Karen McClendon

As HR chief for one of Comcast’s largest regions— encompassing two million customers and 5,500-plus employees— McClendon was instrumental in creating a culture of accountability aimed at turning all frontline workers into leaders. McClendon, who holds herself to the same level of accountability as she does others, says there’s always room for improvement in diversity. “We must continue to step up our efforts in developing our employees and promoting from within to leadership, as well as attracting and retaining diverse leaders from our communities and other industries,” she says.