The Future of DE&I: The Role Internal Communications Plays in Transparency and Accountability

Shawnee Womack is the Senior Director, Employee & Executive Content and Channel Strategy at Visa.  She serves as the Internal Comms digital storyteller, partner to global groups with the intention of amplifying their messages, and is responsible for setting the global channel strategy for Visa’s internal owned communication channels and running the team operations. Before joining Visa, Womack was at Guidewire, where she championed intranet channel community involvement, advocated for DEI campaigns and managed the global culture survey. Prior to specific Comms roles, Womack worked in gaming, where she developed employee and consumer-facing engagement experiences, designed strategy development and go-to market plans and created employee advocacy activations.

Jiquanda Nelson is passionate about connecting people with opportunities at work and in their community. As senior director of Community and Culture at Concentrix, a $5 billion customer and technology engagement organization, she leads efforts for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Employee Experience; Wellbeing; and ESG/Global Citizenship. Her team is focused on sustaining an equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of clients and communities Concentrix serves. They are the magic that creates a sense of belonging, where everyone can be their authentic selves, are at their healthiest, and feel valued.

Dr. Vijay Pendakur serves as the inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Zynga, Inc, where he offers diversity strategy and coordination for their global operations, spanning 3 continents. In addition to leading the diversity function, Vijay also leads university relations, corporate social responsibility, and learning & development at Zynga. Prior to this appointment, he led campus-wide crisis management and diversity efforts at Cornell University as the Robert W. and Elizabeth Staley Dean of Students and Presidential Advisor on Diversity and Equity. Before Cornell, Vijay served in leadership roles at universities across the country, with a consistent focus on student success and equity design strategy. As a scholar-practitioner, he has an extensive publishing record, including editing a book, and his research areas span leadership pedagogy, student success strategy, and higher education administration. Dr. Pendakur serves on the institute teaching faculty of the USC Race and Equity Center and as a faculty member for the “High Impact Practices Institute” through the American Association of Colleges and Universities. He holds a bachelor's degree in history and East Asian studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, a master's degree in U.S. history from the University of California, San Diego, and a doctorate in education from DePaul University.