Presented at Defrag Conference, this presentation features diversity interviews with technology executives based on my experience having a LGBT presentation banned by my school.

1. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Diversity In The Face
of Adversity

2. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld

3. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Is diversity important
to have in a workplace?
Audience Question:

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Kate Hirschfeld
Mary Scotton
Principal Developer Evangelist and Diversity Advocate

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Kate Hirschfeld
Is the lack of diversity
a pipeline issue?
Audience Question:

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Kate Hirschfeld

7. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Me in 6th
Grade

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Kate Hirschfeld
So, I was primed to be a girl geek.
What went wrong?

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Kate Hirschfeld
Being Gay in
Middle School.
Yikes.

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Kate Hirschfeld
The Banned
Presentation
http://bit.ly/HCMSLGBT

11. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
A Doorway to Diversity Discussions

12. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Caroline
Boudreaux
Founder of a
non-profit The
Miracle Foundation
and WEF Young
Global Leader
Dan
Hirschfeld
President of a
multinational
health services
company
Carl
Shepherd
Co-founder of
HomeAway, an
international
company
Lynelle
McKay
CEO of Girl
Scouts Central
Texas & Exec at
Freescale
Mellie
Price
Serial business
founder & tech
entrepreneur
Elizabeth
Myers
Partner at
Jones Day law
firm
Mark
Theile
Chief Strategy
Officer at
Apcera
Forrest
Norrod
Senior VP at
AMD
Charmaine
Winters
Senior HR
director at
Samsung

13. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Create A Culture
On Purpose
Interview Insight:

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Kate Hirschfeld
“You have to make it a regular
conversation, it’s not something
you do once.”
Mark Thiele
Chief Strategy Officer at Apcera

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Kate Hirschfeld
“When management is supportive of
diversity, it’s not threatened”
Carl Shepherd
Co-founder of HomeAway

16. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
“No asshole policy”
Caroline Boudreaux
Founder of a non-profit The Miracle Foundation
and WEF Young Global Leader

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Kate Hirschfeld
Defend Your Stance
Interview Insight:

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Kate Hirschfeld
My School’s
“Zero Tolerance” Bullying Policy

19. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Making Zero Tolerance Real
Mark’s Culture Defense Story

20. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
“You can’t afford to allow cancer
like that to grow...you have to
cut it out from the beginning.”
Mark Theile
Chief Strategy Officer at a Apcera

21. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
“Passiveness is acceptance”
Dan Hirschfeld
President of a multinational health services company

22. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Prioritize Diversity
Interview Insight:

23. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
“Diversity is arguably one of the most
important core values, particularly in the
tech sector when you’re making products
for a broad market.”
Mellie Price
Serial business founder & tech entrepreneur

24. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Diversity Expands Problem Solving
Forrest’s Team Building Story

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Kate Hirschfeld
“If you don’t take initiatives to have a
diverse staff, it usually won’t happen.”
Carl Shepherd
Co-founder of HomeAway

26. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Representation
Pipeline
Role Models
Inspiring the Next Generation

27. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
“The end result of the hard work is a
stronger product, a stronger team,
a stronger sense of purpose. The things
that power a company over time are
better as a result, but it’s not easy.”
Mellie Price
Serial business founder & tech entrepreneur

28. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
But it’s not easy.

29. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Diversity Demands Action
Are you committed or interested?

30. @K8Hir
Kate Hirschfeld
Who Has
Questions?
I want more stories!
LinkedIn: Kate Hirschfeld
Twitter: @K8Hir