As part of our ongoing International Women’s Day 2025 #AccelerateAction initiative, we’re proud to share highlights from our recent, internal Diversity Dialogues podcast.It brought together five remarkable women from different backgrounds and roles within Onclusive.
Hosted by Roxane Papagianopoulos (Senior Global Solutions Consultant) and Sen Sherman (Senior Account Manager), this special IWD edition featured Ximena Ormaechea (Chief Customer Officer), Loretta Lomanto (Client Success Manager), and Shade Chinsman (Agency Team Lead and ED&I Networks Head). Together, they explored personal and professional challenges, shared practical strategies for overcoming barriers, and demonstrated what “accelerating action” really means.
The Urgency of Change: Why “Accelerate Action” Matters
International Women’s Day is more than just a celebration—it’s a call to action. According to the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158—five generations from now—to achieve full gender parity. This staggering statistic underscores why we must take accelerated steps toward gender equality, breaking down systemic barriers and biases with intention and urgency.
“One of the best ways to forge gender equality is to understand what works and do it faster,” Roxane noted. “Accelerate Action is a worldwide call to implement strategies that positively impact women’s advancement and to support and elevate their implementation.”
Global Perspectives on Universal Challenges
Cultural Barriers Across Borders
One of the unique strengths of this conversation was the international diversity of our panelists. With perspectives from the United Kingdom, United States, Colombia, and Uruguay, the discussion highlighted how women’s experiences transcend geographical boundaries while also being shaped by cultural contexts.
Ximena, who moved from Uruguay to London nearly two decades ago, shared: “I think women, but in my case particularly Latin women, often face significant challenges in the workplace. There is obviously the gender bias discrimination, lack of access to leadership positions, stereotypes, and of course, a pay gap compared to male colleagues.
These challenges intensify for women working internationally. As Loretta, originally from Colombia and now based in Brooklyn, explained: “When you are at home, you are dealing as a woman with all the patriarchy limitations… but when you are in the US or working internationally, you’re adding to that all the stereotyping and lack of education about where you’ve come from.”
Identity in Professional Spaces: The Power of Names
When Names Create Expectations
While our first IWD blog touched on career challenges broadly, this conversation delved into the specific, often overlooked experiences related to names, accents, and cultural identity that can impact women’s professional journeys.
For Shade (pronounced shar-day), her name has been a consistent challenge: “My surname is Chinsman, which doesn’t seem to necessarily come from anywhere. So people are always expecting a Chinese person to turn up. So when I do turn up… you’ve got a half Nigerian name, which is my full name – Folashade. And then you’ve got my Chinsman surname… I also do get called ‘shade’ quite often. So my name is one of the main things I’ve struggled with. Even though it seems like quite a small thing, it’s how you introduce yourself, so it does matter.”
Sen shared a similar experience with cultural assumptions: “My full name is Seniqua… when I hop on calls with clients, they expect an Asian person to pop-up because I go by Sen. And it’s really fun sometimes, but then it gets really awkward when I have to go through a whole history on what my name is.”
Strategies for Respectful Pronunciation
Roxane Papagianopoulos shared her own powerful experience with her complex surname: “My married surname has 16 letters in it. And I’ll be really honest, I judge people when they say, ‘Oh, I’m not even going to try to pronounce it.’ It tells me two things. One, you’re calling me out to make me different without accepting and saying, ‘Hey, that’s interesting. How do you pronounce your name?’ Instead of making it about them and say, ‘I’m not even going to try.’”
She emphasized the importance of making an effort to pronounce names correctly, recalling how a colleague expressed gratitude when she used the proper pronunciation of his name. “It’s a small gesture, but it carries significant weight. It shows respect, inclusion, and a willingness to meet people where they are.”
The journey to correcting mispronunciations often evolves over time. As Shade shared, “At the beginning, when you first start encountering it, you don’t always correct people. Well, I didn’t anyway. I just let it happen. And then as time has gone on and I’ve become the woman I am today, I do correct people.”
Roxane reinforced this point, noting that “a gentle correction is not rude. It’s not. It’s respect, quite frankly. Our name, like you said, is the first thing that people learn about us.”
Accents as Part of Authentic Identity
These experiences reflect subtle but impactful forms of bias that can shape professional interactions. As Ximena noted, accent discrimination can manifest in ways that undermine women’s expertise: “There’s been many situations in which native speakers will start speaking a bit slower… It’s almost as if they’re talking to a child.”
Our panelists shared practical strategies for addressing these challenges, from gentle corrections to prepared responses. Loretta explained: “I have a little compilation of answers and things to say to people about my accent and where I’m coming from to educate them.” This balance of self-advocacy and education exemplifies the kind of thoughtful approach needed to accelerate change.
Despite these challenges, our panelists expressed how their international experiences have become sources of strength and unique perspective. “The accent I have, for me, is part of my identity, is part of my background, the experiences, the countries that I lived in,” Ximena shared proudly. “It’s what I want to keep as part of my authentic self.”
Generational Shifts: A New Era of Confidence
Learning From the Next Generation
A particularly powerful discussion revolved around generational shifts in identity and self-expression. Shade shared how her daughter embraces her natural hair with pride—something she, herself, had struggled with for years due to societal conditioning. “I still haven’t found the confidence to come into work with an afro, even though I know it’s okay. But my daughter wears hers everywhere, without hesitation. And that gives me hope.”
Increasing Representation in Leadership
Ximena added that this generational shift is not just about personal confidence, but about the increasing representation of diverse voices in leadership: “When I started working 27 years ago, we didn’t see many women—let alone Latin women—in executive roles. But that’s changing, and it’s making a real difference.”
Today, women make up just 29% of C-suite positions globally, and an alarming 1% of C-suite executives in corporate America are Latina. At Onclusive, we’re proud to be ahead of the curve with 37% of our Executive Leadership Team positions being held by women, including our Chief Customer Officer Ximena Ormaechea.
Creating Change From Any Position
Small Actions, Big Impact
Echoing Christina Engisch’s insight from our previous blog that “organizations can play a critical role in driving meaningful change,” our podcast participants emphasized that meaningful change can come from any position—you don’t need a senior leadership title to make a difference.
Loretta shared how she influenced hiring decisions to increase diversity on her team: “I felt like it was very important that I use the opportunity to use all my powers for the best of the company.” Her conscious effort to include more women in the interviewing process ultimately contributed to building a more diverse team
Mentorship From Any Role
The impact of her action continues today, as Sen shared: “I have asked Loretta certain questions about cultural matters, about my hair or things I’ve heard around the office. And she was really helpful to guide me in navigating certain situations as a woman of color.”
Ximena summarized this empowering message perfectly: “I don’t think it matters at which level your career you are. If you’ve just started or not, I think you can be a driver of change… from wherever anyone is sitting and listening to this, everyone can drive that positive change.”
Breaking the Boys Club: Women in Male-Dominated Industries
The Pressure to Outperform
Our panelists shared powerful insights about navigating traditionally male-dominated spaces and the additional pressures women face in these environments.
Shade reflected on her past experience in sales: “Naturally, when you go into a sales environment, back in the days, it was a boys club. So I was always the only girl on the team. And I always felt I had to go harder, faster, stronger, better, to prove myself.” She noted that even when excelling, recognition didn’t always follow: “Even when I did, oftentimes, I felt it wasn’t recognized and I wasn’t given the promotion.”
Creating Space in Traditionally Male Environments
Sen shared similar challenges from her background in engineering: “I studied engineering and have a certification in that. And I was the only girl in my class. I had to do everything 10 times better because people expected me just to make things pretty.”
Although our panelists were reflecting on experiences from earlier in their careers, it’s clear that significant challenges persist today. These experiences highlight an ongoing reality for women in male-dominated fields.
Current Research Confirms Ongoing Challenges
According to recent studies, women in STEM industries (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) continue to face significant barriers:
- Nearly half (48%) of women report experiencing discrimination during recruitment or hiring
- 39% cite gender bias as a major obstacle to accessing technical roles
- Career advancement remains challenging, with 66% of women stating there is no clear path forward in tech professions
- 50% report encountering gender discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace
As our conversation revealed, acknowledging these ongoing systemic challenges is an important first step toward creating more equitable professional environments. By sharing their experiences, our panelists contribute to a broader understanding of the persistent barriers women face, helping to drive the conversations needed for meaningful change in male-dominated industries.
The Pressure Women Put on Themselves
Fighting Against Impossible Standards
Beyond external challenges, the conversation also tackled the internalized pressures women place upon themselves. Loretta pointed out how societal expectations often make women feel as though they have to do it all—excel in their careers, be perfect mothers, and still “bring the cupcakes to the meeting.”
“It’s a systemic issue,” she noted. “The bar is set so high that it becomes unattainable, and part of oppression is making women feel they have to fight for everything while also being likable and accommodating.”
The Power of Setting Boundaries
Ximena agreed, adding that women often struggle with setting boundaries. “We need to empower ourselves to say no—to set limits, to stop trying to please everyone, and to recognize that we are enough just as we are.”
Daily Actions That Accelerate Change
Addressing Bias in Real Time
The International Women’s Day 2025 theme “Accelerate Action” resonated throughout this conversation, with our panelists sharing how they put this principle into practice through everyday choices and behaviors.
Ximena described how she addresses unconscious bias in real time: “I started saying, was I not clear? Did I just not say that? Why are you repeating what I’m saying? So I started actually calling it out.” This direct but professional approach allows her to address situations where colleagues might repeat her ideas or speak to her differently because of her accent.
She emphasized that addressing bias isn’t just about correcting others—it’s about self-protection too: “By me speaking up, by me calling it out, I’m also stopping that feeling of impostor syndrome growing.”
Addressing Mansplaining and Microaggressions
Our panelists highlighted specific microaggressions they’ve experienced and developed strategies to address them. Ximena shared how mansplaining often manifests when people repeat what she’s already said: “In other situations, the mansplaining that can happen, you get people repeating what you’re saying. It’s almost as if saying it in the native accent might help clarify, which can of course be frustrating.”
She noted that these behaviors often stem from unconscious bias: “I don’t think it’s on purpose, and they might not even be conscious of what they’re actually doing. And the effort that you are making to convey complex ideas in a language that is not your own.”
As mentioned above, her approach combines assertiveness with education: “I started saying, Why are you repeating what I’m saying?… facing it, realizing that it’s not on purpose, that it’s not conscious, again, taking that opportunity to educate, and allow both parties to grow.”
These practical strategies offer valuable tools for anyone experiencing or witnessing these subtle forms of bias in the workplace.
Balancing Personal and Professional Identities
Cultural Expectations Around Motherhood
Our conversation explored the challenges women face in balancing various aspects of their identities, particularly around motherhood and cultural expectations.
Ximena highlighted the particular challenges Latin American women face: “There are limited opportunities for career advancement, and particularly when you start balancing motherhood with professional aspirations, because of inadequate maternity leave policies across many countries in Latin America. But there is also a big cultural expectation around motherhood and the role we play in society.”
Domestic Pressures on Women Continue to Grow
This pressure is reflected in broader research showing that 50% of women report higher stress levels than a year ago. Furthermore, half of women who live with a partner and have children at home bear the most responsibility for childcare, while only 12% say this responsibility falls to their partner. Even more concerning, only 26% of couples report equally splitting childcare responsibilities, a significant decrease from previous years, indicating that progress toward shared domestic labor may be reversing rather than advancing.
Embracing Multiple Facets of Identity
Our panelists also emphasized the importance of embracing all aspects of identity beyond professional roles. When introducing herself, Ximena mentioned being “a daughter, a sister, an auntie, a friend and also a wife”—recognizing that her professional identity is just one facet of who she is.
Loretta made a powerful observation about gender expectations: “I feel as a woman, you’re also trying to fight against the erasure of the things that are strong about us, like emotions and empathy.” This insight highlights how traditionally “feminine” qualities are often devalued in professional settings, when they should instead be recognized as strengths.
Women’s Leadership as a Superpower
Emotional Intelligence as Strength
Rather than viewing their experiences as disadvantages, our podcast participants have turned challenges into strengths and developed unique leadership approaches.
“I honestly think being a woman is a superpower,” Ximena stated boldly. “I do think women in general tend to show a higher emotional intelligence and empathy.” This perspective transforms the conversation from “overcoming barriers” to “leveraging unique strengths.” It echoes Vaishali Bodke’s reflection in our previous blog about how her “approach is centered on collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity”—qualities that create stronger teams and more effective leadership.
The Call for Men to Join the Conversation
Creating Allies for Gender Equality
“This isn’t about excluding men,” Roxane added. “It’s about creating a space where everyone benefits from a more inclusive and equitable workplace. That means bringing men into these conversations, helping them understand the challenges women face, and working together toward solutions.”
Ximena also noted that fostering an inclusive culture isn’t just about hiring diverse talent—it’s about ensuring that all employees feel heard and valued. “Diversity isn’t just about representation—it’s about making sure everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.”
Driving Progress Through Shared Stories
As we noted in our previous blog post, the journey to gender equality requires collective effort. Studies estimate it will take 67 years to close the gender gap in Europe, 95 years in North America, and 189 years in East Asia and the Pacific. Through conversations like this one—and the actions they inspire— we can accelerate that timeline.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Roxane Papagianopoulos, Sen Sherman, Ximena Ormaechea, Loretta Lomanto, and Shade Chinsman for sharing their personal stories and insights. Their willingness to speak candidly about their experiences helps pave the way for meaningful change not just at Onclusive, but across workplaces everywhere. Their voices remind us that the journey to gender equality is both personal and collective—and that each of us has a role to play in accelerating action
Elevating Women at Onclusive and Beyond
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, we’re excited to introduce “Women of Onclusive,” a new spotlight program dedicated to championing women in our workplace and beyond. Throughout the next year, we’ll focus on initiatives that enhance the professional experiences of our female colleagues across all Onclusive markets. From showcasing the incredible talent within our organization to supporting women’s causes in our wider communities, we’re committed to driving meaningful change.
As part of our commitment to accelerating action, we’ll be working on several key initiatives which includes:
- Internally gathering pay gap data across all markets
- Launching a mentoring program
- Holding quarterly discussion sessions with our LEAN IN women-focused ERG
- Highlighting career progression pathway opportunities