Vernā Myers
{{Short description|American author and lawyer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vernā Myers
| image = Verna Myers.jpg
| nationality = American
| occupation = Diversity consultant, author, lawyer
| years_active = 1992–present
| alma_mater = Barnard College
Harvard Law School
| website = {{URL|vernamyers.com}}
}}
Vernā Myers ({{IPAc-en|v|ə|r|ˈ|n|eɪ}}) is an American diversity consultant,{{Cite web |last=Petri |first=Alexandra E. |date=2017-07-07 |title=When Potential Mentors Are Mostly White and Male |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/07/mentorship-implicit-bias/532953/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}} author, lawyer, and business executive. She is also the founder and CEO of the Vernā Myers Company and was the inaugural Vice President of Inclusion at Netflix from 2018 to 2023.
Myers is the author of two books published by the American Bar Association: Moving Diversity Forward - How To Go From Well-Meaning To Well-Doing and What If I Say The Wrong Thing: 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People.
Early life and education
Myers was raised in Baltimore, Maryland.{{Cite web |title=Vernā Myers: Bringing Inclusion and Equity to Netflix – SoulVision Magazine |url=https://soulvisionmagazine.com/verna-myers-netflix/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Big Ideas with Vernā Myers |url=https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/big-ideas-verna-myers/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=American Libraries Magazine |language=en-US}} She later moved to New York City to attend Barnard College of Columbia University's undergraduate program receiving a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude in political science.{{Cite web |title=Vernā Myers - Speaker |url=https://www.txconferenceforwomen.org/speakers/verna-myers/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Texas Conference for Women |language=en-US}} Upon graduation, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts to attend Harvard Law School, receiving her Juris Doctor degree in 1985.{{Cite journal |date=2018-09-14 |title=Celebrating 65 Years of Alumnae |url=https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Speaker-Bios-9.11.pdf |journal=Harvard Law School}}
Career
In 1992, Myers was appointed the first executive director of the Boston Law Firm Group (now the Boston Lawyers Group), a consortium of firms and corporate legal departments.{{Cite web |title=Black Excellence: Verna Myers '82BC |url=https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2021/1/20/womens-basketball-black-excellence-vern-myers-82bc |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Columbia University Athletics |date=21 January 2021 |language=en}} She also served as deputy chief of staff for the Attorney General of Massachusetts.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-22 |title=Inviting new people to make stories. How this VP is pushing Netflix to diversify |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-01-22/netflix-shows-bridgerton-push-more-diversity |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Vernā practiced corporate and real estate law in Boston at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP{{Cite web |date=2015-09-22 |title=Flex Success™ Leadership Institute -Spotlight on Verna Myers |url=https://dfalliance.com/flex-success-leadership-institute-spotlight-on-verna-myers/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Diversity and Flexibility Alliance |language=en-US}} and Fitch, Wiley, Richlin & Tourse, LLP.{{Cite web |title=Summer/Fall 2014 {{!}} NEPDEC |url=http://www.nepdec.org/summerfall-2014/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=www.nepdec.org}} Myers founded The Vernā Myers Company, where she serves as its CEO.{{Cite web |title=Insights: Powered by Barnard |url=https://our.barnard.edu/s/1133/16/index.aspx?sid=1133&gid=1&pgid=5212 |website=barnard.edu}}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Netflix's Verna Myers to Exit, Wade Davis Promoted to Lead Inclusion Strategy |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-verna-myers-wade-davis-1235525344/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} {{Cite web |date=2023-06-28 |title=Netflix's First Head of Inclusion Vernā Myers to Step Down After Five Years, Wade Davis Promoted (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/netflix-head-of-inclusion-verna-myers-wade-davis-1235656827/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
In 2014, Myers spoke on the subject of "unconscious bias" in her TED talk, "How to Overcome Our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them," which she gave at a TEDx event in Boston on November 15.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Kelsey |title=The Uncomfortable Truth About Race |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2014/12/79092/unconscious-bias-verna-myers-ted-talk |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=VERNA MYERS is today's TED talk – TEDxBoston |url=https://tedxboston.com/blog/verna-myers-is-todays-ted-talk/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=tedxboston.com}} She has also given talks on unconscious bias and other DEI-related topics to organizations such as Cleveland Metropolitan Bar, NASA, and the Massachusetts Women's Conference.{{Cite web |last=Janet H. Cho |first=The Plain Dealer |date=2016-05-25 |title=Diversity is being invited to the party and asked to dance |url=https://www.cleveland.com/business/2016/05/diversity_is_being_invited_to.html |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=cleveland |language=en}}
Myers has been interviewed by television news networks such as WCVB News,{{Cite web |date=2020-06-28 |title=CityLine: June 28, 2020: Verna Myers, VP of Inclusion Strategy |url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/cityline-june-28-2020-verna-myers-vp-of-inclusion-strategy/32970613 |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=WCVB |language=en}} MPR News,{{Cite web |date=2016-01-05 |title='What If I Say the Wrong Thing?': How to talk about race |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/01/05/verna-myers-how-to-have-difficult-conversations |website=MPR News}} and CNN.{{Cite web |title=CNN.com - Transcripts |url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2006/07/se.01.html |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=www.cnn.com}} Myers also created the OPUS Conference, a conference centered on race and ethnicity forlarge law firms and corporations. She also authored two books, Moving Diversity Forward: How to Go From Well-Meaning to Well-Doing, and What If I Say the Wrong Thing?: 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People.{{Cite web |date=2018-08-29 |title=Netflix Hires 'Inclusion Strategy' Lead Verna Myers |url=https://www.thewrap.com/netflix-hires-verna-myers-as-vice-president-of-inclusion-strategy/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |language=en-US}}
In 2018, Vernā filled the inaugural role as VP, Inclusion Strategy at Netflix{{Cite web |date=2020-03-02 |title=Diversity execs from Twitter, Netflix, Salesforce talk strategy |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/diversity-inclusion-strategy-chiefs-twitter-netflix-salesforce-2020-2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302132552/https://www.businessinsider.com/diversity-inclusion-strategy-chiefs-twitter-netflix-salesforce-2020-2 |archive-date=2020-03-02 |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Business Inder}}{{Cite news |title=Diversity in the Workplace: Building Inclusive Company Culture with Vernā Myers |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live/2021/07/20/diversity-workplace-building-inclusive-company-culture-with-vern-myers/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |issn=0190-8286}} She has developed the overall culture at Netflix, including inclusion frameworks for casting and production crew hiring on programs such as Bridgerton.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-21 |title='I'd love to see more crew who're black and brown,' says Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran |url=https://www.easterneye.biz/id-love-to-see-more-crew-whore-black-and-brown-says-bridgertons-charithra-chandran/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=EasternEye |language=en-GB}}
In 2021, Myers and Arianna Huffington joined to provide a training courses on LinkedIn Learning on the subject of confronting biases.{{Cite web |last=Liu |first=Jennifer |title=LinkedIn Learning's most popular class of 2021 is about unconscious bias |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/01/linkedin-learnings-20-most-popular-classes-of-2021.html |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=CNBC |date=September 2021 |language=en}} The course was ranked the most popular course on the platform in 2021.
In 2024, Vernā delivered the commencement speech at Santa Clara Law School.{{Cite web |title=The Power to Change the World |url=https://magazine.scu.edu/magazines/fall-2024/the-power-to-change-the-world/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=Santa Clara Magazine |language=en}}
Her quote "Diversity is being invited to the party, Inclusion is being asked to dance" has been widely cited and referenced by individuals, the press, and various organizations such as OMD, SHRM, and the Academy of Eating Disorders.{{Cite web |title=Who's Dancing at the Party: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within AED |url=https://www.aedweb.org/blogs/nadia-craddock1/2020/01/09/whos-dancing-at-the-party-dei-within-aed |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=www.aedweb.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance |url=https://www.omd.com/news/diversity-is-being-invited-to-the-party-inclusion-is-being-asked-to-dance/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=OMD |language=en-US}}
Myers hosts the podcast Sundays with Vernā.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=7 Top DEI Speakers You Can Learn From |url=https://thespeakerlab.com/blog/7-top-dei-speakers-you-can-learn-from/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=The Speaker Lab |language=en-US}}
Harvard Business Publishing partnered with Myers to create an Introduction to Diversity video widely used throughout US Court systems.{{Cite AV media |url=https://vimeo.com/93389599 |title=Introduction to Diversity |language=en |access-date=2024-10-30 |via=vimeo.com}} Myers served as a featured instructor in the Dynamic Teaming section of the Harvard Business School Online course of their Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) program.{{Cite web |title=Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business {{!}} HBS Online |url=https://online.hbs.edu/courses/climb/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=online.hbs.edu}}
Myers also teaches diversity, equity, and inclusion courses through The Vernā Myers Company.{{Cite web |title=Vernā Myers to Deliver Keynote at 2023 NRPA Annual Conference {{!}} Feature {{!}} Parks & Recreation Magazine {{!}} NRPA |url=https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2023/august/vern-myers-to-deliver-keynote-at-2023-nrpa-annual-conference/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=www.nrpa.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-13 |title=Championing inclusion: Verna Myers' evolution as a DEI advocate |url=https://afro.com/verna-myers-diversity-inclusion-martin-luther-king/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=AFRO American Newspapers |language=en-US}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book | last=Myers | first=Vernā | title=Moving diversity forward : how to go from well-meaning to well-doing | publisher=ABA Center for Racial & Ethnic Diversity | publication-place=Chicago, Ill. | date=2011 | isbn=978-1-61438-006-1 | oclc=741103722}}
- {{cite book | last=Myers | first=Vernā | title=What if I say the wrong thing? : 25 habits for culturally effective people | publication-place=Chicago, Illinois | date=2013 | isbn=978-1-61438-971-2 | oclc=850909552 | publisher = American Bar Association}}
Awards and recognition
- 2009, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Named as “Diversity Hero”{{Cite web |title=Business digest for March 5, 2009 |url=https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/business/2009/03/05/business-digest-for-march-5/41207075007/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=MetroWest Daily News |language=en-US}}
- 2010, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Award for Diversity Champion
- 2014, College of Law Practice Management, Elected as a Fellow{{Cite web |title=2023-Fellows by Induction Year |url=https://www.collegeoflpm.org/induction-year-fellows-list |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=www.collegeoflpm.org}}
- 2021, CODE Crew, Award for DEI Person of the Year
- 2021, Diversity Woman, Award for Top 100 Black Women Executives{{Cite web |date=2023-05-22 |title=The Municipal - June 2023 by The Papers Inc. - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/thepapersinc/docs/municipal_june_2023_web |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=issuu.com |language=en}}
- 2024, Women’s Business Collaborative, Trailblazer in Gender Equity & Diversity Award{{Cite web |title=WBC Trailblazer In Gender Equity And Diversity Award Presentation: Vernā Myers |url=https://wbcollaborative.org/wbc-events/verna-myers/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Women Business Collaborative |language=en-US}}