Daisy Auger-Dominguez: Revving the Engine of D&I Innovation

Listen to this article

By Karla Amador

New York, NY — Daisy Auger-Dominguez is a culture game changer in industries ranging from finance, entertainment, media, and technology. She leads with a diversity and inclusion (D&I) approach to talent by beginning with the company’s culture.

“When I think of building and sustaining inclusive workplaces, I center the experience of the employees, which is really the most important asset of any organization and the engine of innovation.”

Her goal, she explained, is to maximize human capital and ensure that the organization, its people, culture, and corporate citizenship processes are producing fair outcomes for all.

“In terms of D&I, courage and empathy from leadership combined with a clear strategy, consistent messaging, putting the right metrics, rewards and discipline in place, and addressing bias across the entire ecosystem are the most important aspects of an organization’s health,” she said.

Daisy currently sits the Board of Directors of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and the Advisory Council of Facing History and Ourselves. In her previous executive roles, she has led Talent Acquisition at Viacom and led Diversity Staffing and Strategies at Google and the Alphabet companies, and Disney.

“Many industries are thinking about the best way to widen their D&I lens on a fundamental level. With artificial intelligence significantly disrupting Human Resources practices, companies are more closely analyzing their data, systems, and tools to undo disparities and bias in their workplaces,” she explained.

As the human resources landscape shifts, Daisy’s impact on these companies accelerates their evolving corporate culture and helps balance diverse workforces.

In order to move the needle on representation,  Daisy builds her strategy around critical questions regarding a company’s culture. She examines its approaches on hiring, performance reviews, inclusive succession plans, benefits, pay outcomes, diversity metrics and corporate citizenship.

Part of Daisy’s motivation and inspiration comes from her 10-year old daughter Emma; Daisy hopes that by developing a strong sense of self, belonging, and helping others, her daughter will be empowered with a sense of purpose and courage for years to come.

Fittingly, Daisy chose to end on a note of inspiration for the courageous leaders taking risks and helping others:

“Emotional intelligence, cultural dexterity and empathy are important skills for becoming an effective leader. A leader must also know that they will not be measured by the mistakes they make, but how they bounce back. Remember that our lives are a series of moments and experiences that lead in the direction we are intended to follow. ”