Pledge 1%'s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are paving the way for the next generation. While our featured leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, they are united in their efforts to promote equality for all women in the workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their journey to success, as well as lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Renee Barker
Director of Nonprofit Outreach, LiquiDonate
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
What is your current role? Briefly describe in 1-2 sentences.
I connect nonprofits to our platform to receive free donations from businesses and individuals in their community. My team ensures our product serves the needs of organizations and schools who need free goods so that their funds can be used to fulfill their missions.
This year's International Women's Day theme is "Embrace Equity." What does this mean to you? How can we build workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive?
Equity starts with empowerment -- we need to build workplaces that meet employee needs and contribute to their wellbeing. Workplaces benefit greatly from having a variety of perspectives from a diverse group of people, but those perspectives cannot be realized without a focus on the individual to make sure they have positive experiences at work. To build these spaces, workplaces should invest in training, mentorship, fair pay, and authenticity with their teams.
Do you have any mentors or role models who have helped you on your personal journey?
I appreciate being a part of a network of folks in my city that meet monthly to learn about new sustainability topics and environmental initiatives in my state. It is so helpful to learn from everyone involved, from new grads that are inspired to begin their careers to retirees that share their experiences and how they have witnessed changes (for the better in many cases!). It is helpful to see that everyone is on a journey, and that there are people who can help you along your way.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
The strength of being adaptable -- the world is constantly changing and we see new information and new challenges to overcome. It is important to be adaptable to stay resilient in your personal and professional journey.
The past few years have brought many new and unprecedented challenges. What keeps you motivated or inspires you to stay optimistic?
It may be easy to fall into doom-scrolling, but it is also easy to find stories of so many people trying to make the world better for others. I stay inspired by keeping in touch with people that I see doing innovative and interesting projects.
Pledge 1% helps companies of all sizes and stages leverage their assets for social good. Why do you think it's important that companies prioritize social impact? Do you have any specific stories or examples from your work or colleagues you can share?
People want to work for companies that take opportunities to have a positive social impact. No matter the focus or size of a company, there are always opportunities to better your people and community. When companies prioritize social causes as a part of doing business, that impact can scale and be a force that really addresses injustices in our society.
If you could describe yourself in one word what would that be and why?
Resourceful - I enjoy researching and finding new ways to overcome challenges
Do you have any unique or useful life hacks to help get through your day?
Not very unique, but taking time to play with my cat and dog brings a lot of enjoyment to my day.
Do you have any go-to apps or tools use love to use?
Slack -- staying chatty on slack with each other outside of solely work conversations helps connect. I love seeing all of the outdoorsy photos of our team enjoying nature around the world.
What are you looking forward to this year? Are there any goals (personal or professional), activities, or experiences you are excited about?
I am very excited to complete my first full year at LiquiDonate -- we have high ambitions to grow our marketplace and offerings, and I am excited to bring our resource to nonprofits around the world.
