We love featuring different DEI professionals on our blog to share their philosophies, tips, personal stories, and more. Today, we’re highlighting Angie DeAlba, a Senior Communications Manager and co-lead of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Committee at Primera Engineers. Read to learn more about Angie’s story, the most rewarding part of her work, and one piece of advice she would give to someone starting a career in the DEI space.

What does your role as Senior Communications Manager and co-lead of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) committee at Primera entail?

My role at Primera is to represent the firm, its projects, and its people by way of storytelling. As a senior communications manager I take pride in shining a light on how we embody our values, and also the extraordinary work produced by our team of engineering, consulting, and corporate experts. The fun part about my role is that each day I’m working on several different projects at once and I get to connect with colleagues from across each of our five divisions. Because I get to work on both external- and internal-facing communications, my position as co-lead for the DE&I committee was a natural fit. I’ve always had a deep passion for diversity and for connecting with people from different backgrounds, which is why I volunteered to step in. As co-lead, I help keep the momentum going in promoting and executing our DE&I mission and initiatives.

What does your professional background look like? How have your past career experiences informed how you think about DEI?

I’ve been lucky to experience an all-encompassing career path that has taken me from the nonprofit world to a Fortune 500 company, and nearly everything in between. While my expertise is mainly geared toward marketing, project management and communications, I’ve remained involved and always maintained an interest in DE&I work, social responsibility/philanthropy efforts, and meeting & event planning. Fortunately, for the past ten years Primera has given me the opportunity to flourish in all these areas.

My passion for diversity started early, right after college with my first couple of positions working for two different non-profit organizations – SER, Jobs for Progress, and the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. Both positions provided me with such rewarding experiences in seeing how grateful people were after I had helped them change their lives. Both positions allowed me to work with marginalized communities in preparing them and assisting with their employment journey. As someone who also comes from a disadvantaged group, I was hooked after seeing how I was able to make a difference and improve the quality of life for someone else.

How do you define diversity, equity, and inclusion? What is your philosophy?

I am not a diversity expert, but one thing I do know is that kindness matters, and that holds true in the DE&I space as well. It’s all about making everyone feel welcomed by acknowledging and appreciating what makes them different. It’s about encouraging people to share their full selves and empowering them to be the most successful version of themselves. Most importantly, however, is that by being kind, compassionate, and empathetic toward people, and their life’s experiences, are we then able to build stronger and more meaningful relationships.

What is the most rewarding part of being a part of co-leading the DE&I committee?

For me, the most rewarding part and why I volunteer to lead Primera’s DE&I work is the personal aspect and knowing that I am helping get people’s stories heard. Through our journey so far, I have seen people open up about their family histories, their experiences, and their opinions on these important issues. At the same time, it’s been amazing to see people connecting with each other on a deeper level and not only learning but also truly understanding, each other’s backgrounds. Having open, and sometimes difficult conversations has increased respect among our employees and has also brought opportunities for growth amongst our teams.

Why are conversations around DEI so important for companies to have at this time?

In today’s climate with resignation rates being so high, people have choices about where they want to work. This means people can be more selective about what’s important to them when looking for their next employer. In addition to an attractive salary, potential candidates are now also looking for more substance behind their offers, and asking themselves, “is this company actually walking the walk or just talking the talk?” While there are many potential factors on why someone would choose to work for a particular firm, diversity, equity, and inclusion have become such important reasons to join.

Given the historic events of 2020 with the murder of George Floyd, and countless others, DE&I issues, particularly racial injustices, have come into the limelight. Seeing as how people spend one-third of their lives working, most would want to spend that time somewhere where they feel included, safe, and supported. Therefore, it is more important than ever for organizations to have a strong emphasis on DE&I and be more mindful about its place in the world.

Who is someone you admire?
I know this may feel like a cop out response, but there is no one person that comes to mind. I admire anyone who is unafraid to speak up against any injustice or in support of social changes. I look up to those who step out of their comfort zones without fear of being criticized or ostracized and take real action. Everyone is busy, so to me, even the simplest of steps taken mean something. Whether it’s by joining a DE&I committee at their company, attending a protest, posting or sharing on their social media, or calling their representatives in support of change – these are the people who are doing the work to truly make our world a better place for all.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is starting a career in DEI?

As a former runner, this quote is always one of my favorites – “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” So, my advice is to get ready for the long haul! No one has DE&I completely figured out and most firms that have a solid program know that it’s always a work in progress. The key is not to get discouraged because the journey can be just as rewarding.

Thanks, Angie! Check out our other DEI spotlights below.

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