Kameelah Benjamin-Fuller - Activist and DEI Leader

Today we talk to mom, activist, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) expert, Kameelah Benjamin-Fuller. As the Chief Diversity Officer and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Leader at PTC, a Boston-based global technology company. Kameelah supports the company's full activation of opportunity in the DEI space.

We talk about the foundational tenets of genuine leadership and the difficulty of balancing high expectations with empathy in corporations. Kameelah also explains how deep and complex DEI work is when done properly, and how it requires a deep understanding of all areas of business.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[02:20] - Kameelah Benjamin-Fuller gives us a first-hand look at her life as a mom and music lover.

[04:09] - Kameelah shares the roots of her activism and how her past led her to focus on reaching out to make space for others.

[06:46] - How an internship helped her make the seamless leap to activist work on a corporate level.

[09:03] - How the major DEI players are laying the foundation for corporations to help individuals navigate their career paths.

[12:11] - How embracing her authentic self (natural hair and all) helped Kameelah step into her role as a leader.

[15:54] - Kameelah shares her philosophy for creating a life—and a leadership style—by design, not default.

[18:15] - Embracing the challenge of igniting the light in the people in your sphere of influence to achieve great things.

[19:36] - Dino shares the difficulty of balancing high expectations with an environment that promotes empathy and vulnerability on your team.

[20:49] - Kameelah shares the importance of Amy Edmondson: How to turn a group of strangers into a team | TED Talk.

[23:09] Why creating effective teams hinges on creating psychological safety for EVERY individual.

[24:11] - Kameelah shares her journey into the academic space and the rewards of creating a blueprint for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as an adjunct faculty member at Framingham State University.

[26:46] - Kameelah shares how the Black Lives Matter Movement nearly made her give up activism.

[29:28] - Kameelah's philosophy on how great leadership begins.

[31:43] - Are we suffering from diversity fatigue? She explains why she believes DEI has taken five steps forward and two and a half back since 2020.

[33:35] - How can we plan for DEI in leadership roles at all levels of an organization?

[36:14] - Kameelah shares her goal of developing a path to create more diversity in leadership.

[37:53] - "If we're not intentional about how we coach, mentor, and sponsor talent, then you end up with the same kind of profile that you typically get."

[38:19] - How Kameelah used her love for music to create a community for women in Rock.

[42:27] - Kameelah shares the two hot business buzzwords that leave her cold.

[44:04] - Kameelah shares how the Foo Fighters' music feeds her soul.

Contact

Dino at: dino@al4ep.com

Websites:

al4ep.com or authenticleadershipforeverydaypeople.com

Kameelah Benjamin-Fuller | PTC

Other Kameelah Benjamin-Fuller links:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kameelahbenjaminfuller/

Authentic Leadership For Everyday People / Dino Cattaneo

Dino on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dinocattaneo

Podcast Instagram – @al4edp

Podcast Twitter – @al4edp

Podcast Facebook: facebook.com/al4edp

Music

Just Want to Know That It Mattered | Susan Cattaneo

Brave and Wild | Susan Cattaneo

Foo Fighters - Best Of You (Official Music Video)