written by
Michele Heyward

Top DEI Professionals You Can Seek Help From

2 min read
“It is 2021 and businesses have no excuse not to be fully equipped with the strategies required to be a diverse and inclusive organization.”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion were perhaps some of the most talked about things in the US in 2020. It does not mean that DEI doesn’t need discussion in 2021. In fact, there is a need to talk about them now more than ever. Not just talk but actually implement them in the organizations. If you want to hire people of color or already have employees but want to retain them, there is nothing better than seeking help from a DEI consultant or hiring a DEI professional. They can help you recognize all the loopholes in your company that is causing people of color to leave.

To help you out, I have prepared a list of the top DEI professionals that you can either get inspired from or consult for a diverse and inclusive organization:

LA’TONJA HUNTER:

She has years of serving diversity, equity & inclusion in one capacity or the other at Boeing. Currently the Senior Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, La’Tonja Hunter is responsible for diversity recruiting, consultation, and outreach. She looks after target recruitment to ensure that Boeing is a multicultural place with people who fit in together.

Being an inclusion expert, she is also a policy analyst for companies and has years-worth experience in organizational engagement strategy and relationship management among diverse employees.

DONNA-HICKS MITCHELL:

Donna-Hicks Mitchell is an executive leadership coach currently serving as the Vice President of Global Diversity & Inclusion at Citi. Her major focus is on the execution of equitable workplace strategies. With her years of experience, she brings on board the innovative mindset required to foster diverse high-performance talent pipelines.

Her specialties include diversity & inclusion strategy and consulting, training against unconscious bias, developing onboarding programs, driving change management initiatives, and executive coaching, among others. Donna-Hicks Mitchell is an expert-level facilitator with an influence on a variety of levels.

MIGUEL MENDEZ:

Making his way to the top of the firm from being a Project Manager for Creative Services, Miguel Mendez leads the department at Morgan Stanely responsible for the investment firm’s DEI strategies. Acting as a Vice President, he is responsible for creating ways to ensure diversity and inclusion in the organization.

Under his leadership, Morgan Stanley has emerged as one of the most diverse firms with employee satisfaction and high retention.

DEMOLA SHOLAGBADE:

Serving as the Vice President & Diversity & Inclusion Leader for ICF, Demola Sholagbade has extensive experience in driving change through managing DEI in organizations. He has skills like change management, DEI strategy, and effective leadership in his hat.

He is not only an expert DEI leader but makes sure that organizations he works with are also well-aware of what it requires to hire diverse employees and create inclusivity.

RONDA BAZLEY MOORE

A Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer at LexisNexis, Ronda Bazley Moore is a talent development leader with a proven record working with world-class organizations. She is a change leader who works on company-wide strategies to develop, implement, and enhance inclusion and diversity agenda.

With a background in human resources, she knows how to inculcate a culture of inclusion by attracting, developing, retaining, promoting, and rewarding diverse talent.