Airport Experience® News - Post-Conference Issue 2023

ADVANCING THE DE&I CONVERSATION Airport Operators Weigh In On Successes and Challenges

BY SARAH BEL ING

How can ai r por t organi zat ions meaningfully address diversity, equity and inclusion as a set of defining operating principles? In the third annual DE&I panel at the AX Conference, Melissa K. Montes, publisher of Airport Experience New s, moderated a panel on the topic with panelists Andrea Albo, deputy chief of staff, Denver International Airport (DEN); Jose Cuevas, senior manager for commercial at JFK International Air Terminal ; and Jill Myers, vice president of business diversity and community engagement at OTG . Highl ight ing inter na l t raining programs, external DE&I initiatives and community outreach to ACDBE-certified firms, panelists described company-wide buy-in, including from senior leadership, as essential to moving forward as an organization dedicated to equity. “You have to start with one thing — a fully supportive executive team,” said Myers of

building a new DE&I ecosystem at OTG. “This support comes from the top, so that we aren’t just ‘checking the box’.” One way to win over executives? Showing them the bottom-line benefit of including diverse voices in decision making. “A diverse business gives us different points of view, different ideas, and these turn out to make a more profitable business,” said Myers. Albo added that DE&I work at DEN is an expectation that is also incorporated into performance reviews and evaluation metrics. While she noted that the process of training legacy employees can be “trial and error,” she added that “people have begun to understand the meaning of this work, and we try to meet people where they are.” All three acknowledged that the process of overhauling past approaches was not without significant hurdles, including biased job descriptions and supplier pushback. Each panelist noted that creating an environment where everyone feels safe to ask questions,

Above: Melissa K. Montes, publisher of AXN, moderated AXN’s third annual panel focused on DE&I initiatives.

have honest conversations, and make mistakes is the only way forward. “The power of collaboration is the perfect tool,” said Cuevas, who highlighted the work his team has done to bring operators together in service of a shared goal. Albo also noted that DE&I work must not fall solely on the shoulders of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) employees, adding: “It’s about building and rebuilding structures and systems that go beyond any one person. If we build that system well, we’ll be able to walk away and it will stand on its own.” In order to affect future change, each panelist emphasized the airport industry’s need to change for - and connect with - the next generation of airport professionals. “GenZ spends hours on TikTok and YouTube. They are very much focused on what’s happening in the world,” said Cuevas. “From a commercial standpoint we can capitalize on it and change the world, but we have to be authentic, it can’t just be for the views because they will know and call it out.” Myers added that reaching out to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and to the larger community about aviation career opportunities is critical to creating an organization representative of the diverse population that it serves. “This is the future,” she said. “We intend to look like the communities in which we do business.” After the panel discussion, Alba was awarded the AX Trailblazer award for her work in advancing DE&I initiatives.

Left: Jill Myers (right), vice president of business diversity and community engagement at OTG, shares her expertise on DE&I initiatives while fellow panelists Andrea Albo (left), deputy chief of staff, Denver International Airport and Jose Cuevas (center), senior manager for commercial at JFK International Air Terminal, look on.

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