As we continue our Celebrations for Black History Month, we sat down with Dionne Morgan, Global Marketing Manager at HPE, who took the time to take us through her amazing 29-year journey at the company. Enjoy the read.
How long have you been part of HPE?
I started my journey at Hewlett-Packard in 1992. While a student at San Jose State University in California, I participated in a part-time program at HP and was offered full-time employment in Boise, Idaho after graduation. I was not going to let the opportunity to join the company pass, so I packed and moved, and this year I will be celebrating my 29th Anniversary at HP/HPE. If I would have to choose during this time the most impactful changes Iโve seen, I would have to say the company split. I was fortunate to experience the HP Way and happy to see that many elements of the HP Way remain a part of our HPE culture.
How has your heritage-inspired or motivated you at work?
I have always been motivated to support the companyโs efforts to attract, retain and develop Black employees. While in Idaho, I was part of a group of HP employees who created a city-wide, multi-company, multi-cultural organization. Our goal was to educate Boise residents on Black culture and encourage an inclusive community. I left Boise after 5 years and moved back to California, where I quickly joined the HP Bay Area Black Employee Network. I learned from Black employees who started at the company before me, including some employees and retirees who formed the network as one of the first Employee Resource Groups in the tech industry in the 1970โs. After a few years, those employees and retirees tasked me with keeping the BEN alive and thriving, and I have had the honor of helping grow BENs around the world.
Do you have a motto or principles you follow and how does this impact your work at HPE?
I want to make HPE and the world a better place than I found it. I want to make a mark or leave a legacy. Helping to pave the road for other Black women to have a brighter, stronger future in the company would be truly rewarding.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the firsts I have been able to achieve at HP/HPE. This includes leading the effort 20+ years ago to establish new support call centers in Idaho and Colorado and modernize the call centersโ processes. That was followed by leading the efforts to establish HPโs first website and first support portal. These firsts were recognized with an award from HPโs CEO (Lew Platt).
Looking at all of the innovation that has been invested in the support business today reminds me that transformation has always been a part of my HP/HPE DNA, and these memories have helped to motivate me to continue telling our support services story. This includes the work I am currently focusing on to announce and market new, innovative support experiences!
Worklife balance โ One part of my career journey that has kept me here at HPE is the ability to balance work and life. I have been able to grow professionally while raising two amazing children โ one in elementary school and one in college. The support that I have received from my managers over the years has allowed me to achieve my objectives while also being a part of the important moments in my childrenโs lives.
What advice do you offer to inspire the next generation of Black Women in Technology?
First and foremost, Be yourself. Be flexible - Be immersive. Learn from your current role, but also look beyond your current role and understand the other functions and businesses in the company. This will make you well-rounded and ready to take on new challenges and well-connected to people who may be able to help you achieve a goal in the future.
Dionne Morgan is a Global Marketing Manager at HPE and also serves as Chair of HPEโs Bay Area Black Employee Network and Black Employee Leadership Council.
Dionne is a former President of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and a parent volunteer in the Greene Scholars Program. She is also Vice President of her local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Dionne spent her childhood in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific and holds a Bachelor's and Master's in Business Administration degrees.
Stay connected to Dionne via LinkedIn and don't forget to explore HPE Careers for our job opportunities or stop by our Inclusion and Diversity page to learn about our culture!
Desiree Chavez
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
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DesireeCH
Employer brand and digital media evangelist. Proactively searching for new trends and best in class practices to find, converse, share, engage and refer potential candidates and bring the best Talent for the company.
