Dr. Adrienne Lawson Joins PRIDE as Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance

PRIDE Industries expands its diversity and outreach efforts with the hiring of Adrienne Lawson, Ed.D. A distinguished leader in inclusion policy, Lawson will be responsible for hiring and retention strategies across all PRIDE’s lines of business.https://techrseries.com/?s=Educational+Leadership

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Lawson will create several new PRIDE programs, including a Diversity Advisory Council, a mentorship program, and community outreach approaches. She will strengthen PRIDE’s retention strategies and expand the number of Employee Resource Groups—voluntary, employee-led groups aimed at building community, support, and career enhancement opportunities. Lawson will also lead PRIDE’s compliance efforts and activities related to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).

Lawson’s work on federal compliance is especially crucial for PRIDE, which offers a broad array of government market services. PRIDE’s federal expertise includes large-scale public works, including Base Operating Support Services (BOSS) and Total Facilities Management (TFM), among other services. PRIDE is unique in its goal of staffing these contracts with veterans and people with disabilities.

In her new role, Lawson will work closely with both the Human Resources and Executive teams.
“Adding Adrienne brings a renewed focus and innovative approach to our diversity, inclusion, and compliance efforts,” said Jeff Dern, President and CEO of PRIDE. “Because of her strong background in both academia and business, she is an expert at translating the latest research into real-world solutions.”

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Lawson holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and has taught at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. She served as an educational consultant for several years before transitioning to the corporate arena, and now focuses on creating programs that allow companies to attract and retain talented employees of all abilities and backgrounds.

“I’m excited to bring my skills to a company with such a worthwhile mission,” Lawson said. “PRIDE has a wonderfully inclusive corporate culture, and I hope to strengthen that within the company, and with our business partners. Because the studies are conclusive—greater diversity leads to greater productivity.”

Before joining PRIDE, Lawson was Senior Director for Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at UC Davis Health (UCDH), where she led the efforts to create a truly multicultural workforce. While at UCDH, Lawson implemented several innovative programs, including far-reaching community partnerships. In addition to these initiatives, Lawson and her team developed a series of diversity dialogues designed to facilitate understanding between faculty, staff, students, and local community members on diversity, inclusion, cultural, and health equity issues. She was also instrumental in expanding Employee Resource Groups, equipping, and empowering participants to make meaningful change and create greater social value.

Lawson serves on the Board of Directors of the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce. She is a sought-after speaker and has presented on the topics of inclusion and diversity in recruitment and retention at multiple venues, including The City of Sacramento Local Chamber Collaborative, Building Resilient Communities in the Inland Empire, Touro University in Vallejo, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and the National Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Conference. She has supplied expert commentary for various media, including Comstock’s Magazine, The Voices of Millennial Now podcast, and Capital Public Radio.

A motivational speaker and a mentor, Lawson has received several awards for public service, including the Lifetime Mentoring Award from the Cooper Woodson College Enhancement Program at Sacramento State University and the Dean’s Team Award for Inclusive Excellence in Community Engagement from UC Davis Health.

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