In this powerful episode of Empowered & Out: The Career Coaching Podcast, Coach Jon sits down with Celeste Warren, a visionary leader, consultant, author, and former Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at a global Fortune 100 company.
Celeste brings decades of experience helping organizations create more equitable, inclusive, and human-centered workplaces. She is also the founder of Celeste Warren Consulting LLC, co-founder of Destination STEM Inc., and author of “The Truth About Equity.”
Together, Coach Jon and Celeste explore what equity really means, why performative inclusion is not enough, and how workplaces can create cultures where people feel safe, seen, respected, and able to thrive. Celeste shares her experience being the first and only woman of color in leadership spaces, the impact of masking and covering at work, and the importance of leaders knowing their people beyond job titles.
PODCAST CHAPTERS
00:00 — Welcome to Empowered & Out
02:22 — Meet Celeste Warren
03:34 — Walking in Purpose and Leaving the Sunday Scaries Behind
05:11 — Being the First and Only in Leadership Spaces
08:54 — Why Representation Alone Is Not Enough
10:31 — Masking, Covering, and the Energy It Takes to Fit In
15:53 — Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity Explained
18:03 — Where Organizations Get Inclusion Wrong
20:12 — What Meaningful ERG Support Can Look Like
24:24 — Creating Safety for LGBTQ+ and Intersectional Professionals
30:45 — Generational Shifts, Values, and the Future of Work
36:21 — Building Experience Beyond Traditional Internships
39:17 — What Leaders Can Do Right Now to Build Trust
42:23 — Celeste’s Book: The Truth About Equity
46:28 — The Rocks and the Fence Analogy
49:47 — Lessons from Celeste’s Father’s Leadership Journey
53:33 — Family Stories, Advocacy, and the Long Arc of Equity
01:00:12 — Rapid Fire Questions
01:03:00 — Celeste’s Final Advice: Stay Relevant, Stay Supportive, Stay in the Fight
01:04:29 — Closing Thoughts and Call to Action
If today’s conversation resonated with you, share this episode with someone who cares about building more inclusive, authentic, and equitable workplaces.
And if you are realizing that you are feeling stuck, burned out, disconnected, under-confident, or unsure about your next career move, I invite you to connect with me here: https://linktr.ee/empoweredandout
You can follow Celeste, learn more about her consulting work, and check out her book, The Truth About Equity, below.
Website: www.CRWDiversity.com
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/crwdiversity
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celestewarren-equity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celestewarrenllc/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CXPNHNqZE/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Link to book on Amazon: https://mybook.to/TruthAboutEquity
