The Why: Murphy goes full speed in her dedication to DEI, having implemented internal programs tailored to fostering an inclusive work environment, promote diverse hiring practices and create opportunities in career advancement for underrepresented groups. She’s also frequently in the community as a speaker advocating for elevating women and people of color.
She Says… “Customers buy from companies that share their values. The more inclusive we are, the more likely we are to win customers.”
Who do you view as a DEI champion? Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Her rebuke of the Supreme Court decision to curtail the use of race as a factor for college admissions was powerful, poignant and will be revisited.
What is an overlooked aspect of DEI? The intersectionality of diversities. Race and Gender as an example. When you have the double impact of diversity, we must work harder to ensure that our policies and practices elevate these marginalized groups.
Place I would love to retire to: Bethany Beach, Delaware
What practices should be adopted to make the hiring process more inclusive? Requiring diverse slates (50% Women/POC representation in the candidate pool) and diverse interviewers (50% women/POC representation in the hiring panel)
What recent pop culture moment showed progress in diversity and inclusion in entertainment? Alex Newell and J Harrison Ghee becoming the first openly non-binary people to win a Tony award.
How has advocating for DEI benefited your company or department? From a sales and marketing perspective, customers buy from companies that share their values. The more inclusive we are, the more likely we are to win more customers. Certainly, this younger generation is more open-minded and less attached to specific cultural norms, and they are the future of our customer base.
How have attitudes about DEI changed since you began your career? I have always been a strong advocate for DEI all my life but I recognize that this is a life-long commitment. The work is never done and frankly always under attack, so I feel I am more steadfast and resolute with the work, now more than ever.
What movie or show is must-watch for celebrating diversity and why? I have two must watches… “Young, Famous & African” and “Indian Matchmaking” both on Netflix. For Americans, I think we need to do a better job of engaging in the cultures of the world. These two shows are rooted in tradition and have myth busting qualities.
