Thank You For Being Such A Vital Part Of Our Team, Regan Hall! We Look Forward To Sharing More About You So Others Can Get To Know You Better!
Tell us a bit about your backstory and what lead you down your current life path.
My goal has always been to educate, support, and enrich whether through my full-time work or my work in the community in the areas of education, health, finance, and technology. From my first job as a financial/credit analyst, I worked with community organizations to provide financial literacy education. That community support grew to volunteering with Planned Parenthood facilitating their health programs and being awarded Volunteer of the Year. While working in management consulting, I volunteered my time with local high school and college students providing guidance for those interested in business careers. With my transition from management consulting to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, I focus on identifying strategic ways to embed equity to ensure that everyone has opportunities to thrive, as well as support organizations that focus on creating equity in their local communities to build our next generation of leaders.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career?
My mother inspired me through education and service. She emphasized the importance of educating myself on a multitude of topics to better understand societal issues and work in service to create better opportunities and/or help address those issues. The foundation for my current career in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and People Strategy is understanding why inequity exists and working to create solutions and strategies to address those inequities.
What is one thing you are proud of achieving in your life?
One thing that I’m proud of achieving, during my time in management consulting and as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leader, is helping to mentor and coach upcoming transformative professionals who are now in leadership roles within their respective institutions.
What keeps you motivated? What maintains your passion for and commitment to the work you are doing?
Understanding that my role is to encourage, uplift, and help improve experiences for people of color and those from disadvantaged environments. I know that those before me had a much more difficult (and at times, almost impossible) life. This inspires me to maintain my passion and commitment to my work because I know that I’ve progressed only because of the hard work and tireless efforts of those that came before me.
Tell about an amazing trip you took. Where did you go and what did you enjoy most?
Haiti was my most amazing trip. There are many preconceived notions of the country, based on Haiti’s current political climate and history, but I always had a strong desire to visit. To date, Haiti is the most beautiful country I’ve ever visited. The country is so incredibly serene and untouched and the local people so kind and happy to share the beauty, strength, and magic of their country. When I recall the amazing experience of the trip, I’m also saddened when I think of how the country has been devastated through natural disasters, internal political strife and external political exploitation.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? What is it and why did it resonate with you?
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson made a significant impact as it provided a great foundational understanding, through real life events, on how structural inequities are purposefully created. This book resonates with me as it provides insight into the structural inequities that are found in education, healthcare, public safety and many other areas that impact diverse and low-income populations.
The road to success is difficult and requires tremendous dedication. What advice would you give to a young person who aspires to follow in your footsteps and emulate your success?
For a young person who aspires to follow in my footsteps and emulate my success, I would encourage them to enjoy the journey as it’s happening. I was so focused on the end result and outcome that I missed the lesson/opportunity to be present in the process. Additionally, I would encourage a young person to speak up. When I was younger there were times where I was hesitant to add my point of view or speak up because I was less experienced. As I became more experienced, I figured out that there was space for me to add my thoughts.
Please share your favorite life lesson quote. How is it relevant to your life?
One of my favorite life lesson quotes is from Maya Angelou – “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel”
This quote is so impactful as it underscores what people really remember and feel. This quote helps me to remember that whatever I do, I need to think about how my words and actions will impact others. Many times, we’re so focused on our intent and not our impact. However, unless we explain, people don’t know our intent but they feel our impact. Even if I have to deliver hard messages, I try to communicate with impact in mind. I may not always be successful, but I try to keep this quote in mind when I’m working with others.
Why did you choose to be a Committee Member of Educate. Radiate. Elevate.?
I chose to be a committee member based on E.R.E’s purpose, mission, and vision. At a very young age, my mother educated me on the inequities in the US educational system due to race, ethnicity, and income so I’ve always wanted to find ways to embed and/or create equity for low-income and students of color. Many years ago, a few friends and I created a non-profit to provide educational stipends to young women of color in Houston as a way to support our local community. Cultural responsiveness, competence, and equity should be foundational to our educational system as it is essential to build successful students who will turn into successful and empathetic adults.
What about the Educate. Radiate. Elevate.’s Purpose, Mission, and Core Values speaks most to you and why?
Each of the ERE’s core values speak to me as they are essential to a successful educational experience. Educational equity is paramount to ensure that all students get what they need in their educational experience. Empathy and Cultural responsiveness allow us to understand each other better and our individual needs, as well as form more substantial connections through partnership. There is never a one-size fits all model that will work. A holistic approach that centers empathy, cultural responsiveness (along with awareness and competence) and equity is the only way to meet the needs of students, particularly those that do not have access to equitable resources.
