Announcing April’s Handshake Honor Roll 2022 winner…Kay Allen, Sr. Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at Comcast! 🎉
We’re thrilled to feature Kay as this month’s Handshake Honor Roll recipient. From starting at Enterprise Rent-a-Car to serving as Senior Director of DEI&B at Comcast – Kay has had an incredible journey. In her interview below, she shares how she developed her passion for early talent recruiting and DEI, how this enthusiasm led to building programs in her current role, and the advice she has for today’s job seekers.
Read our full conversation with Kay below:
What was your first job outside of college and how’d you find it?
My first job out of college was with the world-famous Enterprise Rent-a-Car. I started off as a Rental Car Specialist and grew to be a Branch Manager of my own store. Ironically I didn’t really find the job, the job found me – a sourcer reached out regarding my resume online. It was a nice run and truly set me up for professional success.
Why are you passionate about recruiting early talent or increasing DEI?
Beyond early career professionals holding the future of our talent marketplace in their hands, they truly are some of the brightest, kindest humans you’ll ever meet. I marvel at their courageous approach to taking on each day and know for a fact that our future is in good hands. It’s my duty to ensure they are set up for success. Therefore, I have made it my mission to open doors and assist with ensuring they thrive and leave the world better than they found it.
How did you land in your current role? What’s your favorite part of the job?
I landed my current role after having an amazing opportunity to lead the Talent Management/Early Career Programs (University Relations/High School) department for Comcast. As I developed my role as a Director I started digging deeper into matters regarding diversity and began exploring how we could leverage our programs to move the needle in that space. My favorite part of the job was working with our UR/Early Career Team and, of course, interacting with all the bright minds that were recruited into our program. The most exciting time was when we had our first Intern Cohort – we were all so nervous, but the outcome was spectacular. From that moment on we knew we had something special that will impact our industry and beyond.
What are some accomplishments you’re particularly proud of this year?
There are a few, but the first I would like to spotlight is this award. Mainly because my teammates were a huge part of my nomination and the fact that they think so highly of me makes me smile from ear to ear. Another accomplishment involves our UR team and the awards that have been received for this program. It took so much time to build a stellar program and to watch the team get rewarded for their efforts publicly just brings joy to my heart.
Who are your heroes?
Heroes/Sheroes - Now this is a great question. I am so blessed to have a wonderful supporting cast that has supported my every move in my journey. I want to acknowledge my husband (Scepter Brownlee) though we just stepped into matrimony he has been beyond impactful in my personal and professional growth. In addition to him, I have countless other professional examples within Comcast that I have been able to rely closely on, including Tina Simmons, Aryeh Lehrer, Robert Weyer, and my teammates Ernesto, Lindsay, Alex, and Rhayanna.
What advice would you offer to today’s jobseekers?
Believe in yourself, be your biggest fan, tell your own story with excitement, take hold of your destiny, keep the Faith, and don’t give up. This life is what you make it, the more you put into it the more you will get out of it. Be kind to yourself and others, keep your integrity, and I assure you in due time you will see the desires of your heart come to pass.