Driving Inclusion Through Storytelling & Mentorship

Redesigning DEI Communications & Launching an Enterprise-Wide Mentorship Program

📍 How I transformed a DEI newsletter for higher engagement and launched a mentorship initiative that strengthened workplace relationships and collaboration.

Key Impact:
✅ 25% increase in DEI newsletter engagement
✅ Mentorship program expanded enterprise-wide after pilot success
✅ Recognized as a model for fostering inclusion & collaboration

Due to the proprietary nature of this initiative, specific content and visuals cannot be shared publicly. However, I’ve outlined the challenge, strategy and measurable impact of this work to showcase my expertise in internal communications, employee engagement and strategic content development.

Project Overview

Company: State Farm

Industry: Insurance, Financial Services, Marketing Communications

Role: Agency Marketing Recruiter

Timeframe: 9 months

State Farm is committed to strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), but two major issues limited its impact:

  1. Low engagement with the DEI newsletter meant employees weren’t connecting with key initiatives.

  2. Lack of structured mentorship left employees without meaningful ways to learn from one another, limiting collaboration and cultural understanding.

To address this, I redesigned the DEI newsletter to make it more engaging, visually appealing and action-driven, and I launched a Diversity Mentorship Program, where employees could be paired to foster understanding, respect and collaboration. The mentorship program started on my team but was so successful that it was later expanded enterprise-wide.

From Problem to Impact

  • DEI Newsletter Engagement Was Low:

    • Content was dense and difficult to navigate, leading to low readership and minimal interaction.

    • Employees struggled to see real-life impact stories, making DEI efforts feel detached from their day-to-day work.

    Lack of Mentorship & Understanding Across Teams:

    • Employees needed a space to learn from one another but had no structured way to connect.

    • Teams were struggling with cross-cultural collaboration, impacting workplace relationships and business outcomes.

    • Without a formal mentorship framework, efforts to foster inclusion felt surface-level.

    Risk: Without improvements, DEI efforts would feel performative rather than actionable, affecting employee engagement, retention and team dynamics.

  • Part 1: DEI Newsletter Redesign

    • Analyzed engagement data to identify which types of content were resonating (or being ignored).

    • Redesigned the newsletter layout for clarity, prioritizing scannable content and interactive features.

    • Featured real employee stories to highlight the impact of DEI efforts in action.

    • Simplified language & visuals to make the content more accessible and engaging.

    Part 2: Diversity Mentorship Program

    • Piloted the mentorship initiative by pairing myself with my manager for a mutual learning experience.

    • Structured mentorship pairings to ensure employees from different backgrounds learned from each other.

    • Provided conversation guides to help mentors and mentees discuss culture, respect, and collaboration.

    • Gathered feedback & presented findings to leadership, leading to enterprise-wide expansion.

    1. 25% increase in DEI newsletter engagement, with more employees reading and interacting with content.

    2. Diversity Mentorship Program expanded company-wide within six months due to its success.

    3. Higher participation in DEI events following improved internal communications and mentorship experiences.

    • People engage more with DEI efforts when they see real stories and personal connections.

    • Structured mentorship improves collaboration, inclusion, and overall business outcomes.

    • Clear, well-designed communication drives awareness and action.