DEI Spotlight: Avy Kea from ActiveCampaign
We love featuring different DEI professionals on our blog to share their philosophies, tips, personal stories, and more. Today, we’re highlighting Avy Kea, a DEI Program Manager at ActiveCampaign. Read to learn more about Avy’s story, her day-to-day work, and what she believes leaders and employees can do to foster an inclusive work environment
Congratulations on starting your role as DEI Program Manager at ActiveCampaign in May! What does your job entail?
I recently celebrated my three-month anniversary at ActiveCampaign, and one of my favorite things about showing up to work is that every day still feels new and looks different. My role as DEI Program Manager consists of working on initiatives and projects to transform our culture. I work closely with our seven employee resource groups (ERGs) to increase cultural awareness, support ActiveCampaign’s diversity goals, increase business impact, and enhance the sense of community among our employees. I also lead the execution of our company-wide DEI engagement (events, programs, etc.) to promote awareness and ongoing dialogue on topics related to DEI.
Currently, our team is working with leaders across the company to define and implement ActiveCampaign’s DEI strategy. A component of our strategy consists of a more focused data-driven approach, and my role in supporting this effort is to identify and assess gaps, develop applicable action plans, and measure progress to promote meaningful, long-lasting change.
ActiveCampaign is growing rapidly. We have over 850 employees today, and we’re on track to reach 1,000 employees within the year (click here to see our open positions!). As our team continues to grow geographically and culturally, it’s important that we continue to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity. That’s also one of our company values, which I love knowing that my role is critical to our continual company culture.
What does your professional background look like? How have your past career experiences informed how you think about DEI?
I started my career as an account planner at a data-driven, media strategy and planning company in Columbia, Missouri. In that role, I led the media plan development for clients in the healthcare and banking industries and provided the strategic direction on how to allocate advertising dollars to meet our clients’ marketing goals and objectives. During my time at the agency, I also had the opportunity to mentor and supervise an intern. I worked closely with my student to develop their professional skill sets and build on their strengths, and I enjoyed it so much that I leaned on this experience to pivot my career into career coaching business students at my alma mater. My training as a career coach allowed my empathy to shine, and it sharpened my consulting, presentation, and facilitation skills.
After spending two years in this role, I realized I wanted to continue to grow as a coach and further explore opportunities to help individuals become the best version of themselves. I continued my career in higher education, and I landed a position as a talent development professional with the main responsibilities of supporting the efforts of our talent / learning and development team while coordinating and managing the department’s summer undergraduate internship program. This position was instrumental in my career development as it was the perfect opportunity for me to explore my own interest in DEI and pioneer a number of new initiatives that would influence the culture. My time in higher education reinforced my passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and it connected my enthusiasm for developing others.
I am the professional that I am today because I often had to navigate through these predominantly white spaces as being “the only”. The only Asian American in the company. The only BIPOC individual on my team. Even though there were many moments when being “the only” was mentally and emotionally taxing, I learned that my identity as an Asian American cis woman came with privilege and was often tied to perceptions resulting from the model minority myth. I struggled with imposter syndrome in these white spaces and often questioned how my identity as an Asian American cis woman determines how the world sees me and engages with me.
How I think about DEI is largely influenced by the realities I live in and my desire to share these experiences with people who don’t look like me. It’s an ongoing process, but it’s also a personal commitment.
How do you define diversity, equity, and inclusion? What is your philosophy?
I’ve come across many definitions for diversity, equity, and inclusion over the course of my career, and at present, these are my working definitions for each: Diversity is our differences that impact how we view and engage with the world. Equity is understanding that individuals come from different starting points yet ensuring they have access to the resources, tools, and opportunities to achieve success. Inclusion is creating a sense of belonging by inviting individuals from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to share their voices and to influence processes, initiatives/activities, and decision-making. Personally, these definitions will continue to change for me, but I’m okay with that. I will embrace my own growth in this space as I continue to learn about experiences other than my own.
As a DEI practitioner, I strongly believe one of the ways we can move forward as a community (and as a society) is to challenge ourselves to learn, unlearn, and relearn. This work requires empathy—it asks us to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and to open our minds and hearts to think and feel differently.
What is the most challenging aspect of your role? What is the most rewarding?
I’ll start with the most rewarding aspect of my role because I love sharing this part. My work allows me to encourage my colleagues to view themselves as DEI leaders and empower them to own their learning in this space. I’ve also had the opportunity to work alongside and support our exceptional ERG leaders by serving as a thought partner to organize, facilitate, and celebrate key holidays and cultural events.
On the other hand, it can sometimes feel like the rewarding parts of my job are often balanced with challenges. Recently, a close colleague of mine skimmed through my personal Instagram profile, and they were surprised to see that I'm “a DEI Program Manager outside of work too.” I never thought of myself in that way, but there’s truth in that sentiment. I’m not shy about sharing my thoughts and feelings on topics and matters related to DEI in my personal life, and working in the DEI space has undoubtedly strengthened my voice. At this point, DEI is incorporated into every aspect of my life. I have found it challenging for me to “turn off the DEI Program Manager'' side of me and honor my boundaries of leaving work at work. I have to constantly remind myself boundaries are a form of self-care, and in order for me to bring my whole self and best self to work, I have to prioritize rest, my mental health, and ultimately, me.
Why are conversations around DEI so important for companies to have at this time?
I think it’s safe to assume everyone understands the business impact (or “business case”) of DEI. Companies focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion can expect to appreciate higher revenue growth, increased innovation, strong employee engagement, high retention rates, etc. There are many positive implications from creating an inclusive work environment, but companies should also understand that having conversations around DEI is the right thing to do.
It’s also important for us to ask, “What does it mean to be an employee at this time?” We are currently living in a post-George Floyd era where there is a greater momentum behind demands for racial and social justice, and the pandemic has taken a mental, emotional, and physical toll on many individuals. The Great Resignation also can’t be ignored—working individuals are now reevaluating their employers and basing their decisions to stay on factors such as (but not limited to) whether or not their current work environments are psychologically safe spaces, their relationships with their managers, the company’s support for work-life balance and flexible schedules, and most importantly, whether they’re seen, listened to, and valued.
The bottom line is that working individuals have choices, and a company focused on having conversations around DEI is likely to be a company where employees can bring their whole selves to work without fear and thrive.
Who is someone you admire?
Instead of naming one person, I’ll name two—my parents.
My parents are from Cambodia, and recently, I was able to hear about their stories as refugees in America. My parents officially became refugees when they arrived in the United States in 1980—after surviving the Khmer Rouge, a communist party that was responsible for a genocide that murdered two million Cambodians.
My parents’ story helped me realize there is pride in being a daughter of refugees.
Resilience is a part of my family history, and their ability to recover from a traumatic experience represents their strength. They are my main source of inspiration and motivation to seek success, both professionally and personally.
What is one thing leaders and employees can do every day to foster an inclusive work environment?
Great question! I’m a firm believer that leaders and employees can foster inclusion by modeling inclusive behaviors such as using and promoting gender-neutral language (words matter!), practicing active allyship, engaging in active listening, and staying curious, and exploring the complexities and nuances that may surface in a work environment.
This list is not comprehensive, but it’s a good starting point for individuals who want to contribute to a culture where diversity is embraced and employees are seen, heard, and valued.
Click here to visit ActiveCampaign’s diversity page and learn more about how they cultivate DEI at work.