The inspiring panelists featured in Thursday's WBI Luncheon seemed to agree that being authentic and true to oneself is the key to success as an LBT businesswoman.
Moderated by Deborah Nolan, Americas Director of Tax Controversy and Risk Management Services at Ernst & Young, the panel discussion included Jennifer Brown, CEO and founder of Jennifer Brown Consulting; Stacy Smithers, senior vice president of regional sales and marketing for Wells Fargo & Co. and Wachovia, Florida region; Kathleen Martinez, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy; and Amanda Simpson, senior technical advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce, and the first-ever transgender presidential appointee.
Jennifer Brown said she attributes the support of the LGBT business community to much of her own success, noting that it's the "diversity of thought" common among LGBT professionals that will lead to innovation to "power our country and our world."
"We've barely scratched the surface of what the community is capable of," Brown said.
Simpson, who transitioned from male to female while she was a rocket scientist and test pilot at Raytheon prior to her presidential appointment, said, "If we are truly to live authentically and to live to our fullest potential, we can't rely on or be held down by those stereotypes that are imposed by society. It's about who I am and the capabilities and experiences and what I can bring to your business, what I can bring to the industry, what I can bring to my country. That is what I can be evaluated on, not those preconceived notions that you bring forward."
Martinez attributed her success to the "amazing mentors" she's had throughout her life, but being blind has forced her to always prove those with low expectations wrong.
"It's the challenge of always being met with low expectations that made me who I am, but I've also had an amazing network of mentors and muses and just really good luck and good advice," Martinez said.
In terms of influencing the workplace to recognize LGBT as a diverse segment in their policies, Smithers said it's LGBT employees being open and authentic that will help advance LGBT diversity issues in the workplace.
"I think that it's really incumbent upon us to be out, to build those relationships. If you aren't out, I truly feel that you can't build relationships," Smithers said. "I think that so much of that workplace piece needs to be driven by us as leaders to say, we have to be out, we have to show people that we're normal."
"When we are not out, when we are not authentic, we take away from the educational piece, we take away from the importance of showing our numbers, and showing our issues," Simpson said. "We can't be hiding and expect to move forward."
Ernst & Young was the Presenting Sponsor of the luncheon. Co-Sponsors of the luncheon included the United States Postal Service, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and the Campaign for Disability Employment.
