What is ITSMF?

[sgraye]

• What is ITSMF? ITSMF stands for Information Technology Senior Management Forum and its goal is to increase black professionals at senior levels in technology, to impact organizational innovation and growth. They do this by developing and nurturing these dynamic leaders through enrichment of the mind, body and soul.

• Tell us more about what you experienced? In general, each year ITSMF brings in a large cohort of senior level professionals from many industries. There are 3 different programs to help cohorts grow personally & professionally through specific development for a year. After the year is complete there is a formal graduation. Expectations from the founders is that most of the participants are promoted shortly after or have expanded scope / responsibilities.

For this 3 day event it was kicked off as a networking session at the University of Michigan football stadium where I was able to socialize with many senior level technical professionals as well as C-Suite individuals. The following days were focused on breakout sessions like Eliminating Unconscious Bias from Artificial Intelligence, graduating cohort capstone presentation, and a graduate ceremony. The overall experience was empowering; especially seeing so many diverse people and experiences in the same room as they grew and told their stories.

• How many people attended? There was roughly 300 senior executive technology talent in attendance and many more family members and friends supporting the graduates of past cohorts.

• What type of sessions were held? There were a couple sessions like Eliminating Unconscious Bias from Artificial Intelligence & a Discussion on increasing diverse representation in Faculty and Students at the University of Michigan Dearborn (feeder school of U of M).

• What were your takeaways? To eliminate the bias behind AI we need more diverse thoughts & backgrounds creating these algorithms before they are deployed.

• What was your biggest aha moment? To be the best version of yourself is not always who and what you know but it’s to be truly comfortable in your own skin.

• What’s next? To highlight this program to other groups within HPE and to continue to be an ambassador and champion of inclusion & diversity.

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About the writer:

Global HR Business Partner, sHRBP at Hewlett Packard EnterpriseEvan Pierce
Functions HR, Global IT Sr. HRBP
Discover Employee Ambassador Lead
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Evan is a HR Business Partner for the Global IT organization. Since joining Hewlett Packard /Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2014 as part of the HR Operations team, Evan has led & executed significant organizational transformations, management of change efforts, high potential development solutions, as well as a number of culture initiatives. 

Evan brings a deep expertise in org design, talent enable-ment, and strategic consulting. He leverages relationships across the organization, time management, and people ana-lytics to provide strategic vision and high-touch support to senior leaders.

Stay connected to Evan via LinkedIn. 

Susan Graye
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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