Dalana Brand has been named as the Chief People and Diversity Officer of Twitter. This means she will lead the company’s “Global People Team and inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility initiatives while working with executive management and the Board of Directors to support the company’s strategic direction,” Ebony reports.
The appointment makes Brand the second Black woman and third Black C-suite executive at Twitter since the company went public in late 2013. She first joined Twitter in 2018 and prior to her recent appointment, she served as vice president of People Experience and head of Inclusion and Diversity.
“We are on a journey to become the world’s most inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible technology company, which is key to serving the public conversation,” said Brand in an official statement. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the company’s global workforce and accelerate the progress we’ve made to create the best, most inclusive people experience for everyone at Twitter.”
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She is expected to give leadership to various initiatives like “expanding Twitter’s decentralized work strategy, creating an inclusive environment for employees around the world regardless of where they work, as well as prioritizing transparency and accountability throughout the company through initiatives like pay transparency.”
Ebony reports that she will also continue to work on Twitter’s vision to increase minority representation, diversity and inclusion in the company.
Prior to joining Twitter, she served as the vice president of Total Rewards for Electronic Arts, Inc. In addition, she spent nine years serving in multiple leadership positions at Whirlpool Corporation.
In an earlier interview with Adweek, Brand said she has had so many great people in her life who have helped her get to where she is now. “My parents, husband, and children are my biggest supporters. Mentors and people who worked on my behalf when I didn’t know they were,” she said.
At the moment, Brand serves as a board member of ColorComm, Compass Family Services, and Enterprise for Youth. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in finance and a Master of Business Administration with a dual degree in finance and human resources from Michigan State University.
On how to overcome typecasting in the workplace, Brand has advised people not to be afraid to take risks and push their boundaries professionally. “Also focus on what you can do to create opportunities for others being limited,” she said.
