Introducing Anderson’s First VP of Diversity and Inclusion
Jessica Kimball grew up in Southeast LA and understood the cornucopia of cultures that makes the City of Angels one of the most diverse in the world. As a city that prides itself on bringing together different people and multiple perspectives to build new paths together, it only made sense when Kimball worked with the administration to create the VP of Diversity and Inclusion position on the Anderson School of Business Student Association board.
Kimball, MBA ’15, realized the need for a student representative to help unify Anderson’s diversity efforts and reaffirm the university’s commitment to unity. Over the next year, Kimball is hoping to work with the administration and Anderson students to increase our diversity outreach, to find high-caliber MBA talent and to build awareness within the Anderson community by bringing in leaders of various backgrounds to share their experiences.
“One of the many things I love about UCLA Anderson is the diversity of perspective we all bring to the table thanks to our varied professional backgrounds,” Kimball said. “To quote the diversity page of our Anderson website, ‘We believe that diversity — whether of backgrounds, gender, cultures or ideas — is what creates a vibrant and inclusive community.’”
“Nevertheless, by taking a quick look around, it is clearly evident that we need to continue working towards greater gender and racial representation, not for the sake of numbers, but for the added benefits we will see by increasing this diversity of thought enriching our time at Anderson.”
