This is me speaking about DEI in Tech on Lenovo Late Night I.T. Season 2!
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I don't have some catchy professional tagline.
I just don't.
I couldn't come up with anything that didn't feel forced or fake.
Ok, so look...
But what I do have is. . .
✅ 25 years of design experience
(I was raised by a creative director ❤️)
✅ 20 years of bringing people together from completely different walks of life
✅ 16 years of hands-on experience developing & implementing
company culture
✅ 7 years designing & facilitating remote, hybrid, and in-person DEI workshops & talks
✅ 6 years of coaching & advising people leaders & other DEI practitioners
(that 🧃. . . jk lol sort of — iykyk 🤣)
I've collaborated with folks at...
Consulting Services
🟣 Logos & Icons
🟣 Accessible Websites
(Wix, Wordrpess, Shopify, & Squarespace)
🟣 Social Banners
🟣 Social Media Content
🟣 Book Covers
🟣 Merch Designs (t-shirts, stickers, etc.)
🟣 anything else you can think of :)
Inclusive
Design
🟣 Inclusive Leadership for Remote & Hybrid Leaders
🟣 Inclusive Workplace 1.0, 2.0, & 3.0
🟣 Trust & Psychological Safety:
Foundations for Remote & Hybrid Team Success
🟣 Team Health Assessments & Retrospectives
🟣 Digital Teamwork:
Tools for Hybrid & Remote Collaboration
🟣 The Art of Giving & Receiving
Inclusive Feedback
🟣 Building Inclusive People Processes
🟣 The Power of Inclusive Language & Imagery
in Branding
Workshops & Talks
My Story
(the TLDR version)
Click through the tabs below 👇🏾 to learn more about my journey.
Btw, in case you're wondering, it's pronounced "ay - dree - eL" 🙃
But at school, I was one of the few from my background.
From as early as 4 or 5 years old, I navigated this wild juxtaposition, often code-switching to connect with different people in various parts of my life.
By the age of 11, I wasn’t just creating spaces for others like me; I was also trying to unite friends & peers from diverse backgrounds.
My formative years sparked a lifelong fascination with the complexity of human diversity—how we are so different yet often so similar—and inspired me to explore how we can embrace and bridge our divides.
📸: The image shown here is a photo of a questionnaire that I filled out at 11, long before I knew my future career path. Two responses stand out: For my biggest pet peeve, I wrote, 'When people act differently instead of being themselves around others.' And for what makes me unique, I said, 'I try to make a conversation with everyone I meet.' 🤯
I grew up in a neighborhood where everyone looked like me and shared the same cultural norms.
And yet somehow, I'm still knee-deep in student loans 😒. But I digress.
Moving from Ohio to NYC, I was immediately struck by the city's diversity.
For the first time, I felt a sigh of relief realizing I wasn't constantly the 'odd one out.'
I was part of a diverse mix of people, mingling with folks of all backgrounds and identities from around the world.
Everything seemed great at first.
But, unfortunately, that sense of belonging didn't last long...
📸: The image shown here is a photo of me in undergrad, working in Res Life.)
At 17, I earned a full-ride scholarship to NYU.
More specifically, I started working in tech recruiting.
Immediately a stark reality hit me: I was often the only Black woman in the room, amid a noticeable lack of equity and inclusion in our hiring practices.
As I commuted through the diverse streets of the city, I contrasted it with the lack of representation within the tech companies that I worked for—a diversity that just didn't penetrate the office. I wanted things to change, and I wanted to be a part of that change, so I stepped fully into DEI as a career. Beyond recruiting and hiring, I began to explore leadership's role in pushing for equity, along with the need for psychological safety to drive inclusion.
After gaining some formal experience in several DEI roles, I launched my own consultancy in 2019, working with hundreds of leaders across 40+ companies.
Business was great at first. So I thought...
While pursuing my Master's Degree in Engagement Journalism, I started working in tech.
Many efforts appeared performative, yet I believed that most of my clients were genuinely committed to real change. Now, the landscape is shifting. As engagements wane due to budget cuts, politics, or fear of backlash, I find myself at a crossroads, reassessing my path.
This period isn't just about reflecting on my passions, but urgently prioritizing my financial well-being. The journey has been a tough balancing act between the ethics of DEI work and the realities of capitalism. My consultancy's financial challenges have also highlighted gaps in my business knowledge. But I'm adapting, learning, and now aiming to pivot my entrepreneurship towards the creative space that has always been my sanctuary.
Drawing from a lifelong exposure to the arts and design, I've decided to elevate digital design—encompassing website creation, logo design, and writing—to the forefront of my career. This decision transcends mere personal fulfillment; it's a strategic choice aimed at securing my financial future with work that genuinely excites me.
Interested in learning more? Book me for a speaking engagement, or reach out if you're looking to collaborate on a design project or DEI initiative.
In 2019, when I started my consultancy, the rush for DEI initiatives spiked amidst tragic events.
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🟣 One-on-One & Group Coaching
for DEI Practitioners & DEI Professionals
🟣 One-on-One & Group Coaching
for People Leaders & Managers
🟣 Team Health Assessments
& Retrospectives
🟣 People Process Assessments