Cisco’s Shari Slate joins Textio Board of Advisors

Workplaces have transformed in the past year and half, and this transformation has brought some company culture insights into clear focus. A big one: collaboration and inclusion are linked. How we do our work, how we communicate, and who we invite in matters so much when you’re building an inclusive environment. At Textio, this not only informs the products we build; it also informs how we structure our work.

One of the pioneers of this concept is Shari Slate–and we're thrilled to announce that she will be joining the Textio Board of Advisors. In her role as Cisco’s Chief Inclusion and Collaboration Officer and Vice President, Inclusive Future & Strategy, Shari is responsible for designing the future of Cisco's people strategy and delivering on its commitment to inclusion. As an advisor to Textio, Shari will work with Textio’s leadership team to help shape our approach to inclusion and collaboration at Textio across all aspects of our business.

“I'm excited to join the Textio's Board of Advisors because of the company's innovative approach to creating value at the intersection of inclusion, diversity, collaboration and technology,” Shari said. “By delivering digital solutions for inclusion that can be scaled to prioritize efficacy, Textio is providing modern solutions for solving long-standing challenges.”

In the last year, Shari helped develop and launch Cisco’s Social Justice Beliefs and Actions, codifying how the company views an inclusive future for all, and giving other companies a strong framework to reference. She is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Systemic Inequalities and Social Cohesion, Partnering for Racial Justice Initiative and CDIO Virtual Community (Community of Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officers). She is also a member of the Business Roundtable: Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, World 50: Inclusion & Diversity Impact, and the California State University Foundation Board of Governors.

Shari and Textio have a shared history, starting from four years ago. Textio CEO and Co-Founder Kieran Snyder said of their first meeting, “I was immediately impressed by her energy and the breadth of her vision. She is at the vanguard of a major industry trend, leading both DEI and collaboration as intertwined disciplines at Cisco. Increasingly, companies are recognizing that these two areas are tightly coupled, and Shari's work and advocacy in this space has been formative.”

“Shari also brings deep experience on the business and go-to-market side prior to taking on leadership work in DEI; she has incredibly well-rounded operator skills. This breadth means that Shari has valuable input on many different aspects of our business—not just concerning our own internal operations, but also in the products that we make.”

Team Textio is so grateful to have Shari advise and shape the work we do to create more understanding between people and build the future of inclusive communication and collaboration. Welcome, Shari!