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Meet the founders of The Diversity Advisors
DM Gilbert
Co-Founder
As a bi-racial woman, I have experienced unpleasant, unwarranted, and difficult to digest racially insensitive comments. This instilled in me an unflinching desire to continually challenge myself to impact the racial inequality narrative as well as challenge us all to pivot in our approach to diversity, respect, and an unquestionable acceptance of all our differences.
Diversity is truly part of my DNA with a background which made up of, African American, Polish and Italian to start and truly never know where I fit in until I began my work in Supplier Diversity. As the first diversity leader to achieve over 50% spend with Minority Women and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises (MWDVBE) nationally, it is smart business and imperative to the growth of any organization to reflect the community you serve to achieve equity. Driven by passion and based on a unique critical thinking approach, I was able to accomplish substantial inroads in the field of supplier diversity. During my tenure, I’ve developed best in class programs that had a direct impact on the overall cultural and organizational growth around DE&I. My commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging for all was the impetus and the catalyst that nourished the visionary drivers that led to the creation of The Diversity Advisors.
EA Simon II
Co-Founder
As a child my parents instilled in me to always go above and beyond expectations laid out before me.” This advice provided the substantive foundation that guided my work effort as it relates to educational and career growth. It is my belief that the same advice continues to have a critical impact on the choices I make and challenges I accept to continually grow in all ways always. I’m hopeful the creation of this organization will usher in a narrative that strengthens, reinforces, and provides community and organizational growth opportunities absent of biases and racial inequities.
My passion for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) started the latter part of my years in St. Louis, Missouri (2007) while attending evening classes to complete my bachelor’s degree. While attending college I noticed the diversity of the students and how they were all working and living together and I thought how much better off the world would be if we combined our experience and backgrounds for the common good. At that time, I started researching the importance of diversity and inclusion. In addition, being a member of the LGBTQ+ Community and African American, I knew I wanted to make a difference in the lives of minority individuals while working with EVERYONE to make the world a much better place.
In 2010, my focused DEIB journey began as vice president operations for a California-based regulated water utility. One of my key performance indicators was to improve our overall supplier diversity spend. Under my leadership and through innovative and sustainable approaches, we improved spend with minorities, women, LGBTQ+ and disable Veterans suppliers from the mid-20’s to 48%. Shortly after 2010, we began focusing on workforce diversity and I was asked to lead this effort and eventually selected to the board as the inclusion and diversity officer. The company workforce engagement has and continues to increase. Having seen the results and the impact being inclusive can achieve for both workforce and diverse suppliers, DM and I had to combine forces to form The Diversity Advisors.
