While Terry Green just joined us in mid-March as our Chief HR Officer, she’s already made a huge impact on our ChicagoCAC community. Her focus on inclusive, relationship-building events like Doughnut and Pretzel Day, raising awareness of celebrations like Cinco De Mayo and Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and their background, and working with our Interest and Advisory groups to ensure everyone’s identity is celebrated and valued are important pieces of what she likes to call “DEIAB” – diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging. We talked with Terry about what motivates her zeal for human relations.
Tell us about what brought you to ChicagoCAC – what’s your background and what made you want to join us?
I have been an HR leader for over a decade and in people management for 30 years. I am best known as the People’s Advocate – championing an inclusive workplace environment free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, and inspiring work equity as a model for success. I believe in working for an organization that makes a meaningful impact in the lives of the communities that they serve. Advocating for underserved and marginalized people is my calling! It was a no-brainer to join ChicagoCAC, knowing that they are living out their mission of battling abuse and restoring lives to society’s most vulnerable – the children and families they serve.
You’ve only been here a few months, but you’ve brought a spirit of connection with you. What motivates your DEIAB work and desires?
I believe in equity and equality and the richness each employee brings to the workforce. We have unique talents, experiences, opinions, perspectives that bring value to an organization and I am confident that when this is realized and supported in the workplace, success follows with higher employee engagement, productivity, greater retention, and employee job satisfaction.
What’s your favorite part of your everyday work?
I love connecting with people one-on-one or in groups. Facilitating and creating trainings or learning about someone’s culture always helps me keep a pulse on what’s meaningful for people in the workplace!
Burnout and self-care might look different for someone in HR vs. someone working with clients, but we’d still love to hear what helps you guard against burnout.
My Christian faith carries me through all life’s highs, lows, peaks, and valleys. Knowing how to pause, compartmentalize, listen, breathe and maintain focus on what brings value to any given situation keeps me present with my work, life, and those I serve in partnership.
What do you look forward to in ChicagoCAC’s future?
Our DEIAB work: working and modeling an inclusive workplace where all are valued, appreciated, and celebrated.