Equity and diversity in the workplace don’t just happen organically, which is why companies are taking measures to ensure all of their employees are on equal footing. As the Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Shereé N. Cleckley’s role is to help facilitate equity and diversity.
“Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, or DEIA, means accepting people and their differences and experiences, amplifying their voices and contributions, and ensuring equitable and fair processes,” Cleckley said. “My career path led me to CISA because of my background in Equal Opportunity Employment. I was drawn to what it meant to help people and what it meant to put people first, and to provide employees with resources they need in order to do their job successfully.”
As part of her role at CISA, Cleckley evaluates and develops policies that influence change. Part of that change is driven by employees themselves, through CISA’s Affinity Groups.
“CISA currently has seven employee affinity groups. We have one for our Asian Americans, Black and African, Hispanic and Latino, Women, LGBTQ+, Native American, and Alaskan Natives,” Cleckley said. “Each group contributes to the culture of CISA because they really focus on what employees need to feel that they belong, and how they can show up as their best, most authentic selves.”
CISA also supports a Culture Council, where employees discuss how they can improve the culture at CISA. Employees can suggest changes, share their opinions, and work together to advance the culture of CISA as well as DEIA. This group is open to all employees, and currently has over 300 members across CISA.
Both initiatives help CISA create a culture where employees are supported regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, and barriers to hiring and promotion are eliminated. CISA believes employees should not just feel welcome, but should also be celebrated for who they are.
“The culture is important to CISA because it ties back to one of our core principles of ‘People First’. We really want to make sure that CISA is in fact an employer of choice,” she explained. “So it’s been very important for them to put our people in a position to show up to work as their best selves. In order to do that, people have to be supported. They have to know that they’re not in it alone.”
At CISA, every employee is valued for who they are and not just what they can do. “You’re a part of the team,” said Cleckley. “And really, that’s the only way to successfully make your mission.”
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