Dr. Anthony C. Hood serves as the Executive Vice President and the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for First Horizon Bank. In this role, he leads the development and execution of a firm-wide strategy for embedding DEI into the DNA of the organization. He previously served as the Director of Civic Innovation in the Office of the President at UAB as well as a tenured Associate Professor of Management in the Collat School of Business at UAB. Dr. Hood is a board member of a number of organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Birmingham Education Foundation, Urban Impact, and the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District.

In our conversation, Dr. Hood discusses the importance of using data as a powerful tool for driving better outcomes in DEI work. He shares that DEI within an organization must be integrated into the DNA, beyond just HR practices and policies, and in order to build and implement the best strategies data must be ground zero. We also discuss ways to approach DEI work when facing opposition. To connect with Dr. Anthony C. Hood, you can find him on social media or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonychood

Topics In This Episode

• Driving creativity and innovation within teams

• Ensuring involvement in DEI implementation at every level of an organization

• Systems to look at to apply a DEI lens

• Tracking data on qualitative aspects of an organization and of DEI work

• The importance of keeping data well-organized and understanding the “why” behind it

• Data alone doesn’t drive results and momentum

• Creative allyship within your organization

Other Conversations We’ve Enjoyed

• Use Your Privilege to Uplift Others
• Bringing the Human Back to Human Resources