Dr. Shirley J. Knowles — CEO
🌍 Belonging. Equity. Impact. 🌍 As an award-winning executive with deep expertise in diversity, equity, inclusion, and social impact strategy, I’ve spent my career building workplaces and communities where people don’t just show up. They feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive. Most recently serving as Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer at Progress, I led global belonging and inclusion efforts across several countries, driving strategies that connected culture with business outcomes. My focus areas: • Executive Strategy for Belonging & Inclusion • Global Learning & Development for Inclusive Leadership • ESG-Aligned Community Investment • Storytelling, Employer Brand, and Stakeholder Engagement • Internal Policy & Cultural Transformation • Metrics-Driven Equity & Retention Initiatives Notable Impact: ✔ Achieved an 86% global inclusion & belonging score across the enterprise ✔ Drove DEI strategies contributing to a 95% employee retention rate ✔ Co-built and facilitated training for 250+ global managers on allyship, bias, and sponsorship ✔ Named to COLOR Magazine’s Powerlist and Business Insider’s Most Innovative HR Leaders I’ve shared progress at global conferences, including IDEA24 and the Women in Business D&I Academy in Bulgaria, and contributed thought leadership to Forbes, HRO Today, HR Magazine, and more. I lead with empathy, data, and vision—and I believe deeply in the power of social responsibility to transform both people and performance. Whether I’m building employee resource groups, designing leadership pipelines, or launching company-wide belonging initiatives, I’m driven by one goal: sustainable/equitable impact. Let’s connect if you're building something bold!
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Corporate Social Responsibility expert focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Experience: 20 yrs 4 mos
Skills
- Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (dei) Initiative Implementation
- Leadership Development
- People Development
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Employee Engagement
Career Highlights
- Achieved 86% global inclusion score.
- Drove DEI strategies for 95% employee retention.
- Facilitated training for 250+ global managers.
Work Experience
Progress
Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer (3 yrs 11 mos)
Homesite Insurance
Diversity and Inclusion Officer (11 mos)
Manager, External Communications and Community Investment (1 yr 11 mos)
Senior Corporate Communications Specialist (2 yrs 1 mo)
Le Cordon Bleu
Adjunct Instructor - Public Speaking and Cultural Diversity (1 yr 10 mos)
Eastern Nazarene College
Adjunct Instructor - Reading for College & English Comp II (2 yrs 3 mos)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Corporate Communications Specialist (4 yrs 5 mos)
Spectacle Publishing Media Group LLC
Director of Public Relations (1 yr)
Boston Celtics
Media Relations (1 yr)
Waubonsee Community College
Upward Bound Educational Specialist (3 yrs)
Marquette University
Multicultural Student Assistant (3 yrs)
Education
Doctor of Education (EdD) at Northeastern University
Master of Science (M.Sc.) at Simmons College - Simmons School of Management
Master of Leadership Studies (MLD) at North Central College
Bachelor of Arts in Communications at Marquette University
