Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/343997
d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N 31 JORGE QUEZADA: Chief Diversity Offcer, Kraft Foods Group M E N A S A L L I E S Jorge Quezada joined the Kraft family in 2013 from Allstate, where he held the role of director of Inclusive Diversity. In that role, he was responsible for ensuring that Allstate had inclusive diversity strategies in place to effectively contribute to the company's growth initiatives. Jorge enjoyed 27 years with Allstate, where he began his career, as human resources representative and ascended to various leadership roles in human resources, sales, claims, and product operations and marketing. Since becoming Kraft's new chief diversity offcer in June 2013, Quezada has been charged with enhancing Kraft's diversity and inclusion efforts in the workplace, marketplace, and community. To seamlessly integrate diversity and inclu- sion into all parts of the business, Jorge is building orga- nizational awareness and capability, uncovering synergies with the business units and functions, and turbocharging the company's employee resource groups to advance its business goals. Throughout the years, Jorge has been deeply involved in civic and community organizations, such as the Association of Hispanic Professionals for Education, the Urban League of Orange County (CA), and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Los Angeles. In 2009, he was recognized with the Future Leaders Award by the National Society of Hispanic MBA, Chicago Chapter. Jorge holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Whittier College and a master's degree in business adminis- tration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. an organization is to be fully inclusive and have every single member of the workforce engaged in driving the success of the company forward." Terefore, men have a responsibility not only to avoid blatant gender (or any other form of) discrimination, but also to go a step further and assess their interactions with all members of the team and, whenever possible, serve as allies, helping those who are underrepresented in the company feel included. "Te key to accomplishing this is buy-in, so men understand that engaging their female cohorts as partners benefts them and the entire organization as well as boosting women employees. "An organization with diversity of opinions and perspectives is a healthy one," says Reginald Van Lee, executive vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton. Jorge Quezada, chief diversity ofcer of Kraft Foods Group, says when he sees that buy-in happen, it can be like a lightbulb going of. "In the inclusion courses we teach at Kraft, the big 'aha' moment for us is when men have said, 'Oh, thank you, we are f- nally part of this conversation!' Tat has been really exciting when they realize they are not being told what to do, but are being in- vited to be part of the solution." "It is not sufcient to say the challenge for women's diversity in the workplace is the women's problem," Van Lee continues. "It's on all of us. From the senior leadership to the managers on down, we are responsible for making sure there is an inviting environ- ment for not just women, but for all groups." Each company has its own unique programs and processes for promoting workplace inclusion and helping women crack the glass ceiling. One of the commonalities is an emphasis on formal and informal one-on-one mentorship and sponsorship relationships.