in tech is the startling lack of diversity. “I am often the only one. I go to different meetings and attend different events, and I rarely see anyone who looks like me. We do exist, but based on my experience, in small numbers,” Tomlinson says, adding that she recognizes that organizations are making a concerted effort to be more inclusive but does not see those efforts reflected in the tech workforce.
As a customer success manager at Workato, Tomlinson works with many business and information technology users building their automation workflows. She is charged with removing any barriers to successfully using the tool and expanding their knowledge of Workato capabilities. Workato offers a low code automation platform and is a leader in the software as a service (SaaS) space. She is moving into her second year with Workato and loves the culture of collaboration.
LaTrice Ross serves as global diversity and inclusion program manager at Sage. She has more than 20 years of experience as an organizational and human capital development professional, helping people and organizations turn potential into success. Her specialties include training facilitation, instructional design, and organizational development,
focusing on culture, engagement and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ross has worked with organizations to develop and implement corporate diversity strategies to promote greater diversity and inclusion.
Phoebe Anderson serves as the people services hub leader for Sage North America, bringing more than 25 years of experience in various HR functional areas. Anderson started her career in the United States Marine Corps as a personnel administrator. She has held various HR transformation roles at Sage. She has also served in global continuous improvement roles identifying improvement opportunities for People Services, aligning with trends and business demands to meet and exceed defined service levels.
LaShena Matthews is a global talent and employer brand manager at Sage, affectionately known as “Recruitalina.” She has been in the recruiting industry for more than 20 years, helping global technology companies attract and hire the best talent. She is a regional co-lead for the Sage Belong Champions Diversity and Inclusion colleague success network. She is also the inspiration behind igniting other colleague success networks, such as Future Business Leaders of Sage and BUILD (Blacks United in Leadership & Development). Gill Oakley serves as vice president of the customer for life at Sage People and brings more than 25 years of operational and services experience within the human capital management, human resources information systems, and payroll domain. Oakley now leads the Sage People Customers for Life Team, made up of Professional Services, Learning Services, Customer Support,
Centre of Excellence, and Customer
Success.
Faith Ramusetheli serves as
transformation director, Sage Africa & Middle East. She is responsible for driving business
transformation at Sage South Africa, including compliance with the broad-based Black economic empowerment codes and regulations. Ramusetheli brings to her role extensive experience in driving
HR strategy and high-performance cultures, talent management, diversity and inclusion, and employment equity within the context of multinational technology companies.
Mia Venson serves as senior talent acquisition partner at Sage. Her role focuses on developing partnerships with leaders, developing recruitment strategies, and driving results. Venson has been recognized for providing high service levels, coupled with successfully cultivating partnerships and managing projects and skillfully leading teams to achieve organizational goals. Moreover, she has unparalleled expertise in developing recruitment strategies, championing change management, ensuring employee engagement, and managing process improvements.
by Gale Horton Gay editors@ccgmag.com infintech opportunities
Financial technology, or “fintech,”
continues to make an indelible mark on the global economy. Originally focused on back-end processes, fintech now greatly impacts consumer-focused services. As with most other industries, the digital revolution is changing the finance sector rapidly and significantly. As such, new opportunities are opening up for professionals from various backgrounds to enter and positively impact the field. From ordering a cup of coffee on mobile devices to handling banking transactions on smart tablets, fintech is all around us. Not only that, but it is growing at an everexpanding rate. There are many reasons for this. However, one primary reason why fintech is rapidly increasing is because businesses and industries are focusing more on customers and responding to their need for seamless, easily accessible transactions. Those demands have created innovations in mobile and contactless payments, mobile wallets, identity verification and strengthened security features. Newer fintech advancements now incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) functions as well as an expanded use of robotics for process automations. The industry is also moving more into utilizing machine learning, predictive analytics processes, and cloud-based applications. The goal of these advancements is to provide better, smarter, faster, and easier financial solutions for businesses and clients alike. Additionally, they may allow more streamlined experiences by integrating various systems together. Because the experiences and needs are expanding, the professional base and expertise fields must expand also. This is why there are so many career opportunities in fintech to take advantage of. The industry will always need developers; they are the backbone of any new technology application, software, or service. Data scientists and analysts are needed to retrieve, manipulate, clean, and validate information. These professionals’ roles are essential to making sure data-driven decisions are based on accurate insights. A myriad of business intelligence and functional analyst positions are needed to drive stronger applications dedicated to user experience configurations. These roles are a part of most major project implementations. Further, they can make sure companies understand what users’ needs are, why they have those needs, and how to emulate that with technology. There are just a few roles and responsibilities needed throughout the fintech industry. Opportunities abound for business, finance, and STEM-based professionals. No matter which side of the field you want to focus on—the finance or technology sector—any professional looking to join the fintech industry must be able to employ business communication skills. There is a very strong emphasis on these skills throughout the field. It is imperative to interpret, understand, and relay terminology and application benefits from both sides in ways that industry-specific professionals know and understand.
There are several key ways these skills can be achieved. Getting a degree is the first and most obvious step. Beyond the degree, though, hands-on experience in an IT or finance field or project can be extremely helpful. Because a career in fintech will call for professionals to wear several different hats, it would not hurt to have a working knowledge of both finance and technology foundations. Practical on-the-job training or work centered on a financial or technological project will be a win for anyone aspiring to work in the fintech sector.
Fintech is expanding beyond its current boundaries. It is so much more than coding, electronic transfers, and payments made on Google Pay or Apple Pay. There is a strong momentum within the fintech industry that is creating amazing opportunities for finance and STEM professionals by the day. If your professional goals center on providing customer-focused solutions and experiences in a rapidly evolving technology industry, consider the many opportunities a career in fintech offers.
Stepping Into Power: Becoming a Leader that Makes a Difference
Our world is being made better each moment by individuals who have the courage, motivation, knowledge, and skills to step into their power assuredly. Indra Nooyi took on roles of progressive executive leadership from her position of vice president of strategy at Motorola to becoming the CEO of Pepsi. Madeline G. Swegle was the U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical jet pilot. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman to ever serve in the U.S. congress. The list of women who broke glass ceilings with pivotal accomplishments is extensive.
The achievements of the aforementioned women might feel unattainable at first glance, but we can all be leaders who make a difference in our own right. You, too, can move into your power boldly, confidently, and as empowered as these trailblazers if you’re willing to take a few crucial steps and take advantage of this three-tiered method: Visualize, Strategize, and Actualize. Visualization is a powerful tool that is regularly stifled by self-doubt, fear, and imposter syndrome. It can feel impossible to become a leader in your field if you are unable to even picture it in your mind’s eye. Be deliberate about aligning your thoughts with the goals you wish to achieve. Use positive affirmations, vision statements, and vision boards to bolster and sustain motivation. Write it and see it. Next, strategize by creating an action plan that includes milestones that are essential to achieving your goals. To do this, start by identifying the competencies required to be successful. Set short- and long-term goals and seek out mentorship, sponsorship, and championship to assist in bridging the gaps to opportunities. Lastly, actualize to impact! The journey doesn’t end after you’ve achieved your goals; you must continue to grow as a professional and think bigger. Remember, this isn’t just about being a leader; it’s about being a leader who makes a difference. Celebrate those wins and own your success, but stay humble. Paying it forward is one of the most effective ways to make a lasting impact. Be audacious and dare to leave things better than how you met them. “Aspire big” by visualizing possibilities larger than yourself. Then, set aspirations that are farreaching. When you do that, your gains and successes cause you to “inspire wide.” Your example leaves a lasting legacy for those who will come after you. “Set the world on fire” with courageous resolution! Even if you aren’t the first to do a particular thing, you can most certainly elevate to new levels and shatter the glass ceiling. It is important to remember this quest is never internally focused. With each favorable outcome, we improve things for the greater good. That is priceless. The road to aspirational leadership has its challenges. To make a difference, you must be different. Within the business sphere, seek to get buy-in from your current leadership. Know your audience and what motivates them. Ensure that the strategy you are presenting has the power to positively impact your company and drive revenue. Step into your power and reject the symptoms of imposter syndrome. Put your plan into action and implement an approach that will set your company and yourself apart from the competition. Carefully thoughtout strategies driven by relevant intelligence and skill will always put you on the path to the success you desire. We all have access to the tools needed to achieve our goals because the power lies within us. All we need to do is move ourselves from a place of thought to action. Once we do that, we clear the path for all the others who will be inspired by us to do the same.
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