Spotlight - Alumni

Danielle Beavers (CSRE '12)

Danielle Hires

What and when did you study at CCSRE?
Service learning, public policy and 2 quarters abroad in Cape Town, South Africa; 2008-2012

What are you doing now?
As The Greenlining Institute's Diversity and Inclusion Director, I work to promote job creation for people of color. I lead the organization's workforce and supplier diversity advocacy in the banking, environmental, health, technology, insurance, and utility industries. I view diversity as the antidote to redlining in the job market, and work to ensure that anchor institutions and their regulators fully reflect and benefit communities of color. My recently published framework (http://bit.ly/2pr4iU3) seeks to reclaim diversity, equity and inclusion as tools for racial justice.
  
Outside of Greenlining, I serve as Vice Chair of the California Department of Insurance’s Diversity Task Force and am also a member of the California Utilities Diversity Council, Wells Fargo’s Supplier Diversity Advisory Group, and the University of California's Office of the President's Small and Diverse Business Advisory Group.

How do you feel your experiences at CCSRE shaped your life afterwards?
CCSRE gave me the tools to understand structural racism and the confidence to use my owned lived experience in advocacy. The Center and classes were absolutely a place of healing for me and provided a safe space as a low-income, first generation college student of color.

What are your favorite memories/experiences of CCSRE?
Graduation! My parents had never been on a college campus before then and didn't understand what a degree in CSRE meant. Having our smaller, program-only graduation where they got to meet my professors and hear about the work was so beautiful. It was a great moment to bring together my 1st family and Stanford family.

What do you miss most about CCSRE?
I loved being able to pop my head in at any time to vent and laugh with Sarah, Tania, and Chris! There was always great food and smile for us there.

What wisdom would you like to share with current students?
I would definitely say that your classes are just one component of your growth. Investing time into connecting with professors, mentors, and alumni will pay off in the long run.