Dr. Curtis Jasper, ERG leaders from Alight Solutions, and ERG leaders from Constellation Brands made up the panel, which was moderated by Nicole Johnson, a senior DEI advisor here at Seramount. This webinar featured stories of triumph, both personally and professionally, that served to inspire those of us watching. All the speakers highlighted the importance of mental health and well-being and how employee resource groups (ERGs) can support those needs in Black employees.

The Necessity of Mental and Emotional Health Wellness

The session started with Nicole offering a moment of reflection in honor of Tyre Nichols, a young Black man who lost his life to police violence in January. This moment provided a nice segue into introducing Dr. Curtis Jasper, a human behavior specialist, and his topic about how companies can support the sustainability of mental health and emotional wellness among Black employees. He introduced the notion of “compassion fatigue,” which differs from burnout because it is more emotionally draining. He called it “the part you don’t see” when someone, particularly Black people, are struggling, especially after tragedies such as the death of Tyre circulate throughout the news cycle.

Dr. Jasper then offered some ways for employees to try and get in front of the emotional toll so that it isn’t all-consuming, such as feeling your emotions as they come and go, watching how feelings manifest in our bodies during difficult situations, and taking note of repeated behavior patterns in life.

Dr. Jasper also mentioned four ways for leadership to do better by their employees when they come to them:

1. Be curious, not critical.
2. Be careful, not crushing.
3. Ask and don’t assume.
4. Connect before you correct.

The ERG leaders from Alight Solutions and Constellation Brands all mentioned that their ERGs/BRGs were created to help support the emotional and mental well-being of Black employees. They all concluded that Black employees need a safe space where they felt comfortable being their authentic selves. They want to be valued as whole, unique individuals and not put into a personality box. All the participants mentioned that when Black employees are given the correct tools and spaces to take care of themselves in the workplace, they can thrive.

The Importance of ERGs/BRGs for a Sense of Community

The Alight Solutions participants: Xan Daniels, Chris King, and Siatta Ollison, and the Constellation Brands participants: Kerri Joy, Lonette Merriman, and Matt Deegan, all spoke on the importance of ERGs at their companies. The women leaders at Alight are part of their BRG, BUILD (Blacks United in Leading Diversity), and spoke on how this BRG has taken steps to nurture Black employees at Alight.

Alight’s Social Action Committee and Colleague Led Communities (CLC) were created to support employees in times of trauma and create a safe place for community and mentorship among Black employees. Because of the creation of the CLC, many Black employees have been able to connect with others outside of their departments and foster mentorships.

The trio of ERG leaders from Constellation Brands presented about their ERG, AASCEND (African Americans Strengthening Constellations Engagement, Networking, and Development). AASCEND was founded on the principles of strength, resilience, and change to help Black employees have a place where they could safely be themselves while at work. They also hoped that this ERG would help boost retention numbers with Black employees.

Both companies recognized that these groups are needed now more than ever, as a place for connection, mentorship, and safety. These groups are new but are showing great improvement and importance within these companies. They allow for a place of learning and community that is necessary to have a successful workplace.

Earlier this year, DEI experts predicted that the voice of ERGs will continue to grow even stronger. Employee Resource Groups provide companies guidance on their policies and can be a haven where employees can relate, connect, and feel psychologically safe amongst their peers in an ever-changing environment. ERG leadership development events such as EmERGe give leaders and DEI practitioners the tools to succeed in facing new challenges during these uncertain times and supporting employees throughout their journeys.

To learn more about how your organization can gain access to events like this one, contact us.

The post Honoring Black History at Work: Lessons Learned from Seramount’s Black History Month Webinar appeared first on Seramount.

Tell me about the Black Business Network at Abbott. What are some of the goals of the BBN? Why is it so important to have this community at Abbott?

Abbott’s Black Business Network started 20 years ago with 30 founding committee members at our headquarters in the northern Chicago suburbs. Since then, we’ve grown to more than 1,800 members representing 14 chapters globally. The network plays a key role in engaging, encouraging and energizing Black employees at Abbott while also championing and advocating for underrepresented groups and communities.

Our mission is to cultivate an environment where all professionals are committed to an inclusive and equitable workplace, enabling Black employees to achieve their full potential while contributing to Abbott’s success. It’s important to have this community at Abbott because we serve the greater company in several ways. Our members bolster Black equity through recruitment and retention activities, sponsor professional and leadership development opportunities and network with local communities to advance health equity, develop young talent and establish diverse business partnerships. All of these efforts support Abbott’s 2030 Sustainability Plan goals.

What has helped to make Abbott’s BBN so successful? How has this group helped employees bring their most authentic selves to work?

The network’s success rests in the strength, dedication and commitment of our members. We strive to support and advance Abbott’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts with high-interest events centered around four pillars that we believe serve inclusive leadership: professional development; collaboration, outreach and recognition; communication; and membership and engagement. We’re proud of the impact we’ve made to boost representation, provide diverse viewpoints and support our members, helping many achieve their career goals.

How was the 20^th anniversary of the BBN celebrated?

BBN celebrated our 20^th anniversary, “Sustainability Through Inclusive Leadership,” with a hybrid event that hosted 200 people at Abbott’s global headquarters outside of Chicago and an additional 2,000 virtual attendees. The program began with a video with thoughts from founding members, and we were honored that the majority of them attended along with members from across Abbott globally. This created an atmosphere that honored the past, recognized the present and looked forward to the future.

Leaders from Abbott’s corporate divisions and businesses joined us. Abbott’s executive vice president of Human Resources and chief communications and marketing officer both shared speeches about the importance of sustainability and diversity. Network leadership participated in a “fireside chat” discussion, taking questions from members. Afterwards, many continued the celebration on social networks like LinkedIn, sharing their experiences from the event.

How can other organizations create successful ERGs like Abbott’s?

ERGs ensure they are adding value along multiple dimensions. At Abbott, we have 10 ERGs, and we believe they are critical to our success in creating a culture where everyone can come to work and be themselves. All groups strive to do at least three of the following:

• Solve real business problems with unique insights or expertise
• Strengthen our reputation, oftentimes through the work we do in the community or around health equity
• Support the development of members both personally and professionally
• Strengthen internal connections and community while building cultural awareness

We find that when we add at least three of these components to our ERG strategies, it speaks to the needs of members across multiple generations, in multiple countries, for multiple years. It allows our ERGs to evolve and grow as our company grows. It also allows ERG members an opportunity to play a direct role in the company’s ongoing success.

Have there been any defining or favorite moments over the last 20 years of Abbott’s BBN?

The program accompanying our 20^th anniversary event included a timeline of highlight events over the BBN’s last two decades. There have been so many, but memorable moments include the “I Stand with Magic” program, when Abbott and the Magic Johnson Foundation partnered in 2008 to address HIV/AIDS in the African-American community through educational activities and testing events. Another was a 2017 partnership with United Way to host STEM activities and Q&As with 150 middle school girls.

In 2020, BBN hosted an event in honor of Black History Month highlighting the legacy of Dr. Charles Drew, the forefather of modern blood banking. The American Red Cross was on site for a blood drive. Last year, the BBN successfully recommended to Abbott leadership that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day be named a companywide ‘Day of Service’ with employees receiving one day of paid time off to volunteer every year.

Other moments span career networking events, participation in fundraisers, internship activities and panel discussions. Some of these we joined with our fellow ERGs to present, like one last year about allyship in partnership with the Women Leaders of Abbott. And at this year’s 20^th anniversary event, BBN founding member Arnold Sandridge received a lifetime achievement award and his daughter, Asia Sandridge, was honored with the network’s ‘Rising Star’ award.

What do companies stand to gain from creating different support networks for employees of marginalized backgrounds, but especially for Black employees? How has your organization as a whole improved by implementing the BBN?

The benefit of the BBN and all Abbott ERGs to the company and the employee is the same. Everyone benefits when employees can contribute to their fullest potential. Employees benefit in the form of increased visibility and opportunity, and the company benefits by tapping into the unique talents of every individual. At Abbott, we still have work to do around the world on our journey of inclusion, but our ERGs strengthen our ability to do it. Our BBN celebration was a great reminder of that, and a celebration of how the BBN has supported our journey for over 20 years.

Read about how you can best utilize your Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) from our article: Why ERGs Are Your Organization’s Secret Weapon.

Contact us to learn more about how your organization can benefit from Diversity Best Practices membership.

The post Black Equity at Work: Abbott Celebrates 20 Years of their Black Business Network appeared first on Seramount.

Here are the organizations that are anchors in the Black community, providing information, deeper connections, and empowerment:

African American Planning Commission (AAPC)

The African American Planning Commission (AAPC) Inc., is a New York City-based nonprofit organization committed to reducing homelessness and addressing the related issues of domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, mental illness, substance abuse, shortage of affordable housing, and unemployment in the communities in which we live and serve.

American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE)

The American Association of Blacks in Energy is a national association of energy professionals founded and dedicated to ensuring the input of African Americans and other minorities into the discussions and developments of energy policies, regulations, R&D technologies and environmental issues.

The Association of Black Psychologists

The Association of Black Psychologists was established to promote and advance the profession of African Psychology,influence and affect social change and develop programs whereby psychologists of African descent can assist in solving problems of Black communities and other ethnic groups.

Blacks in Technology

Blacks In Technology is the largest community and media organization that focuses on black women and black men in the technology industry. Through community-focused activities, events and media, Blacks In Technology (BIT) is “Stomping the Divide” by establishing a blueprint of world-class technical excellence and innovation by providing resources and guidance.

Center for Black Equity (CBE)

The Center for Black Equity aims to improve the lives of Black LGBT individuals by improving economic equity, social equity and health equity.

Formerly known as The International Federation of Black Prides (IFBP), the organization was rebranded and restructured in 2012. The new name, Center for Black Equity (CBE), refocuses and elevates the deep commitment to their mission of achieving equality and justice for Black LGBT communities

ColorComm

ColorComm is an essential organization for women of color in all areas of communications including Public Relations, Corporate Communications, Advertising Print Media, Broadcast, Digital and more.

The Executive Leadership Council

The Executive Leadership Council is the preeminent member organization for the development of global black leaders. The mission is to increase the number of successful black executives — both domestically and internationally — by adding value to their development, leadership, and philanthropic endeavors throughout the life-cycle of their careers thereby strengthening their companies, organizations, and communities.

Information Technology Senior Management Forum

ITSMF’s mission is to increase the representation of black professionals at senior levels in technology, to impact organizational innovation and growth. By 2020, ITSMF will graduate 500 professionals through a series of rich, development, and career-advancing programs.

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is a nonprofit public policy organization that produces innovative, high-impact ideas, research, and policy solutions that have a positive impact on people and communities of color. The Joint Center does this by building and fueling a nonpartisan network of innovative elected and appointed officials of color and scholars for whom this goal is a priority. The Joint Center uses policy roundtables, research reports, and targeted media to reach key audiences of innovative officials of color and other thought leaders.

National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME)

NACME’s mission is to increase the number of successful African American, American Indian, and Latino young women and men in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

National Association of African-American in Human Resources

The National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR), is an inspirational and unique career development and networking organization for Black and African American human resources practitioners that provides networking, career opportunities, educational and professional development, mentorship and coaching and tools, tips and resources.

National Association of Black Accountants, Inc.

The National Association of Black Accountants is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for people of color in the Accounting, Finance, Consulting, Information Technology and other related business professions.

National Association of Black Journalists

The National Association of Black Journalists was founded in 1975 and is an organization of journalists, students and media-related professionals that provides quality programs and services to and advocates on behalf of African-American journalists worldwide.

National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)

The National Black Chamber of Commerce, incorporated in Washington, D.C. in March 1993, represents 95,000 African-American–owned businesses and provides advocacy that reaches one million African-American-owned businesses. From the original 14 chapters the NBCC has grown to over 200 chapters located in 40 states and 50 nations. It is the largest Black business association in the world. The National Black Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African-American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the US and via interaction with the African Diaspora.

National Black Justice Commission

NBJC is America’s leading national Black LGBT civil rights organization focused on federal public policy. The mission is to end racism and homophobia. NBJC provides leadership at the intersection of national civil rights groups and LGBT organizations, advocating for the unique challenges and needs of the African American LGBT community.

National Black MBA Association

The National Black MBA Association is dedicated to developing partnerships that result in the creation of intellectual and economic wealth in the African-American community. The National Black MBA Association, which has more than 9,000 members and represents more than 300 corporate partners, operates around three cornerstones—education, employment and leadership. To date, NBMBAA was awarded over $5 million in scholarships to deserving youth and minority students.

National Black Nurses Association (NBNA)

The National Black Nurses Association’s mission is “To represent and provide a forum for black nurses to advocate for and implement strategies to ensure access to the highest quality of healthcare for persons of color.”

The National Bar Association

The National Bar Association was founded in 1925 and is the nation’s oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. The NBA is organized around 23 substantive law sections, 9 divisions, 12 regions and 80 affiliate chapters throughout the United States and around the world.

National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW)

The National Council of Negro Women is an assembly of national African-American women’s organizations and community-based sections. Founded in 1935, the NCNW’s mission is to lead, develop and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities. NCNW fulfills this purpose through research, advocacy and national and community-based services and programs on issues of health, education and economic empowerment in the United States and Africa.

National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW)

The mission of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women is to develop leaders who will help to rebuild their communities and redirect the energies of younger African-Americans in those communities. The purpose of the Coalition is to foster principles of equal rights and opportunities, promote the awareness of Black culture, develop the potential of the membership for effective leadership and participation in civic affairs, take action on specific issues of national and international importance, and cooperate with other persons and organizations to achieve mutual goals.

National Medical Association (NMA)

The National Medical Association promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. The organization is a leading force for parity in medicine, the elimination of health disparities and the promotion of optimal health.

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

The National Society of Black Engineers’ mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible African-American engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community. With over 30,000 members around the world, NSBE is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States.

National Society of Black Physicists

The mission of the National Society of Black Physicists is to promote the professional well-being of African American physicists and physics students within the international scientific community and within society at large. The organization seeks to develop and support efforts to increase opportunities for African Americans in physics and to increase their numbers and the visibility of their scientific work. The organization develops activities and programs that highlight the benefits of the scientific contributions that African American physicists provide for the international community.

National Urban League

The National Urban League is a civil-rights organization focused on the economic empowerment of underserved urban communities. The National Urban League works through 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia to provide programming, public policy research and advocacy designed to improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.

The Partnership, Inc.

The Partnership, Inc. is New England’s premier organization dedicated to enhancing the economic competitiveness of the region by attracting, developing, retaining and convening professionals of color. The Partnership has helped corporations gain a competitive edge by developing a culturally inclusive workplace. Their corporate partners are distinguishing themselves with employers who have different backgrounds, ideas and perspectives and as a result provide diversity of thought. Founded in 1987, The Partnership provides state of the art executive leadership development programs to help professionals of color reach their full potential. During our 31 year history, The Partnership has developed 4,000+ alumni and collaborated with more than 300 corporate partners.

Organization of Black Designers

The Organization of Black Designers is a non-profit national professional association dedicated to promoting the visibility, education, empowerment and interaction of its membership and the understanding and value that diverse design perspectives contribute to world culture and commerce. The Organization of Black Designers is the first national organization dedicated to addressing the unique needs of African-American design professionals.

United Negro College Fund (UNCF)

The United Negro College Fund is the nation’s largest, oldest, most successful and most comprehensive minority higher-education assistance organization. The UNCF provides a range of support to keep academic programs strong and tuition affordable for 37 member historically African-American colleges and universities. As a result of this support, member institutions educate more than 50,000 students each year and have produced more than 430,000 graduates with the help of UNCF.

U.S. Black Chambers, Inc

The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) provides committed, visionary leadership and advocacy in the realization of economic empowerment. Through the creation of resources and initiatives, we support African-American Chambers of Commerce and business organizations in their work of developing and growing Black enterprises. The USBC is an association of more than 100 self-sustaining Black Chambers and small business associations nationwide and serves close to 250,000 small businesses.

100 Black Men of America

The mission of 100 Black Men of America is to improve the quality of life and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all African Americans.

The post African American Organizations to Know appeared first on Seramount.

In addition, our new list is more diverse than it has been in the past including the addition of more women, representing multiple generations, and includes military veterans and members of the LGBTQ community. They are physicists, activists, politicians, social scientists, business people, and physicians.

This is in no way an exhaustive list, so we will commit to updating it each year with new faces to ensure we continue to uplift incredible leaders from the African-American community.

Higher Education

A theoretical physicist, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson has been the driving force behind the explosive growth in funds, faculty, and programming at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute since 1999. Since that time, her Rensselaer Plan has received more than $1.25 billion in invested funds.

Dr. Jackson is the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate from MIT and the first African-American woman to lead a top-ranked research university.

Melvin L. Oliver is the sixth president of Pitzer College, an award-winning professor, author and a noted expert on racial and urban inequality.

Before joining Pitzer College, President Oliver served as the executive dean at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s College of Letters and Science, where he was also the SAGE Sara Miller McCune Dean of Social Sciences and a professor of sociology. During his 12-year tenure as the dean of social sciences at UCSB, he promoted faculty diversity and championed increased access for underrepresented students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Government

Kamala D. Harris is the Vice President of the United States of America. She was elected Vice President after a lifetime of public service, having been elected District Attorney of San Francisco, California Attorney General, and the United States Senator.

She was elected District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003. She was elected District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003. In 2010, Vice President Harris was elected California’s Attorney General and oversaw the largest state justice department in the United States. In 2017, Vice President Harris was sworn into the United States Senate.

On August 11, 2020, Vice President Harris accepted President Joe Biden’s invitation to become his running mate and help unite the nation.

She is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President, as was the case with other offices she has held.

Ayanna Pressley is an American politician who is a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts’s 7th congressional district. She defeated ten-term incumbent Mike Capuano in the primary election and ran unopposed in the November 2018 general election. Pressley served as an at-large member of the Boston City Council. Pressley was the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council, and the first black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts.

Rev. Raphael Warnock is the first African American to represent Georgia in the United States Senate. The senator, who is also a Baptist pastor, was elected to the United States Senate in the January 5, 2021 special election runoff.

Warnock framed his campaign for the Senate as an extension of his years of progressive activism as the leader of Atlanta’s storied Ebenezer Baptist Church. He won election on a platform that called for bail reform and an end to mass incarceration, as well as a living wage, job training for a green economy and expanded access to voting and health care.

In November 2020, Cori Bush was elected to Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, making her the first Black Congresswoman in the history of Missouri.

She is a registered nurse, community activist, organizer, single mother, and ordained pastor for the people of St. Louis. She is also a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and became politically active in 2014 protesting the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

Congresswoman Bush is the recipient of the 2015 “Woman of Courage” Award from the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation. In May of 2019, she received the Herschel Walker Award at the 27th Annual Herschel Walker “Peace & Justice” Awards.

Ilhan Omar is a Somali American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district. In 2016, Omar was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, making her the first Somali American elected to legislative office in the United States. On November 6, 2018, she became the first naturalized citizen from Africa and the first Somali-American elected to the United States Congress. Along with Rashida Tlaib, she was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and the first to wear a hijab. Omar is also the first woman of color to serve as a U.S. Representative from Minnesota.

Joseph D. Neguse is an American politician and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado’s 2nd district. On November 6, 2018, Neguse won Colorado’s 2nd congressional district, becoming the first African American U.S. representative from Colorado.

Entrepreneurship

Ryan Williams and Porter Braswell are the co-founders of Jopwell, a diversity hiring startup that helps companies connect with and recruit underrepresented ethnic minority candidates for jobs and internships The pair left their jobs at Goldman Sachs to launch the company back in 2014 on the belief that their exposure to diversity programming opportunities at an early age gave them strong career paths and that other underrepresented ethnic minorities should be given the same opportunity for success. Their goal was to build a career platform to connect African American, Hispanic, and Native American students and professionals with job opportunities at top companies.

In 2017, Jopwell was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” in the enterprise category and one of Entrepreneur’s “100 Most Brilliant Companies.” The pair were also featured on Fast Company’s 2017 list of “100 Most Creative People in Business” and Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list in 2016, which highlight creative minds and rising entrepreneurs across industries.

Tristan Walker founded and serves as CEO of Walker and Company Brands, Inc., an African American health and beauty products company. Walker and Company Brands, Inc.’s products included the Bevel shaving line for black men, and FORM Beauty, a women’s hair care collection designed for all hair textures launched in 2017.

In 2012, Walker founded the non-profit organization CODE2040, to promote diversity in the technology industry. Walker was named the USA Today Person of the Year in 2014. In the same year, Walker also was featured on Creativity 50 list The Most Creative People of the Year. In 2017, Walker was later featured on Fortune Magazine’s ’40 under 40’ list, Ebony magazine’s ‘100 Most Powerful People’ list and the Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Digital Power 50’ list.

Jessica Matthews is founder and chief executive officer of Uncharted Power, which specializes in harnessing energy from motion to create ecosystems of renewable power for communities. Having founded the company at the age of 22, in 2016 she raised the largest Series A ever raised by a black female founder and was selected to ring the NASDAQ opening bell, representing all Forbes “30 Under 30” honourees. Ms Matthews’s research focuses on the intersection of disruptive technology, renewable energy, human behaviour and the psychology of self-actualization. She has a degree in psychology and economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is listed on more than ten patents and patents pending.

Janice Bryant Howroyd leads the largest woman-minority-owned workforce management company founded in the U.S., ActOne Group.

The global enterprise, which she founded in 1978, provides employment, workforce management, and procurement solutions to a wide range of industries from Fortune 500 companies, local and mid-market companies to government agencies.

Howroyd leads her teams to build business success based on the ability to connect great companies with great talent. Her passion for education, mentorship, and self-empowerment initiatives have earned her many professional and philanthropic recognitions, among those, being selected by former President Barack Obama to serve as a White House appointee.

She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation and the Women’s Leadership Board at Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Business

Rosalind “Roz” Brewer was recently named as the new CEO at Walgreens, effective July 2021. She will be the only Black woman CEO leading a Fortune 500 company.

Brewer has served as Chief Operating Officer at Starbucks since 2017 when she also joined the Starbucks board of directors. She was the first Black woman to be COO of Starbucks and to head a division there.

As Chief Operating Officer and group president for Starbucks, Roz Brewer leads the company’s operating businesses across the Americas (Canada, U.S., and Latin America), and Starbucks license stores as well as the global functions of marketing, technology, supply chain, product innovation, and store development organizations.

She previously served as CEO of Sam’s Club and made history by becoming the first woman and first African American to lead a Walmart division.

She is a current director of Starbucks, Amazon and a former director of Lockheed Martin and Molson Coors Brewing Company. She also chairs the board of trustees at Spelman College.

Ann-Marie Campbell began her career with The Home Depot in 1985 as a cashier in South Florida and today is executive vice president, U.S. Stores, and International Operations. In this role, she leads the company’s three U.S. operating divisions comprised of nearly 2,000 U.S. stores and the bulk of the company’s nearly 400,000 associates. Her impact is widely recognized with Fortune magazine listing her among its top 50 most powerful women in business for 4 consecutive years, most recently as #16 in the magazine’s 2018 rankings. In addition, DoSomething.org named Ann-Marie as one of its 2018 Inspirational 25, a group of leaders who are shattering expectations and challenging the status quo in the tireless pursuit of a better world.

Gregory Adams is the current Chairman and CEO of integrated managed care consortium Kaiser Permanente. He assumed the role in December 2019 after the passing for former CEO Bernard Tyson. He is a nationally recognized leader and a champion of health care transformation, improving access, and pushing for better health outcomes. Since his time with Kaiser Permanente, Adams has been driving the comprehensive work focused on growing the organization’s membership, improving affordability for members, and transforming and expanding access to care.

Adams has 30 years of leadership experience as a senior health care executive and prior to this role, he served as executive vice president and group president with responsibility for health plan and hospital operations in all eight Kaiser Permanente regions, serving more than 12 million members.

Mellody Hobson is the Co-CEO & President of Ariel Investments, an investment company based in Chicago.

In addition to her role at Ariel, she is a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy. She has conducted extensive research on minority investing patterns, is an advocate for financial literacy and investor education, a TED speaker, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Starbucks Corporation, a director of JPMorgan Chase, and a director of the short video platform, Quibi.

Hobson is also Chairman of After School Matters, a Chicago non-profit that provides area teens with high-quality after-school and summer programs, and vice-chair of World Business Chicago.

In 2015, Time Magazine named her one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the world.

Kenneth C. Frazier is the Chairman of the Board, president, and Chief Executive Officer of Merck & Co., Inc. Frazier joined Merck in 1992 as vice president, general counsel, and secretary of the Astra Merck Group and has held several senior management roles during his tenure with the company, including vice president of public affairs; assistant general counsel, corporate staff; senior vice president and general counsel; and executive vice president and president, Global Human Health. Mr. Frazier has also led the formation of philanthropic and other initiatives that build on Merck’s 125-year plus legacy.

Community-Based Organizations/Social Justice/Non-profit Organizations

Alicia Garza, a co-founder of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, is an Oakland-based organizer, writer, public speaker, and freedom dreamer who is currently the Special Projects Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the nation’s leading voice for dignity and fairness for the millions of domestic workers in the United States. As a queer Black woman, Garza’s leadership and work challenge the misconception that only cisgender Black men encounter police and state violence. In order to truly understand how devastating and widespread this type of violence is in Black America, we must view this epidemic through a lens of race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Wes Moore is the CEO of Robin Hood, one of the largest anti-poverty forces in the nation. He is a bestselling author, a combat veteran, and a social entrepreneur. Before becoming CEO at Robin Hood, Wes was the founder and CEO at BridgeEdU, an innovative tech platform addressing the college completion and job placement crisis. BridgeEdU reinvents freshman year for underserved students. Wes remains chairman of the board of directors at BridgeEDU.

He earned an MLitt in International Relations from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar in 2004. Wes then served as a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne, including a combat deployment to Afghanistan. He later served as a White House Fellow to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the Director-General of the World Trade Organization. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the WTO. She is an economist and former finance minister of Nigeria.

Okonjo-Iweala spent 25 years at the World Bank as a development economist and rose to the number 2 position of managing director in 2007.

At the World Bank, she spearheaded several initiatives to assist low-income countries, in particular raising nearly $50 Billion in 2010 from donors for the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, according to the BBC.

Okonjo-Iweala is a Harvard grad and earned her PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

She sits on the boards of Twitter, Standard Chartered Bank, and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

Carla Hayden is the current Librarian of Congress and the first African American and first woman to lead the national library. She was sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress on September 14, 2016. Hayden was nominated to the position by President Barack Obama on February 24, 2016.

Since 1993, she has served as CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to joining the Pratt Library, Hayden was deputy commissioner and chief librarian of the Chicago Public Library from 1991 to 1993. She was an assistant professor for Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh from 1987 to 1991.

Hayden was president of the American Library Association from 2003 to 2004. In 1995, she was the first African American to receive Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year Award in recognition of her outreach services at the Pratt Library, which included an after-school center for Baltimore teens offering homework assistance and college and career counseling.

Alphonso David

Alphonso B. David, an accomplished and nationally recognized LGBTQ civil rights lawyer and advocate, is the president of the Human Rights Campaign.

Mr. David is the first civil rights lawyer and the first person of color to serve as president of HRC in the organization’s nearly 40-year history. He became president of HRC in 2019.

Mr. David has significant litigation and management experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He has been at the forefront of the movement for LGBTQ equality for more than a decade and worked at both the state and national level.

In 2015, Mr. David was appointed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to serve as Counsel to the Governor. Prior to his appointment as the Governor’s Chief Counsel, Mr. David served for four years in the Governor’s cabinet as the Deputy Secretary and Counsel for Civil Rights, the first position of its kind in New York State. In this capacity, he was responsible for a full range of legal, policy, legislative and operational matters affecting civil rights and labor throughout the State.

Jo Ann Jenkins leads the world’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization, harnessing the power and passion of almost 2,000 staff members, 60,000 volunteers and numerous strategic partners. Since joining the organization in 2010 and heading it since 2014, she has transformed AARP into a leader in social change, dedicated to empowering people to choose how they live and age. Ms. Jenkins was named to the 2018 Ideagen Global 100 Innovators List, which highlights CEOs, filmmakers, and other global trailblazers who are changing the world through innovation, empowerment, and leadership.

Editor’s Note: Content for this list was pulled from publicly available professional bios and additional source documents.

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