In today’s episode we meet Jonathan Swindell, the CEO of HBCU Hub. He began developing this app as an undergrad at Grambling State University and now works full time using his talents to connect high school students with their ideal HBCU. We learn from his perspective as a business owner in the tech industry.

Jonathan highlights how diverse hires bring a boost of culture to their organizations because they come from different backgrounds and have different insights. Finding this talent is not difficult if you look in the right places. He doesn't believe that a CS degree should be required for software engineering jobs because coding can be self taught. History has shown countless examples of people (ex. Bill Gates or Steve Jobs) that built successful tech conglomerates without a degree. Jonathan points out that the tech industry requires a lot of trial and error and you often don't know what you don't know. For this reason the apprenticeship model would work well in this space, because it allows the apprentice to work alongside an experienced mentor and provides a safe environment to fail. In regards to retaining employees, Jonathan advises companies to establish an environment that induces creativity and reminds employees that their decisions within the problem solving process is appreciated. Organizations that are open to challenge the status quo are the ones that progress forward.

Jonathan Swindell is the CEO of HBCU Hub, an organization dedicated to help high school students apply, prepare, and get accepted by their dream HBCU. He is an experienced Application Developer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Research, SQL, Sales, Project Management, and Innovative Problem Solving . Jonathan earned a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Computer Technology/Computer Systems Technology from Grambling State University.

• Jonathan Swindell: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-swindell-b33258113
• HBCU Hub App (apple): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hbcu-hub/id1128987146
• HBCU Hub App (android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.app0a7be89dcf2a
• HBCU Hub website: www.hbcuhub.us
• HBCU Hub Instagram: www.instagram.com/hbcuhub
• HBCU Hub Twitter: www.twitter.com/hbcuhub
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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In this episode, we sit down with Marchitect, Lisa Bowman. For those who don't know, a Marchitect is one who designs, builds, and supervises the construction of marketing programs. She shares her perspective coming from the marketing world.

Lisa doesn't believe there is a shortage of diverse talent, companies just need to get creative in how they attract that talent. She also thinks that sometimes the practical experience can outweigh formal education. When hiring employees, it's a matter of finding the best candidate for the job with the right cultural fit and the right practical experience. Lisa understands that sometimes your younger self doesn't necessarily know what you want to be when you grow up. That is why the apprenticeship model is a great way to try something, determine if it's a good fit, and gain practical experience. She compares an apprenticeship to a cruise, where you can travel to different places and do a relatively short visit before you decide to plan a full vacation. Her number one rule to retaining employees is understanding that not everybody wants to be treated the same. Everybody should be treated appropriately based on what motivates them and what their background is. Managers should have emotional intelligence towards their employees and understand what is going on in that employee’s world.

Lisa Bowman is the Chief Mojo Officer at Marketing-Mojo, an organization grounded in the belief that there is a space where Purpose and Profit not only peacefully co-exist, but also play well in the sandbox together. Previously she has worked as Executive Vice President/ Chief Marketing Officer for United Way Worldwide and served 15 years in Senior Level roles with UPS and The UPS Foundation. Her superpower is using inventive thinking and applying unique brand extensions that result in an optimized customer experience, enhanced brand reputation, and the generation of growth opportunities. Outside of crushing it in the office, she is also a certified Turbo Kick instructor.

• Lisa Bowman: www.linkedin.com/in/lisalynnprofile
• Marketing-Mojo: www.marketing-mojo.biz
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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In this episode we sit down with Marie Roker-Jones, Co-CEO of Essteem. Her company routinely hosts equalithons (think hackathon for equality) and you can checkout the links below to find events, sign up, or learn more.

Marie believes companies who struggle to find diverse talent have a sourcing and network problem. Recruiters need to expand their network using LinkedIn and connect with HBCUs, bootcamps, or other organizations that promote diversity. Companies should also drop the CS degree requirement for software roles, because you can't tell much about someone solely based on their education or resume. That's why Marie is passionate about organizing hackathons, as it lets employers get a real look at what a person can bring to their team. When implemented correctly an apprenticeship is also a great way to onboard and ramp up employees into a new organization. Marie shares that employers lose 16 billion dollars a year because of diverse talent turnover! The key to retaining these employees is building a culture of belonging where people feel like what they bring to the team matters, it's valuable, and that they're respected.

Marie Roker-Jones is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Essteem, a company that organizes social impact driven hackathons as a way for employers to recruit, hire, and retain women and people of color in tech. She is also a Diversity and Inclusion Consultant helping startups and tech companies establish best practices for DE&I hiring and retention. Marie is committed to supporting tech companies that want to create impactful, psychologically safe and trusted work cultures of inclusion and belonging. 

• Marie Roker-Jones: www.linkedin.com/in/marierokerjones
• Essteem: www.essteem.com
• Equalithon: www.equalithon.io
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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I hope you have a long distance calling card ready, because in this episode we speak with Shivangi Vyas in Toronto, Canada. As a native of India, Shivangi shares her perspective as a professional working in a foreign country. 

Companies who struggle to find diverse talent often tend to follow internal processes that are geared towards finding the right cultural fit as opposed to the right diverse fit. Shivangi thinks that a CS degree should not be necessary for software roles, because she has met many people who are self taught, working in tech firms and are doing great. Additionally, technologies change and evolve more frequently than a university’s curriculum can keep up. The apprenticeship model is a great fit for the tech industry because what you learn at an organization is really different from what is taught in school. This model will be beneficial to attract talent who is self taught or looking to move into tech from a different industry. Shivangi has found that inclusivity programs can really go a long way to retain diverse staff. At her company, they have workshops where employees of different backgrounds talk about their struggles, upbringing, life challenges, and how they overcame adversity. She finds these programs make her feel more welcomed working for a company in a foreign country. 

Shivangi Vyas has over 5 years of experience across legal tech, SaaS, non-profit and financial services industry, She is currently working as a Marketing Coordinator at LexisNexis, a leading legal technology firm. Shivangi is extremely passionate about bringing stories to life by converging marketing and data analysis. She has a proven track record of delivering successful marketing initiatives, in alignment with cross-functional departments that meet revenue goals.

• Shivangi Vyas: www.linkedin.com/in/shivangivyas
• LexusNexus US: www.lexisnexis.com
• LexusNexus Canada: www.lexisnexis.ca
• Shivangi’s Twitter: www.twitter.com/vyasbshivangi
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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On today’s show, we interviewed the wonderful Marie Smith. As the Co-Founder of Data360, she shares the wisdom she has learned while starting up and running a business.

The reason companies cannot find diverse talent is due to systemic and infrastructural issues. The potential to build out talent pipelines exist, but HR departments need systems and practices in place to create a diverse workforce. Marie holds a bachelors in Arts, but is a full blown engineer and believes that dropping the CS degree requirement for software roles is the first inch in a mile towards getting more diversity in the tech workforce. Marie has seen how successful the apprenticeship model can be. It really works because it creates both structure and intimacy for the candidates to be able to explore and not feel as vulnerable as they do in internships. Additionally apprentices have more job security than a temp or intern position and are taught how to earn a spot at their company. Once a company has recruited diverse talent, they can retain those employees by creating safe spaces that work for the whole organization. Companies must create processes or workflows to properly resolve tensions and issues arise. 

Marie Smith is Co-Founder and Chief Information Officer at Data 360, an organization dedicated to leading the development of AI and machine learning solutions for marketing, sales and human resources. She specializes in developing predictive KPIs, optimization of organizational, department and customer information systems, and architecting custom UML, BI, Hadoop, and mobile/social media platform systems.

• Marie Smith: www.linkedin.com/in/smarttechmarie
• Data 360 website: www.data360.solutions
• Data 360 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/data360solutions/
• Data 360 Facebook: www.facebook.com/data360solutions/
• Data 360 Instagram: www.instagram.com/data360solutions/
• Data 360 Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC8dOL2ytH1Xl-w08U9rhvFg
• Data 360 Twitter: www.twitter.com/data360me
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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50 episodes deep and still going strong! In today's show we sit down with Saveree Joshipura, a recent UCSD grad that was part of the first undergraduate Data Science cohort. She provides some insightful perspective as someone new to the workforce.

Saveree believes hiring talent right out of college can be difficult because the skills you learn in the classroom are not exactly the same as the skills you use in the workforce. Many colleges have an outdated curriculum, which can make it difficult for students who want to go right into the industry after graduating. While a CS degree is useful in any software role, she doesn't necessarily think you need it to function in an entry level role. It's possible to learn the tools and frameworks necessary to be successful on the job using various online resources. Saveree is currently working through an extended on boarding process to learn the technologies required for her upcoming role, much like an apprenticeship. She believes this model is more valuable than simply interviewing, because it gives organizations a better understanding of a candidate's full skill set and ability to learn new concepts. In regards to employee retention, Saveree believes that maintaining a diverse workforce will create a welcoming environment that will encourage diverse employees to stay.

Saveree Joshipura is a Data Analytics & Engineering Associate at Cognizant. She was part of the first undergraduate Data Science cohort to graduate from UCSD (Class of 2020). As a student she gained hands-on experience working at the Linux Foundation, AlchemyX, and Applied Materials. Saveree is also a professional Indian singer and a talented pianist. 

• Saveree Joshipura: www.linkedin.com/in/saveree-joshipura
• Cognizant: https://careers.cognizant.com/na/en/cognizant-ai-and-analytics
• Instagram Account: www.instagram.com/savereemusic/?hl=en
• Youtube Account: www.youtube.com/channel/UCVDytfmJxMk8fXH-hGU7r6A
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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Today’s guest is Isha Brown, a former designer and entrepreneur who is currently working towards her CS degree. She brings an interesting perspective as someone who is actively breaking into the tech scene.

Isha can tell you first hand how her life experiences as an entrepreneur gave her the skills needed to transition into the world of tech. There are many talented diverse people who have transferable skills but are unaware of the tech roles that exist. Companies who struggle with diversity need to go find these people who are working in areas you wouldn’t traditionally find tech talent. In Isha’s opinion, someone who is dedicated, can follow a self-taught regimen, and be an active, engaged learner holds the same value and weight as someone with a CS degree. Additionally, apprenticeships could be the answer to some of the talent shortages we are facing. These programs allow people who are new to tech,  to prove they have the determination and talent to be equally, if not more successful than traditional candidates. Companies can improve employee retention by committing to diversity initiatives and building out internal infrastructure. For example creating effective employee resource groups and training existing staff to be welcoming and inclusive of new diverse hires.

Isha Brown is working towards a degree in Computer Science and plans to start a career as a Program or Product manager. Aside from her studies she has interned for various industry leaders including NASA, Goldman Sachs, and Amazon. Prior to her career in tech, Isha was the owner and designer of Lovely by Isha, a successful  independent bridal fashion line.  Her experience in Sales and Entrepreneurship taught her invaluable skills including time management, creative problem solving, communication skills, and self-motivation.

• Isha Brown: www.linkedin.com/in/ishabrown1
• Medium Account: www.medium.com/@girllovestech93
• Instagram Account: www.instagram.com/girl_loves_tech
• Twitter Account: www.twitter.com/ishalovestech
• Swipe to Unlock: www.swipetounlock.com
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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Today we talk with Siobhán, an Engineering Manager at Landed. She shares her experiences in working for a series A start up and what helped her when getting started in software development.

Siobhán advises small companies to be proactive and build intentional community connections during times when they are not hiring. This way once a position is open, they will have a pipeline to tap into with a range of diverse candidates. She believes that there needs to be a conversation to reexamine all the pathways to get started in a tech role. Opinions will vary on the value of a CS degree and perhaps some retooling of what goes into these programs is necessary. Siobhán shared how she worked alongside her husband when she was getting started in software development and is very excited to see the apprenticeship model being used in industry. Organizations benefit from having an apprentice program as it builds a talent pipeline right into their team and provides senior engineers a  way to cultivate the practice of mentorship. One way to retain diverse staff is to build a culture of inclusion where employees don't feel like they have to code switch to be accepted. Organizations talk a lot about getting folks to the table but what are you asking them to become to get to that table?

Siobhán is an engineering leader with a passion for platform engineering, machine learning, and nurturing strong communities of practice. She began her career studying how humans learn at Harvard University & Harvard Medical School, spent several years researching embodied cognition, and now helps teams of computers and humans collaborate to solve problems that matter. She is an Engineering Manager at Landed, the lead developer for SwarmOpt (an open-source swarm intelligence library), a guest researcher at Slow Research Lab, and an engineering mentor at Hackbright Academy.

• Siobhán K Cronin: www.linkedin.com/in/siobhankcronin
• Landed: www.landed.com
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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In today's episode we chat with John Robert the co-founder of 3rdCoast, a design and development agency. John shares his experiences and views on working with people of different mindsets. The term “neurodiversity” comes up, so if you don't know what it means, please google it or check out this wikipedia article.

John believes he reached his current level of success because he is divergent from everyone else around him. He approaches problems from a humanity mindset instead of the traditional engineering ideas that most software engineers use. If companies are looking for talent from a university or other  traditional means, they will be doing themselves a disservice and overlooking many talented individuals. If you look in non traditional places (community centers, high schools, etc)  you will find people with a lot of grit and perseverance, that can bring a different perspective to your organization . Then once you find talented people, invest effort in molding them with the skills they need to thrive. Employers can retain their staff by building a culture of openness, transparency, and curiosity. This culture should make all employees feel comfortable regardless of orientation, color, background, or neurodiversity.

John Roberts is a husband, curious polymath, consultant, and entrepreneur. He is co-founder of 3rdCoast, a digital strategy, design and development agency that helps companies build next generation applications. From native and web apps, to machine learning and blockchain, their skill is rooted in bridging industry expertise and technical know-how. John also serves as  the Head of Technology at Voltaire.AI.

• John Robert: www.linkedin.com/in/johnrobert3ct
• 3rdCoast: www.3ct.co
• Voltaire.ai: www.voltaire.ai
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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In today's episode we sat down with Mia Reyes, the Global Director of Government and Industry Marketing for Microsoft. She comes with a unique perspective as an industry outsider who was recruited into the world of tech.

Mia would advise a company that cannot find diverse talent to think about how, what and where they are recruiting. She began working in the tech space when someone identified her talents and realized the benefits she could bring to the company. Many things that employers list as core competencies in tech are actually things that can be taught. Look for the individual qualities you need in an employee and teach the rest. Currently, the barriers to get into tech can feel insurmountable for industry outsiders. In Mia’s opinion, removing that requirement for a degree for certain software engineering roles would help companies find more diverse talent. In regards to apprenticeship programs she finds there's more value in doing real work over a longer period of time than there is in short term stints. Instead of dipping your toes into the water, an apprenticeship is like jumping right into an opportunity. In regards to employee retention, Mia believes it's all about trust. Employees can tell when a company is genuinely investing in diversity and inclusion programs and when they are just paying lip service. For inclusion programs to be successful they have to be driven, promoted, and incentivized from the highest levels of the company. 

Mia Reyes leads Microsoft's global/worldwide industry marketing and go-to-market business planning and strategy for government. Formerly she was a Policy Director who specialized in digital and financial services policies, representing U.S. technology companies (Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Airbnb and more) and the U.S. private sector in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). She is an accomplished speaker who hosts Microsoft's podcast series Gov Pod, a podcast that discusses how governments are adopting Intelligent technologies. Mia holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.

• Mia Reyes: www.linkedin.com/in/miareyes
• Gov Pod: https://aka.ms/govpod
• Microsoft Global Diversity and Inclusion: www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/default.aspx
• More episodes of the SnackWalls Podcast: http://podcast.snackwalls.com

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