by Insight Global Staff
Insight Global CEO Bert Bean recently announced Korryn Williamson as Insight Global’s new Director of Diversity and Inclusion. This announcement comes after years of focusing on more inclusive efforts in the workplace as well as the founding of Insight Global’s Diversity Council and Diversity Ambassador program.
We sat down with Korryn to learn more about her and her plans for this role.
IG: How does it feel to be the newly promoted Director of Diversity & Inclusion?
Korryn: They say that the doors will open up as soon as you find the missing key – and this promotion feels like I finally found my missing key. It’s an honor, and a huge responsibility. Although I am the new face of D&I, there were so many people who carried this vision to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work before I even got here. I know it would not have been possible for me to get here without all of the hard work that our Diversity Council and Diversity Ambassador programs have put in over the past few years to foster a culture of innovation.
IG: How has being a woman of color in the workplace shaped you into who you are today?
Korryn: Whether we are talking Stacey Abrams, Naomi Osaka, Rihanna, or Amanda Gorman – I saw Black women in 2020 on the rise and I decided I want to rise too. Less than 60 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to share an office space with my white peers, and today I can. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. 2020 was a hard year for many reasons, but the silver lining is that I spent a lot of time thinking, and self-reflecting. I continued to process and learn what it means to be a Black woman in America. I have learned that there is power in sharing my story and making myself vulnerable. Despite its challenges, I love being a Black woman.
In the words of my favorite poet, and fellow Black leader Maya Angelou,
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.”
I am Black, I am a woman, and mattering is the bare minimum. I am valued, I am loved, and like the historic Black women who have come before me, I am a change agent.
IG: What goal(s) do you hope to accomplish in this role?
Korryn: My main goal is to develop a robust D&I strategy that revolutionizes every role in the company, every division, every market, and will change the way we think about our day-to-day jobs. We will make diversity a core part of our business strategy, and inclusion will be weaved into the fabric of our culture. What we have in store is going to be monumental because we are a company dedicated to empowering people.
IG: Why is it important for companies to have specific roles dedicated to action around diversity and inclusion?
Korryn: I have a love/hate relationship with this question because the answer seems so simple. It’s just the right thing to do. Ethically, people want to work for companies that are aligned with their personal values. People of all backgrounds are looking to work in an environment that has built an infrastructure conducive to their growth and prosperity. In fact, research has shown that culturally and ethnically diverse executive teams were 33% more likely to see better-than-average profits.
Simply, it will make you a better company. You cannot build a house with all hammers — you need other tools, too.
by Alexandra Woodford 
by Brita Long 