In the latest episode of the CBJ podcast, “Diversity Straight Up,” hosts Sarika Bhakta and Anthony Arrington talk with Suzanne McCormick, U.S. president of United Way Worldwide, about the recent racial tensions in the country, her own experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and leading through transformational times.
“I came to appreciate the beauty of that culture – it taught me that while we’re different, it doesn’t make us better. So it just humbled me. It was also my first experience actually living in a situation where I felt like a minority.”
Listen below or subscribe to the show at SoundCloud, iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Stitcher. Diversity Straight Up is presented by Collins Aerospace, the city of Cedar Rapids and Alliant Energy.
About Suzanne McCormick:
Suzanne McCormick was named U.S. President of United Way Worldwide (UWW) in June 2019. She is responsible for helping the 1,100 local United Ways across the U.S. trailblaze in the philanthropic space to build more resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities. That includes leading in equity, tackling community problems with innovative and systemic solutions, and driving the ongoing digital transformation. Ms. McCormick came to United Way Worldwide from Tampa, Florida, where she spent five years as president and CEO for United Way Suncoast, one of Florida’s largest United Ways.
About the hosts:
Sarika Bhakta is president of Nikeya Diversity Consulting and a Certified Diversity Executive with more than 20 years of experience in leadership, management, talent attraction/retention and resource acquisition/development. Born in Gujarat, India and raised in the Midwest, Sarika empowers leaders to identify their authentic self to be successful change agents in today’s global economy.
Anthony Arrington is co-founder and managing partner with Top RANK Professional & Executive Search and Consulting, a search firm focused on helping companies acquire professional and executive-level talent, with a special emphasis on diverse and inclusive leadership. He has more than 20 years of experience in management, strategic planning, leadership and staff development in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.
