2021 WTIA Leadership Summit: A DEI Fireside Chat

WTIA and Lumen held a virtual fireside chat addressing systemic inequities in tech and sports. We heard from two subject matter experts about the impact of DEI on an organization, tips on how to have hard conversations, how to include DEI in your business when working with limited resources, and more!

Agenda

4:00 – 4:05 PM Welcome remarks

4:05 – 4:45 PM Fireside chat between WTIA Chief Diversity Officer, Yolánda Chase, and the Seattle Seahawks Vice President of DEI, Karen Wilkins-Mickey

4:45 – 4:55 PM Q&A

4:55-5:00 PM Closing remarks

About the Speakers

WTIA Chief Diversity Officer, Yolánda Chase

Yolánda brings 30+ years of HR expertise developing solid workplace DEI program frameworks and optimizing and leveling up existing ones. Throughout her career, she’s built a solid reputation as a trusted advisor/ expert, spending many years consulting in leadership capacities for a variety of industries within the public, private, non-profit, and government sectors.

Drawing upon her SHRM Senior Certified Professional certification, project management and conflict resolution certifications, complemented by her BA education in Organizational Development from Regis University. She demonstrates adept knowledge in strategic planning and program improvement by crafting solutions designed to evolve DEI practices that ultimately promote employee personal and professional well-being and equity for all.

Seattle Seahawks Vice President Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Karen Wilkins-Mickey

Karen has over 20 years of human resource, staffing, and diversity experience. Prior to joining the Seattle Seahawks, Karen served as the director of diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Alaska Air Group where she worked for 4 years developing strategies to shape Alaska Air Group inclusion initiatives.

Prior to joining Alaska in 2017, she worked for several Pacific North West companies including Microsoft and Expedia in Senior Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategy roles.

Karen earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University, Chico and recently completed the McKinsey Black Executive Leadership Program where she represented a cohort of Black leaders at Alaska Air Group with peers across various industries. Karen serves on several external Diversity Equity & Inclusion committees helping to drive this work across a variety of industries across the U.S. Karen is committed to helping people and organizations reach their full potential.

Karen was born and raised in NYC. She moved to Bothell, WA in 2007 with her husband and two children. Kyra, a freshman at Arizona State University and Kaden, a junior at North Creek High School. Her family is her pride and joy, she works hard to make them proud and to show them that all things are possible through hard work, integrity and passion.

She is thrilled to join the Seahawks organization and looking forward to meeting everyone and immediately making an impact.

Thank you to our sponsor!