The Intersection of Technology, DEIB, and Social Impact: A Conversation with Waymo's Arezoo Riahi
In this episode:
Tariq Meyers sits down with Arezoo Riahi, Waymo's Head of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity to talk about the future of work and DEI initiatives. Arezoo discusses the importance of having a healthy culture in order to meet the mission of the organization and how DEI is a part of that. They explore the challenges of creating a sense of community where everyone feels responsible for shaping the culture together, regardless of background or identity. Arezoo emphasizes that DEI is not a separate issue but impacts everyone in the organization. They also discuss how to engage allies and change hearts and minds by focusing on the success of the company's mission.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Ways in which Waymo is designing for the margins and ensuring that transportation equity is a priority in their work.
- How to ready the workplace and cultures to receive the future of work, which is getting more diverse.
- The challenges of creating a sense of community where everyone feels responsible for shaping the culture together, regardless of background or identity.
Our guest:
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Arezoo Riahi is Waymo's first Head of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity. She comes to Waymo after leading diversity and belonging programs at Autodesk, evolving Employee Resource Groups, designing Autodesk's inclusive hiring training, and launching Autodesk's global mentorship programming. Arezoo has led diversity analytics as a part of overall strategic efforts, working closely with executive leadership to design and launch the company's diversity dashboard to understand trends and hot spots. Additionally, Arezoo led diversity communications at Autodesk producing quarterly town halls, reporting and disclosure efforts and shareholder engagement. Arezoo began her career in the non-profit sector, with over a decade of experience working on U.S. Government initiatives, primarily with the U.S. Department of State. Most notably in this period, Arezoo served as Director of TechWomen, an initiative providing professional development to women across the globe. She holds a Masters in Public Policy from The University of Chicago and a Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs from The George Washington University.
