Open Up The Workforce

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, host Ahva Sadeghi speaks with top leaders about what it takes to develop and implement inclusive processes.  In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, we're joined by  David Hawthorne , Chief People Officer for  Anchor Point Mana...

🎙️ Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce features influential leaders shaping the future of work. In this live recording from JFF Horizons in Washington, DC, Ahva Sadeghi sits down with Nikita Steals, an esteemed entrepreneur and CEO of Northwest Talent Solutions! With over 25 years of experience in human capital strategies, Nikita has mastered the art of blending talent acquisition with DEI sol...

In this episode of Open Up The Workforce, we're joined by  Claudio Vespucci , Vice President of Human Resources at  Rockwell Automation . Claudio is a seasoned HR leader with an impressive track record. Having navigated the complexities of human capital management at industry leaders like HP, SAP, and Samsung, Claudio brings a deep well of knowledge and a sharp eye for the ever-changing needs of t...

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, Ahva Sadeghi, Co-founder & Host, speaks with top leaders about what it takes to create accessibility to jobs and wealth creation for future generations. In this episode of  #OpenUpTheWorkforce , join us as we dive into a captiv...

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, Ahva Sadeghi, Co-founder & Host, speaks with top leaders about what it takes to create accessibility to jobs and wealth creation for future generations. In this episode of  #OpenUpTheWorkforce , join us as we sit down with Cele...

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, Ahva Sadeghi, Co-founder & Host, speaks with top leaders about what it takes to create accessibility to jobs and wealth creation for future generations.  In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce , get ready to be inspired as we s...

Join Ahva Sadeghi, Co-founder & Host, as she sits down with Nichole Barnes Marshall, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Pinterest, celebrated for her 23 years of trailblazing work across diverse industries, and Ahva Sadeghi, Limited, Inc., a beacon of transformative leadership and empowerment. Together, they share invaluable insights into their remarkable journeys and discuss strate...

In this episode, Ahva interviews Rachael Gibson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Crowe. Rachael gives a sneak peek of her career journey, from a management consultancy role to leading DEI efforts at Crowe. She discusses why self-reporting can enhance accountability toward DEI commitments, and shares best practices for empowering women in the workplace. Rachael also talks about ho...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce , Ahva interviews Rachael Gibson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Crowe. Rachael gives a sneak peek of her career journey, from a management consultancy role to leading DEI efforts at Crowe. She discusses why self-reporting can enhance accountability toward DEI commitments, and shares best practices for empowering women in the workplace. Rac...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce , Ahva speaks with Payal Sahni, Chief People Experience Officer and Executive Vice President at Pfizer. Payal lays out why companies need to invest in early careers, sharing how she started out as an intern at Pfizer and zig-zagged her way up to her current executive role. She highlights the groundbreaking Pfizer Refugee Leadership Initiative and the importan...

In this episode of  #OpenUpTheWorkforce , Ahva speaks to  Robert Matthews , VP and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at  Exelon . Robert opens up about his career journey, from interning at BLACK+DECKER and CareFirst to eventually joining Baltimore Gas and Electric, which was then acquired by Exelon. Robert speaks with nostalgia about the impact the  INROADS  program had on his career...

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, host Ahva Sadeghi speaks with top leaders about what it takes to develop and implement inclusive processes. In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks to  Caroline Casey , founder of The Valuable 500, the world's large...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce , Ahva speaks to  Mason Williams , the Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at  Mattel Inc . Mason started his Mattel career as an online game designer, later transitioning to the connected play division from 2011 to 2021. Afterward, he made a significant career shift into DEI, which he sees as the next phase of his creative output. Get the inside...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks to  Florencia Stanfield , Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at  Vitesco Technologies . Florencia's passion for inclusion in the HR space began with the start of her career, working in HR and DEI stints at companies in Uruguay, Argentina, and other countries across Latin America. She shares best practices for DEI that are both inclusiv...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks to  Dr. Johné Battle , Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at  Dollar General . Dr. Battle shares how some of his early educational challenges and subsequent achievements shaped his philosophy on grit and growth mindset. He also talks about the DEI initiatives he is spearheading at Dollar General, and how we should be looking at DEI...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce,  Donnebra McClendon , the Global Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Ceridian, shares her career journey and how Ceridian is investing in employee development and increasing diverse representation within its workforce. Donnebra sums up DEI efforts with one word–intention. Company and talent leaders need to be proactive about creating inclusive environm...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks to Troy McIntosh, the vice president and chief diversity equity and inclusion officer at IDEX Corporation. As a member of the Executive Leadership Council, Troy is also a trailblazer in promoting social equity, diversity and inclusion. Troy shares his career journey, including how he got into diversity spaces and how he is promoting it at IDEX. A...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce,  Rachel Winoski , Chief Human Resource Officer for  AXA XL , shares her inspiring journey within the company. With over 12 years of experience at AXA XL, Rachel's story serves as a true success story of progressing from an intern to the C-suite. In this interview, Rachel offers invaluable insights on career growth, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and th...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce,  Monique Lanaux , General Vice President and Chief Talent & Diversity Officer for  Albertsons Companies Inc , shares her background and journey that led her to her current role and discusses the innovative initiatives Albertsons has implemented to foster an inclusive work environment

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva has flipped the script for National Intern Day and speaks with three interns at the  Congressional Black Caucus Foundation  (CBCF). Kennedy, Amiya, and Olimpia share their internship experiences, the qualities Gen Z brings to the workforce, what they believe are the necessary steps to increasing access to jobs and wealth creation, and more. 

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, we talk with top leaders about what it takes to develop and implement inclusive processes.  In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks with the trio behind  Oyster's  inclusion, diversity, and equity efforts which incl...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks with  Nhlamu Dlomu , Global Head of People at  KPMG International . Nhlamu's background spans clinical psychology, consulting, and HR executive roles. Her experience with change management and focus on inclusion, diversity, and equity has been instrumental in shaping KPMG's people commitments and driving meaningful change within the organization

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks with  Louis Stewart , Head of Strategic Initiatives for  NVIDIA's Global Developer Ecosystem . Mr. Stewart, with his extensive background in the public and private sectors, shares the challenges faced by underrepresented groups and the initiatives implemented by NVIDIA to support these communities. Mr. Stewart and Ahva explore the significance of...

In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva speaks with  Jeffrey Schmitz , the Chief People Officer (CPO) at  Zebra Technologies . Jeff shares valuable insights on his career journey and the key strategies for fostering inclusion, diversity, and equity in the workplace. With his extensive background in engineering, product management, marketing, and sales, Schmitz brings a unique perspective to h...

Presented by Symba, #OpenUpTheWorkforce interviews feature executives advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity for the future of work. In these short audio-only episodes, we talk with the top about what it takes to develop and implement inclusive processes.  In this episode of #OpenUpTheWorkforce, Ahva had the privilege of interviewing  Maria Flynn , the President & CEO at  Jobs For the Future (...