The Seattle Seahawks are the first NFL team to hire a diversity and inclusion leader who reports to the top business executive, tapping Karen Wilkins-Mickey, former Alaska Airlines director of diversity and inclusion, for the job.
Karen Wilkins-Mickey starts this week.
Wilkins-Mickey, who starts Tuesday with the title vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, will be given broad authority over diversity issues throughout the organization, both in internal affairs and external relations.
“When we were doing our research, we noticed that a lot of these positions fell under HR, but we think it represents much more than HR,” said Seahawks President Chuck Arnold. “She has decision-making authority across our entire organization, including football operations and business operations. It’s more than an HR role; she also represents us externally in the community.”
Wilkins-Mickey’s hiring comes as the NFL pushes its teams to hire more diverse staffs, in particular in the top football jobs of head coach and general manager. Last May, the NFL extended the “Rooney Rule” requiring interviews with minority and women candidates for most senior positions on the business side, too.
The Seahawks are the first to put the position that close to top management; three other NFL teams have dedicated diversity and inclusion leaders at the director or manager level — the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings. The Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers are currently in searches, according to the NFL; Denver’s hire will also be a VP but will report to the executive vice president of human resources, Nancy Svoboda.
Recent DEI moves
Jonathan Beane, SVP, chief diversity and inclusion officer, NFL
Ndidi Massay, senior director of workplace culture & diversity, CBS Sports
Michele Meyer-Shipp, chief people and culture officer, MLB
Oris Stuart, chief people and inclusion officer, NBA
According to research from Nolan Partners, which handled the Seahawks’ search, 13 NBA teams have diversity leaders, while there are four in MLB, three in the NHL and one in MLS; four of those people work for multiteam holding companies.
Wilkins-Mickey said the organization chart was important because it underscores that diversity ought to be a strategic concern.
“I really want diversity, equity and inclusion to be embedded in what we do throughout, and having it report to Chuck will ensure that happens, that it’s represented throughout the organization,” she said. “So everybody will have a piece of it.”
Wilkins-Mickey will lead the team’s diversity council and find opportunities for new programs. She’ll help develop the team’s social justice initiatives and work with the NFL’s Inspire Change platform, and also develop a comprehensive plan to address “all aspects of diversity” within the team.
Jonathan Beane, who joined the NFL as its senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer last August, called the Seahawks’ hire “another example of the commitment of the clubs and their owners to the value proposition of DEI,” as more teams hire for the position.
“I expect this number to increase significantly as our membership continues to push us to accelerate our diversity and inclusion efforts,” Beane said. “Having DEI executives, in partnership with club ownership/management, spearheading such an effort will get us there.”
