Chelsie Walsh
Senior Corporate Recruiter & DEIB Resource Manager
Tell us a little bit about your personal journey at your current company.
After an initial introduction to the industry, she joined Beacon Hill Technologies – the company’s technology staffing and consulting division in October 2015. Since then, Chelsie has had the opportunity to do recruiting, sales, and then leadership when she became the Sr. Managing Consultant for the sales team in Orange County, CA. After relocating to Eugene, Oregon in 2020, she joined the Corporate Recruiting team and quickly realized her passion was recruiting and staffing teams internally for Beacon Hill. Over the years, Walsh has not only accomplished major company milestones like Top of the Hill and President’s Club, but she also joined Beacon Hill’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) Taskforce where she was a key player in implementing various diversity recruiting strategies and initiatives. Today, Chelsie maintains a dual role of Corporate Recruiting and leads the diversity charge as the company’s DEIB Resource Manager.
Can you share with us some best practices in terms of realizing forward-thinking diversity strategies?
When asked about DEIB efforts in the workplace, Walsh believes that DEIB initiatives are essential to creating a positive and inclusive work environment. She believes the best practices around forward-thinking diversity strategies are to:
• Develop a roadmap to help you attain your diversity goals
• Attract more diverse applicants to your positions
• Provide training and understanding around your initiatives
Since becoming the DEIB Resource Manager, Walsh has partnered with a third-party DEIB Consultant to outline the diversity goals for the organization. She has utilized her corporate recruiting relationships to ensure recruiters were attending diversity-led campus events, attending a wide variety of schools across the country – including HBCU’s, and revised job descriptions to specifically highlight all of Beacon Hill’s diversity efforts. Since the beginning of 2023, Walsh has launched four Employee Resource Networks (ERNs), or employee-led networking groups that come together to share a common affinity, experience or background and further develop a sense of belonging for individuals at Beacon Hill. Additionally, Walsh partners with the organization’s learning management systems manager on Unconscious Bias and Inclusive Leadership trainings, which she sees as best practice when developing forward-thinking strategies. Overall, Walsh believes that it is important for employees to understand the importance of diversity and inclusion but also be given ample training and tools to create a positive and inclusive work environment at Beacon Hill.
Check out the Beacon Hill Staffing Group careers here!
Tell us a little bit about your personal journey at your current company.
I joined Cambium Assessment (CAI) in September of 2021, and since then, we’ve made some amazing strides in DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging). CAI is one of five companies that make up Cambium Learning Group, and I mention this because while I am a CAI employee, I have the opportunity to work across business units (and with our colleagues in Success Services and the Executive Leadership Team) on DEIB strategies and initiatives. In my role, I am responsible for working alongside our DEIB Council, providing training and education on various DEIB topics, assisting our various teams and departments in infusing DEIB throughout our organization, and collaborating with individuals from across the enterprise. This has enriched my journey at CAI as I believe in the power of people – we’re not able to do impactful work for teachers and students alone, so connecting with my colleagues on this important work is crucial to helping the teachers and students we work with feel seen, valued, and supported. I also appreciate the leadership of Cambium Assessment’s president, Steve Kromer, who sees DEIB as central to the mission and vision of CAI. My position could have reported to any number of vice presidents within CAI. However, Steve sees how important it is to center the work I do with the senior leader within the organization, allowing me to have the professional capital to truly show our employees that DEIB matters – and is here to stay – within our organization.
Can you share with us some best practices in terms of realizing forward-thinking diversity strategies?
For any forward-thinking strategies, my first “best practice” is to take inventory of the perspectives of individuals within your organization who identify as people of the global majority (individuals who constitute ~85% of the global population) – consider those perspectives that aren’t being amplified within the workplace (virtually, hybrid, and/or in person) and find ways to get those individuals centered in the conversation. In addition to the aforementioned points, I would also include the importance of leadership being involved in the work – in a way that goes beyond lip service. What I appreciate about CAI – and Cambium Learning Group as a whole – is that our leaders are willing to come to the table to have those difficult conversations. Finally, we must incorporate and encourage the use of data in the decision-making process, and utilize that data to move the work of DEIB forward. Oftentimes, organizations may find themselves afraid of what the data will say, however, it’s the data that tells the story.
Check out the Cambium Assessment careers here!
Tell us a little bit about your personal journey at your current company.
I began my journey with Lexis in 2017 as a Law student, starting as a Lexis Associate. After graduating law school in 2019, I joined as a Legal Research Consultant, working closely with Large Law firms and the Oregon Law Schools. In May 2021, I had the opportunity to lead the LexisNexis team in supporting Lavender Law, the LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s annual conference. Taking on this role happened somewhat unexpectedly when I reached out to our marketing department with the idea, and they enthusiastically handed me the reins. With support from co-workers and growing interest from other teams and our PRIDE ERG, I assembled a fantastic team from all parts of the country. This experience has provided me valuable opportunities for people management and cross-departmental collaboration, allowing me to connect with colleagues and further enhancing my professional growth.
Can you share with us some best practices in terms of realizing forward-thinking diversity strategies?
In my own experience, I have found several best practices that contribute to realizing forward-thinking diversity strategies, and a few of then stand out when it comes to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace that embraces diverse perspectives and drives innovation:
- Prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the business, from recruitment to retention and product development. Embed these values into the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.
- Foster a culture of participation, accountability, and transparency around I&D initiatives at all employee levels. Encourage open dialogue, active engagement, and regular communication to ensure everyone feels included and valued.
- Implement practices that promote inclusivity and respect, such as incorporating pronouns in email signatures and normalizing their use in communication. This small but significant step signals a safe and inclusive space for all, fostering a sense of belonging.
By adopting these best practices, LexisNexis has created a forward-thinking approach to diversity strategies that continuously promote a culture of inclusion, empowers employees, and drives positive change.