IDEO


ROLE

Senior Director
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging


YEAR2020-Present

Transforming workplace culture through a design-driven approach to DEI

In 2020, amid a global uprising for racial justice, IDEO publicly committed to examining and addressing systemic inequities within its culture and the design industry at large. At the time, the work was largely decentralized—driven by passionate individuals, but without dedicated infrastructure to guide or sustain it across the organization.







THE
CHALLENGE

I joined the firm to help translate these commitments into everyday practice, collaborating with senior leadership to shape IDEO’s first global DEIB strategy. My work sat at the intersection of community, design, and strategy—building the systems, relationships, and leadership practices necessary for equity-driven transformation to take root and scale.

KEY
CONTRIBUTIONS

Applied Design Thinking to Systems Change


Led a global strategic planning process that leveraged design thinking tools—research, facilitation, prototyping, and systems thinking—to co-create and implement IDEO’s DEIB priorities accross teams and business units.

Built Community Infastructure



Formalized an Employee Resource Group (ERG) program, securing compensation and executive sponsorship to anchor ERGs as cultural and leadership platforms across the firm.

Linked Creative Practice to Equity and Justice


Implemented a pro-bono fund linking IDEO’s design process to racial justice movements and supported the Inclusive Design Collective, an internal community growing the firm’s capacity to practice equity-centered design.


Turned Insights into Levers for Change


Led the design and rollout of IDEO’s demographic reporting system and annual global employee engagement survey, translating insights into levers for action and change.


Moved the Work from the Margins to the Core


Partnered with the CEO’s office to launch an enterprise-wide DEIB taskforce, increasing visibility, alignment, and senior leader accountability across business units


Enabled Decentralized Implementation


Advised regional Hubs on adapting DEIB priorities to local business planning, balancing global coherence with cultural nuance and operational relevance.


THE
IMPACT

This work created the conditions for lasting change—rooted in iteration, not perfection, and sustained through community.


This body of work was shaped by years of internal organizing, feedback from underrepresented employees, and deep collaboration with design and business leaders across the company. It reflects a core belief I carry: effective culture change isn’t just about a well-articulated strategy; it requires engaging the full community in the ongoing practice of transformation.

IDEO is still evolving—as design today demands new capabilities that reckon with history, power, and care for both people and the planet. I’m proud to have helped shape this chapter of its journey, and to have contributed to building the infrastructure for what comes next.

RELEVANT LINKS

¹SEE HOW IDEO TRACKS PROGRESS THROUGH ANNUAL DEMOGRAPHIC REPORTING
SHARING INSIGHTS TO ADVANCE EQUITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
²CASE STUDY FROM IDEO’S RACIAL JUSTICE IMPACT FUND
PARTNERING WITH CITIES UNITED TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY & COMMUNITY HEALING
³HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF IDEO’S INCLUSIVE DESIGN COLLECTIVE
ABOUT HOW INCLUSIVE DESIGN ISN’T JUST ETHICAL, BUT ESSENTIAL