Strengthening the St. Louis Fed’s Diverse Talent Network

In support of its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis hosted its fourth annual hybrid Minority Networking Event at the Bank on May 9, 2024. More than 230 people attended the event, 157 Bank employees (22 virtual) and 78 guests (21 virtual), to grow their networks and learn more about the St. Louis Fed’s culture and career paths.

Beyond standard networking sessions, the event featured presentations by leaders from different areas of the Bank, such as Supervision, Credit and Learning; Cash; Facilities; and People, Strategy and Administration. The event also offered attendees a chance to visit with representatives of the Bank’s employee resource groups (ERGs), which facilitate inclusion and belonging.

Attendees gather for the fourth annual Minority Networking Event at the St. Louis Fed on May 9, 2024. The event featured presentations by leaders from different areas of the Bank and opportunities to network for current Bank employees and job seekers.

Opportunity to Build Relationships

With St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem and First Vice President Kathy O’NeillThe Bank announced June 4 that O’Neill, who has 36 years of experience with the Federal Reserve System, most at the St. Louis Fed, plans to retire Aug. 15. in attendance, the event highlighted the Bank’s commitment to an inclusive culture across all levels of the organization while giving attendees a chance to build relationships.

“It’s important to demonstrate that we, as a Bank, are willing to show up for the communities that we serve. And not just saying it, but doing it,” said Lili St. Christopher, an assistant vice president in Supervision, Credit and Learning and a co-sponsor of the hybrid Minority Networking Event. “We must have an enterprise mindset that is focused on recruiting, retention and development of those individuals. In order to do that, people have to be able to see themselves in our culture.”

Debra Johnson, group vice president in Supervision, Credit and Learning, noted the importance of the event from a relationship standpoint.

“Recruiting top talent is all about building relationships. This event has become essential in helping us do that both inside and outside of our organization,” she said.

Learning about the Bank’s Culture

A focus for many event attendees was learning about the ERGs, eight groups led by employees with common interests or shared characteristics that work collaboratively to support the Bank’s DEI initiative. Some of the groups represented at the event included Ability Beyond the Label (ABLE), which promotes awareness and understanding of people with disabilities through advocacy and allyship; Valuing, Inspiring, Empowering Women (VIEW), which creates awareness around gender-related issues and experiences at the Bank; the African American Council of Talented, Innovative and Visionary Employees (AACTIVE), which supports the African American community at the Bank; and Early Professionals Initiating Change (EPIC), which enhances diversity, networking and development among early career professionals.

The scope and size of the ERG program got the attention of Julius Sims, an attendee with more than 17 years of banking experience. Sims said he came to the Minority Networking Event because of his interest in diversity throughout the financial industry and he saw how the St. Louis Fed stands out in its effort to promote inclusivity.

“A lot of banks and credit unions don’t have resource groups; they don’t have DEI groups or anything like that, so I’ve always gravitated toward initiatives like that,” Sims said. “Now more than ever, people want a career bump and they want to do what they love, but they also want to feel welcome.”

Kasandra Hodge, a member of the St. Louis chapter of the National Black MBA Association, is another professional in the financial industry who attended the event. With more than 20 years of experience, she was looking to learn more about job opportunities at the Bank while expanding her professional network. Hodge said any career transition would be easier after learning about the support the St. Louis Fed offers its workforce.

“I was blown away by the amount of ERGs that (the St. Louis Fed) has here,” Hodge said. “That sense of belonging, it’s nice to know there are (organizations) out there that are focusing on those things.”

Valuing Diverse Perspectives

For St. Louis Fed employees, the hybrid Minority Networking Event was a valuable opportunity to connect with one another, meet with job seekers and promote the mission of the Bank.

That was the case for Nabil Lothae, a senior specialist in Treasury Operations, who represented AACTIVE at the event. He talked about the importance of attendees seeing that the Bank’s senior leaders value diverse perspectives.

“It’s an opportunity for minorities to be able to see not only what the Fed has to offer, but that senior leadership and executives are there saying this is not just an environment where we’re trying to recruit, but where we’re interested in your career at all levels,” he said. “We want to be able to foster and support that.”

Jennifer Tenholder, an information security analyst in Information Technology, staffed the EPIC table at the event. Tenholder said the event is vital for attracting young talent.

“Events like these make the Bank seem more approachable,” said Tenholder, who attended a previous Bank networking event that helped her make connections before being hired. “Knowing that (the Bank) is opening its doors to the community increases interest in the organization.”

Note

1. The Bank announced June 4 that O’Neill, who has 36 years of experience with the Federal Reserve System, most at the St. Louis Fed, plans to retire Aug. 15.