Verra Mobility Celebrates International Women’s Day

In honor of International Women’s Day and its theme of #InspireInclusion, a few of our leaders share how they ensure everyone on their team feels included and why focusing on inclusion in the workplace is essential.

Kate Conway
Vice President, Government Relations

How do you ensure everyone on your team feels included?
Inclusion in an action, not a destination. It requires us to nurture a culture of respect for different backgrounds, experiences, and strengths. I demonstrate this by valuing contributions from my team, encouraging ownership of our products and outcomes, and celebrating our shared success so that we win as a team.

Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share on why focusing on inclusion in the workplace is essential?
The world we live and work in is changing rapidly. We must innovate and anticipate industry needs and trends to offer the communities we serve the best technology solutions. Inclusion is tapping into individuals’ values and strengths to collectively bring enhanced safety solutions to the market.

Melba Rivera-Irizarry
Vice President, Product Management

How do you ensure everyone on your team feels included?
Everyone on my team has their “air time.” Our team meetings include time to share new insights, opportunities and discoveries with the team members, ask questions and engage others in what they care most about. This has led to great brainstorming and ideation, but also provides different points of view and perspectives for thought. It gets everyone thinking differently and allows for more informative decision-making. And it’s fun!

Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share on why focusing on inclusion in the workplace is essential?
Everyone has their area of genius. Consciously creating an environment where different people with different backgrounds and experiences feel comfortable and welcome to share will lead to an elevated, more thoughtful discussion with strategic, executable action that everyone is excited about. It creates a more engaging environment!

Maggie Vercoe
Senior Vice President, Customer Experience
T2 Systems, a Verra Mobility Company

How do you ensure everyone on your team feels included?
You must listen. You have to allow for people’s ideas to be heard and, where possible, implemented. I was recently reminded to make sure not to come to a conclusion too quickly. When you have been in a lot of leadership roles and really understand a company, you can be quick with a decision. But, that is not inclusive, and you may miss out on some really great ideas.

Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share on why focusing on inclusion in the workplace is essential?
We serve an incredibly diverse population. If we do not have appropriate representation, we will never truly be able to connect with our customers. And they, too, will not feel the connection back to us. Different perspectives from diverse voices make us better at all of this.

Cathi Chinn
VP, Innovation

How do you ensure everyone on your team feels included?
It is important to recognize the collaborative strengths of each individual and design your team efforts around them. We select talent based on their skills and experiences; it is important to leverage the “power” they bring to the table. By incorporating diverse perspectives, businesses can foster a culture of innovation and adaptability, which is essential for thriving in today’s fast-paced environment. Harnessing that strength is more than just expanding the invite; we must consider all aspects of collaboration and the various methods of getting valuable contributions.

Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share on why focusing on inclusion in the workplace is essential?
Inclusion brings diversity, which is crucial for innovation for several reasons. Diversity brings together individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. Incorporating perspectives can generate novel ideas and solutions that might not emerge in a homogeneous group. The diverse approaches and thinking styles can uncover aspects of a problem that might be overlooked otherwise. A diverse team can better understand and reflect the global marketplace, providing insights into the needs and wants of a wider array of customers. This can lead to more effective and innovative products and services. By incorporating diverse perspectives, Verra Mobility can foster a culture of innovation and adaptability, which is essential for thriving in today’s global transportation ecosystem.