Nzingha Shaw
As the first African-American woman in the NBA holding the title of chief diversity and inclusion officer at the Atlanta Hawks and Phillips Arena, Nzingha Shaw knows a thing or two about women in leadership. “The qualities that make me unique as an African American female leader are my unapologetic nature and my candor with compassion. I feel extremely comfortable in my skin and pride myself on providing honest feedback to my colleagues, irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation and any other qualities that set us apart,” she tells rollingout.
“As a diversity and inclusion professional, I try to read deeper than the surface realizing that some people communicate through facial expressions and non-audible ways,” she adds.
Shaw has attended the University of Pennsylvania, Spelman College, and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and credits her educational background to her fearless and worldly mindset.
Finally, Shaw reminds us that: “women of color are highly competent, capable and offer a unique perspective when it comes to making business decisions. We have a deep understanding of diverse demographics within the marketplace and can authentically reach multiple audiences.”