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Brand & Social Media Manager

Life@Gen

In celebration of Black History Month, we turn the spotlight on Meshawn Woods and LeShawn Parrish; the twin sisters have worked for the company for more than 15 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Growing up in Tucson, Arizona, the two never imagined they would enter the world of cybersecurity. (Fun fact: LeShawn actually wanted to go into sports medicine after running track in high school. It didn’t come to fruition – lucky for us. :)) &nbsp;Their bond meant that they would always look out for one another. And when opportunities arose, they had each other on speed dial.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, the ladies commute together to work. They often attend kickoff calls together. Their jobs intersect and intertwine. As Black Genovators and POWER Champions, their story embodies the importance of family, community, lifting up others and always striving for better.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enjoy a bit of their story and their rise to leadership roles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q – How long have you both worked at Gen and who started working here first? &nbsp;MeShawn: I started working here first. I started on November 17, 2007, in member services. This was my first corporate job. At the time, my sister worked at a different company, and I told her “Hey, this company is great, you should really come over.” And a few months later, she was here with me.&nbsp;&nbsp;LeShawn: My start date was May 5, 2008. She had been telling me for months to join, and I finally did. And I'm glad it did. I also started in Customer Support and Inside Sales (CSIS), as a phone agent.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Q – How did you start climbing the corporate ladder?&nbsp;MeShawn: So, I started helping another department. I saw my sister doing things, and I was like, “Oh, I want to try that out, too.” I started working with our billing/finance department, and then I got hired for a full-time position. And I kept moving up within there. Three to four years later, a temporary marketing position in the sales organization popped up. Just a couple of months in and they did not want me to leave. So, I got hired on in a permanent role. Without marketing experience, I was able to learn on the job. I absorbed everything and did some training on my own to make sure I was up to speed. I kept working hard, working as an individual contributor all the way to now – I’m a senior manager, and I manage the partner campaigns and sales enablement teams for the Americas.&nbsp;LeShawn: For me, as soon as my son hit kindergarten, I took advantage of what used to be called the “passport program,” where you could go to other departments from the support team, and you could apply for positions in other departments. They would give you, 90 days, just to see if that was a good fit for you. And it ended up being a really good fit.&nbsp;&nbsp;There was a need for someone to know the ins and outs of our operations, including back-end operations for our sales team. And I just made it my business to understand everything. I never stopped learning. I was very collaborative. And when a leadership position opened up, and I was asked to take it on. But because I made it my business to keep learning, I was actually the perfect candidate for this.&nbsp;&nbsp;I worked my way from a sales operation agent up to manager. Now, I’m the director of Sales Operations and the Deal Desk team for the Americas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Q – You’ve been here 15+ years. What makes you stay?&nbsp;MeShawn: After 5 years of working here, I needed a challenge. Instead of looking outside, like most people do, first, I looked inside. I've switched my job and department completely. I've done a lot of different things within this organization. People tend to leave because they're not taking on different opportunities, asking to learn new skills or volunteering to do different things outside of their scope. If there are opportunities to do something different and learn from a different team, take it!&nbsp;&nbsp;Q – How did you first become involved in POWER, our employee resource group?&nbsp;&nbsp;LeShawn: Our DEI department gave me the opportunity to participate in a Black leadership program by McKinsey in late 2020. I enjoyed getting a chance to talk with other Black professionals. After that, I realized how much I enjoyed and missed the fellowship.&nbsp;&nbsp;After expressing this to our DEI leads at the time, they asked if I was interested in championing a Black resource group. And because I felt like I was missing something, I decided to take on the challenge.&nbsp;&nbsp;So, I brought in my sister, and then also Syreeta McAuley, who we’ve worked with for years. And the rest is history, we’ve been doing it ever since.&nbsp;&nbsp;Q – Can you talk about your experience as a Black Genovator?&nbsp;LeShawn: I’ve always felt like I can be myself. I've never felt like I've had to hide who I am or mute myself. I can speak the same way I would speak to my sister to my coworkers.&nbsp;&nbsp;MeShawn: I feel like there’s always an opportunity to continue to improve and to grow in your career here. I don't feel mundane. I don't feel bored. We're an innovative company. There are always new products. There are always new features. And it’s also about what we do as well … we're helping to protect people's identities and privacy. This is the work that makes you feel good about what you’re doing. You’re able to make a difference.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Q – How do you want Gen to honor Black history?&nbsp;LeShawn: For me, honoring our history is important, and that goes along with how we’re able to lift others up, too. I think about how we can support and grow diversity at Gen. That means creating more pathways for people, like working with schools to hire Black interns. We could ask Black employees if they have a mentee who needs an opportunity; chances are they have someone in their network who just needs a shot. These are the types of conversations we’re already having within POWER, and we hope to bring them to life.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Q – What would you like to tell Black Genovators or future Black Genovators joining our team?&nbsp;&nbsp;MeShawn: Know your business. Network within the company. Don't be afraid to ask any questions. Reach out to POWER members who are in different parts of the company – we're here to help support you. We have lots of connections with organizations, both internally and externally.&nbsp;&nbsp;LeShawn: For current employees, take advantage of POWER. It’s a place to give you the confidence you need to go out and ask for what you want. If you need a place to speak freely, we have those kinds of sessions. For prospects, reach out to us on LinkedIn if you have questions. And if you're worried about coming into a space where you're not going to have people surrounding you who look like you, we do have a community here to support you.&nbsp;&nbsp;Join us in applauding MeShawn and LeShawn on their 15-year journey. Let’s celebrate their contributions and learn from their story. Siblings or not, we can motivate one another, support each other and uplift others whenever we have a chance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Congratulations to the sisters on all their hard-earned success. Wishing you many more years at Gen.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q&A - Two Sisters Working to Uplift the Black Experience at Gen 

Celebrating Black Excellence: Twin Sisters Shining Bright

Conversational Designer

Senior Internal Auditor

Though one month is dedicated to Black History, the incredible efforts and contributions of Black individuals have made impacts far, wide and through periods of time.&nbsp;&nbsp;History has the power to reach everyone.&nbsp;&nbsp;Honoring Black History isn’t just about the past, though. It’s also about celebrating Black excellence and paving a way for people to follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>Celebrating our POWER &nbsp;</h2>Our Employee Resource Group, POWER, was created to connect Black team members and allies from around the company and the world. Like with many other communities, it’s a safe place to find fellowship with those who look like you, understand where you’re coming from and maybe even have similar experiences. We also use it as a space to educate those who are willing to learn and become an ally and a part of change.&nbsp; We focus on cultural topics, larger company initiatives and find ways to give back and ways to uplift.&nbsp;&nbsp;And, of course, we couldn’t miss an opportunity to celebrate Black History Month. POWER hosted a global celebration for Black History Month, highlighting the contributions of Black individuals in visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary arts and other cultural expressions. &nbsp;Some honorable mentions included:&nbsp;<ul><li>Toni Morrison – first woman to win a Nobel Prize in literature&nbsp;</li><li>Abby Fisher – published the oldest known cookbook written by a former slave&nbsp;</li><li>Sona Jobarteh – first recognized female Kora player in the world&nbsp;</li><li>Jean-Michel Basquiat – neo-expressionism artist, set the record for a painting sold at $110.5 million&nbsp;</li></ul>(If you haven’t heard of them before, we encourage you to learn more.)&nbsp;

<h2>Becoming HBCU Heroes &nbsp;</h2>Around Gen, team members have volunteered to participate in a year-long mentoring partnership with <a href="https://www.hbcuheroes.org/">HBCU Heroes</a>. The partnership includes quarterly mentorship “meetups'' where 30 students will be paired with a Genovator to help advance their career goals.&nbsp;We’re excited to help empower HBCU (Historically Black College and University) students to give them a leg up in corporate America and tech. We also hope that we can meet future hires through this opportunity, too.&nbsp;<h2>Connecting Cyber Safety to Black Communities &nbsp;</h2>As a leader in Cyber Safety and Identity Theft Protection, we use our skills and resources to also support our local communities. That’s why we’re a founding partner of the <a href="https://www.nortonlifelock.com/blogs/corporate-responsibility/supporting-black-communities">Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC)</a> multi-year initiative to provide identity education and protection programs and victim services to Black communities – communities that are disproportionately affected by identity theft.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lots of <a href="https://www.idtheftcenter.org/understanding-identity-crime-in-black-communities/">quantitative and qualitative research</a> has been done to give us a better understanding of identity theft in the Black community, Now, ITRC is working on the development of assistance programs. New training practices will help provide advice to identity theft victims and we’ll be seeking new ways to increase awareness and recovery, to better protect our community.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Celebration Through Action: How You Can Participate&nbsp;</h2>Black History Month can be celebrated by anyone and everyone. The best part is, in seemingly small ways you too can make an impact.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ol><li>Organize Speaker Sessions - Education is a tool for understanding awareness and empathy. Learn from culture, achievements and Black experts for a deeper understanding of black history and its significance.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Promote Black Excellence – Share successes and milestones of Black professionals in your network. It takes one second to repost, like a tweet, etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Advocate for Diversity – Amplify Black voices, representation and perspectives in panels, groups and organizations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Offer Support – Black businesses, authors and artists all need support. For instance, find a local Black business that you can purchase from or recommend to others.&nbsp;</li><li>Donate to Nonprofits – Connect with nonprofits on how you can help. Some known ones are <a href="https://www.wearebgc.org/">Black Girls Code</a> and <a href="https://www.blacksintechnology.net/">Blacks in Technology Foundation</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Educational Support – Support programs and initiatives that provide educational opportunities, scholarships or resources to Black students and aspiring professionals. &nbsp;</li><li>Mentorship – Just as we found an opportunity for mentorship with HBCU Heroes, you can too!&nbsp;</li><li>Give Someone an Opportunity – Giving someone a chance can change the trajectory of their life.&nbsp;</li></ol>Today and every day, it’s important to acknowledge the rich diversity and achievements of the Black community. And it’s also crucial that we not only reminisce about the past but also actively support and empower the Black community for the future.&nbsp;

Honoring Black History and Embracing the Future

Celebrating Black History, Today and Every Day

Head of Learning, Development & DEI

Inclusion isn’t just a box to check off. For me, inclusion is a central point of focus every day, and my team continues to work on blending it into everything we do at Gen. Inclusion is (and should always be) woven into our culture. And though we’re a global company, it doesn’t just come naturally. We still work at it. Strategize around it, purposefully.&nbsp;Our four-pillar DEI strategy is at the heart of our mission. These include:&nbsp;

These efforts drive our mission to attract, retain and develop talent by providing meaningful opportunities within our diverse teams. So far,&nbsp;we’ve found success in more inclusive and diverse teams – success in innovation, creativity and, more importantly, wellness (wellness being physical, emotional and financial).Fiscal Year 2023 ended on a good note. But we’ve still got work to do. Here is how Gen netted out in FY23:

I’m glad to say that our efforts haven’t gone unnoticed — Newsweek recently recognized Gen as<ul><li>One of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-greatest-workplaces-women-2024">America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women</a></li><li>And one of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-greatest-workplaces-diversity-2024">America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity</a></li></ul>That’s something we appreciate and celebrate.&nbsp;As we continue to grow and build #TeamGen, we’ll continue to evolve our representation strategy, too (I look forward to sharing more on that). Below I’ll dig into a couple of things happening internally and externally, how we’re fostering a culture of belonging and why I think Gen is truly a great workplace.&nbsp;Sharing Common Differences: Internal WorkingsOur employee resource groups – which we call “Communities@Gen” – help us bring our global team members and allies together for events and initiatives, learning journeys, mentoring, volunteering opportunities and more. It’s a way for us to feel close to each other, even when we’re far. Share commonalities and differences with people who are like ourselves and those who are eager to learn. It’s how we make new friends. Introduce cultural understanding. How we have fun. It’s a chance for us to be ourselves (which can be a breath of fresh air in the corporate world). &nbsp;Beginning in FY24, each community receives a dedicated budget from our Giving@Gen program to donate to an eligible cause of their choice. Communities also partner with Giving@Gen throughout the year to offer volunteering and giving opportunities for all employees, such as raising funds for organizations like SAATHI, Outhouse, Sapling and many, many more.Amplifying Our Impact: External Efforts&nbsp;We work with several high-impact nonprofits to accelerate our inclusion work.&nbsp;With our nonprofit partner, Disability:IN, Gen held an all-company event during World Autism Month, highlighting the challenges of sensory overload for neurodiverse individuals and helped people understand how they can better support themselves or team members who may have a disability.As part of our efforts to build a pipeline of diverse talent, Gen continues to partner with programs that empower women in tech.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.czechitas.cz/en">Czechitas</a>, based in the Czech Republic, operates a diverse range of programs <a>to help train and upskill professional women looking to enter tech careers. </a>The nonprofit also helps connect its graduates to partner companies hiring in the IT field. In 2023, our partnership supported eight events, including Czechitas’ Digital Academies, educating more than 227 people.&nbsp;<a href="https://women4cyber.eu/">Women4Cyber</a> seeks to&nbsp;close the gender gap in cybersecurity through awareness and mentoring programs for women.&nbsp;Our contribution of $150,000 per year for three years will add content to Women4Cyber’s Academy, offer mentorships with Gen employees and contribute to the expansion of new chapters.&nbsp;

We also collaborate with nonprofits to provide Cyber Safety resources to higher-risk and diverse communities. As an example, Gen partners with <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people. Together we created the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/online-safety-for-lgbtq-young-people/">Guide to Online Safety for LGBTQ+ Young People</a>.&nbsp;This free digital resource helps queer youth navigate the digital world.&nbsp;As a global brand providing safety for the first digital generation, we get how incorporating diverse voices gets us further, faster. And I'm personally excited to lead the charge on the DE&amp;I front and see how Gen continues to grow in the coming years.

Life@Gen

Celebrating Black Excellence: Twin Sisters Shining Bright

Celebrating Black History, Today and Every Day

Gen Wins Recognition for its Commitment to Inclusion