DEIBA Spotlight
Short interview articles highlighting individual DELTA staff members’ engagement in DEIBA efforts in their work/role.
Meet DEIBA Champion Angela Hallman
“All human beings want to feel validated and seen.”
This belief is what guides Angela Hallman in her efforts to center diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and allyship (DEIBA) as a Human Resources Consultant for DELTA and NCSCaLE.
Hallman oversees the direction and management of HR initiatives for DELTA and NCSCaLE, including employee recruitment, selection, onboarding and retention — areas crucial to fostering belonging for prospective and current employees.
Diversity efforts, she says, build workforces that reflect the communities they serve and give everyone an equal chance to join and advance in an organization. Further, communicating with empathy and validating each person’s experience are the foundations upon which all genuine DEIBA efforts are built.
And she understands the importance of approaching these processes with an equity lens and an empathetic heart.
With this in mind, Hallman acknowledges the magnitude of prioritizing DEIBA efforts in a large organization and recognizes that these initiatives must be embraced by the group to be successful.
“It takes all of us to walk the talk,” she said. “It’s a daily practice. But if we can get the inclusion and belonging down, diversity and equity will follow.”
Case Study: Mentoring @ DELTA
The Mentoring @ DELTA program is a prime example of DEIBA principles in action. Coordinated by Hallman and Human Resource Specialist Cortney Hagans, the program was successfully piloted in 2023 and relaunched in April 2024.
Considerable research has shown that mentorship programs emphasizing workplace inclusivity can be particularly effective at creating a more welcoming and equitable environment for all.
DELTA’s mentoring program platform, Chronus, has built-in DEIB metrics, training, and resources to enhance diversity in mentoring initiatives while mitigating systemic inequity, institutional bias and microaggressions.
“The mentor program is a great way to bring together people who may not otherwise connect,” Hallman explained.
She adds that going forward, newly hired employees will be invited to pair with a mentor as part of standard onboarding. This practice will, she hopes, help new employees feel connected to DELTA as valued members of the organization.
DEIBA Principles in Action
Hallman has worked at NC State for almost 14 years, and has seen many changes to hiring practices and DEIBA efforts. She cites targeted efforts to provide equitable hiring processes and fair consideration to people who identify as veterans or disabled.
“Recruitment, selection and onboarding are times in which most staff see how HR champions DEIB,” she explained. “It is so important to me that search committees understand their own bias, and see the individual for the skills they would bring to our organization.”
“The use of equal employment opportunity (EEO) market data is critical to our area since we use that to see where we may fall short,” she explained. “From there we can implement impactful changes in our internal practices and community of job seekers.”
Another area in which her team puts DEIBA principles into action is with pay equity analysis. “This takes some time, but it is well worth it,” Hallman said. “I am transparent with hiring managers and employees so they understand the nuances of our state system as it relates to pay and structure.”
A Space for DELTA DEIBA
When Hallman attended a workshop called The Blueprint to Dismantle Systemic Racism with some 30 other DELTA employees, she experienced a powerful “aha” moment, and the idea for the DEIBA at DELTA group was born.
“I was so touched to see so many of my colleagues attend the workshop,” she explained, “and truly have an interest in this space.”
The blueprint includes dozens of actions that organizations can take to address systemic racism in systems governing criminal justice, economic mobility, education equity and health equity.
As a founding member of DEIBA at DELTA, Hallman works to ensure that employees are aware of the various resources available to them, both professionally and personally, in order to become empowered and take action in the DEIBA space. In addition to the mentor program, wellness initiatives and recognition programs take center stage.
Perhaps most important, however, is the safe space the group offers: “DEIBA at DELTA is a space where people can mingle and share information and ideas without judgment,” she explained.
Learn More
The goal of DEIBA initiatives in the workplace is to create an environment where people can be their authentic selves, and where their unique perspectives are valued.
“When the culture of an organization consists of kindness and practicing nonjudgmental behaviors,” Hallman explained, “it is in these actions that we champion inclusion and belonging.”
In addition to joining the DEIBA at DELTA interest group, she suggests the following resources for people interested in learning more about this work:
- Cy Wakeman’s book No Ego and her podcast Reality-Based Leadership
- Byron Katie’s “The Work”
- Brene Brown’s book Atlas of the Heart and her TED Talk “The power of vulnerability”
- Negotiate Anything podcast
- Good Life podcast
Have questions, suggestions or resources to share? Reach out directly: Angela Hallman