America Baez has an extensive career as a global thought leader in talent acquisition and diversity, equity & inclusion. She has implemented transformational global DEI talent solutions for Fortune 100 companies including Accenture, Comcast and most recently led the global diversity recruiting operations strategy for Verizon. She has held leadership roles in several organizations including Prospanica where she was Chicago chapter president and national board member.
She has also served in the Society of Talent Acquisition & Recruitment (STAR Chicago) board for several years where she launched the first-ever mentoring program for recruiting professionals.Recent accolades include the “2020 Diversity MBA Top 100 Emerging Leaders” award, “Who’s Who” in Hispanic Business in Chicago by Negocios Now, and the prestigious Prospanica National “Brillante” Award, just to name a few. She was selected as a National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) Executive Leadership Program Fellow and invited by the We Are All Human organization to be a Hispanic STAR Ambassador. She completed leadership development programs at Harvard University and the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in Portugal.
She earned her MBA from Texas A&M International University and a Directorship Certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). In her free time, she enjoys mentoring professionals and allowing them to discover their true genius and spending time with family.
Connect with America on LinkedIn.
This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: [00:00:03] Broadcasting live from the business radio studio in Chicago, Illinois. It’s time for Chicago Business Radio, brought to you by firm space, your private sanctuary for productivity and growth. To learn more, go to firm Space.com. Now, here’s your host.
Max Kantor: [00:00:21] Hey, everybody, and welcome to another episode of Chicago Business Radio. I’m your host, Max Kanter. And before we get started, as always, today’s show is sponsored by Firm Space. Thanks to firm space, because without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. And we have a great guest for you today. She is the talent acquisition and Diversity Equity and Inclusion leader. So please welcome to the show, America Baez. Welcome to the show, America.
America Baez: [00:00:47] Thank you, Max. Thank you for having me.
Max Kantor: [00:00:48] Of course, I’m excited to talk to you and learn a bit about yourself. So why don’t you just tell me a little bit about yourself and what you do?
America Baez: [00:00:57] Yes, well, I am a talent acquisition and diversity equity and inclusion leader, as well as a nonprofit leader. I am involved in different in different fields, but I have led diversity, recruiting strategies and operations at Fortune 100 companies. And I’ve also led diverse organizations, especially Hispanic organization called Spanish to better Hispanic community in business.
Max Kantor: [00:01:28] Awesome. And so how did you find yourself in the field of HR and recruiting? What led you down this path?
America Baez: [00:01:34] Yes, well, precisely. When I got involved with this Hispanic organization, responding to the mission was to provide career development opportunities, educational opportunities for the members. And I was I became the Chicago chapter president, and eventually I was on the national board. So I was getting sponsors talking to different companies and also increasing or working on increasing the membership. And that led to my h.r. Career when one of those corporate partners suggested me considering hr and recruiting as my next move. And and that’s what i ended up doing it, and i loved it. It was a great fit and this was many years ago. So that’s when i made the switch.
Max Kantor: [00:02:27] So as you know, right now as a diversity equity and inclusion leader, you know, how are you helping companies create these DEI groups and developing strategies to attract talent?
America Baez: [00:02:39] Yes, well, definitely in the current environment, you know, with the social issues and racial issues going on, this has it was important before, but it became even more important now. And I work with the companies to assess their their recruiting practices, their attracting talent to make sure that their processes are are fair for everyone, and then they track people from applying to jobs also for a company perspective or an employer perspective to to position them as employer of choice in different communities, especially underrepresented communities, by building their brand. And and most importantly, you know, nowadays companies really need to commit to supporting diversity and inclusion, since this is very important for many people out there and that candidates are looking for those kind of companies that have a purpose and have a mission. So I work with them to establish processes and programs to to attract talent and and elevate the talent within their organizations.
Max Kantor: [00:04:04] Absolutely. And so while you’ve been working with these companies, you know, what you’re doing is so important. I’m sure as you’ve been working with them, you’ve encountered some challenges that the companies face in HR and recruiting. So what are some of these challenges that you’ve encountered and how have you helped companies beat them?
America Baez: [00:04:26] Yes, Well, definitely. Again, I mentioned earlier the issues around racial injustice that companies need to really be committed and committed in. And they have to establish programs, internal and external programs to to address those issues. And otherwise, they’re not going to attract the talent that they want to attract. And and so the company has to do kind of like a help with their homework, do some legwork in order to position themselves as as employers and. And another issue is also that with COVID or after COVID, things changed in the workplace and now most people, more people really want to work from home and they want to have more flexibility. And companies, some companies weren’t just to having that kind of flexibility before. And so now they have to really think about it and and and put that in practice.
Max Kantor: [00:05:38] I’m glad you actually brought up COVID, because I have a question for you about networking and its importance in, you know, building your relationships in a professional environment with COVID. Everyone’s at home. You you had to resort to doing it remotely. So can you talk a little bit about networking in person versus networking remotely?
America Baez: [00:06:01] Yes. Well, it has. I think that also had a silver lining or COVID and it working with COVID before there was social media and a lot of people were leveraging that. But with COVID, every everything and everyone pivoted to to virtual. So now folks have become more savvy about how to use social media, how to leverage social media and connect with folks out there. Also, the companies themselves or organizations and the people themselves. Everyone is more receptive to connecting with people virtually, because that became kind of the norm. So. It’s it’s something that, you know, we or the person has to get comfortable with and perhaps read articles or watch videos online about networking online and reaching out and how to leverage platforms like LinkedIn. But once they do that, it’s it’s going to become easier and people are more receptive again, because the the the the things that have really changed over the last couple of years.
Max Kantor: [00:07:42] Now, America, I’ve heard that you’ve been featured in a new book called Today’s Inspired Leader, Volume four. So can you talk to me a little bit about your thoughts on leadership?
America Baez: [00:07:54] Yes. Well, you know, I think that everybody well, you know, when I say this, it may sound like a cheesy line, but every everybody is a leader. I think that we just need to kind of like create a read more about ourselves and how we operate, how we lead and and and and really the this could be leading at any level in their careers, regardless of what they do. Now. They ideally, you know, to continue learning and growing. We want to we want to be able to identify these trends. To focus on our strengths as a person, as a professional. To to to continue developing in that area and in leading that those areas and also influence as people move from one career to the next or one job to the next, or even in nonprofit organizations or in government, you are influencing and leading. And that’s important. Mm hmm.
Max Kantor: [00:09:23] America. You’re doing so much good work for so many people. So this is a question I like to ask all my guests. What is the most rewarding part about what you do?
America Baez: [00:09:37] Yes. The most rewarding part is that I am lifting people up, that I am elevating at least my purpose. My personal mission is to help people out and to elevate the people and the talent around me. So even in my for my know the early days in my career, I felt that I was already doing this. And I continue to do it through again, through the work that I do day in and day out, at different capacities or different positions throughout my career. Regardless of that, every every moment I feel that I am doing that. And that’s the most rewarding thing and it’s the most meaningful, meaningful thing for me.
Max Kantor: [00:10:36] That’s great. That’s so awesome to hear. And so if if people want to learn more about you or maybe want to learn more about the services that you provide and the work that you’ve been doing, what’s the best way they can find out more about you, like a website or social media?
America Baez: [00:10:52] Yes, they can look up my they can find me on my website, which is my name America bias that com And I also have my profile there on LinkedIn.
Max Kantor: [00:11:08] Awesome. Well America, it’s been so great chatting with you. You’re really doing some really great work and we appreciate you. So thank you for being on the show today.
America Baez: [00:11:16] Thank you, Max.
Max Kantor: [00:11:17] And thank you for listening to another episode of Chicago Business Radio. I’m your host, Max Kanter, and we’ll see you next time.
Intro: [00:11:26] This episode of Chicago Business Radio has been brought to you by firm space, your private sanctuary for productivity and growth. To learn more, go to firm Space.com.
