Growth Opportunities and Meaningful Connections: How this Senior Program Manager is Making an Impact

Delta Dental is a healthcare organization dedicated to inclusion and service; these values are reflected in its commitment to increasing access to affordable, quality care for communities across the country.  They also put these values into practice by cultivating a psychologically safe workplace where employees feel empowered to participate and bring their authentic selves to work. 

Briana Kenneh, Delta Dental’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Senior Program Manager, works alongside her team to create equitable programs, growth opportunities, and meaningful connections to foster a supportive work environment where all employees can thrive. 

“We consistently improve the employee experience through various initiatives like the Women@ Inclusion Community and Women in Technology programs,” Kenneh shares.

The Women@ Inclusion Community was one of the first Inclusion Communities founded at Delta Dental. Representing nearly 70% of the workforce, this group has played a key role in advocating for policies that support women, such as the Paid Parental Leave Policy, and creating professional development opportunities like the Mentorship Program and Women’s Leadership Summit.

Here, we caught up with Kenneh to explore Delta Dental’s impactful DEI initiatives and how they reflect the company’s overall culture and commitment to community health. 

Can you tell us about Delta Dental’s DEI initiatives?

In Talent Acquisition, we partner closely with various groups and organizations to connect our job opportunities with diverse and veteran communities. 

Our Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) team provides unconscious bias training on an as-needed basis, along with an Inclusive Leadership Workshop for all people leaders across the organization. The workshop is a three-hour interactive training session designed to help leaders identify exclusionary behaviors in their surroundings and within their teams and cultivate inclusive leadership habits through a framework of key inclusive practices. 

We also have eight Inclusion Communities, which are:

•  ABLE: Black employees and allies

• ASPIRE: Asian and Pacific Islander employees and allies

• AVID: Employees with visible and invisible disabilities

•  DLANTE: Latino and Hispanic employees

•  Family First: Employees navigating all aspects of family life

•  MPACT: Military veterans and spouses, active service members, and allies

•  Spectrum: LGBTQ+ employees and allies

•  Women@Delta: Women employees and allies

Can you tell us a little more about Delta Dental’s Inclusion Communities?

Our Inclusion Communities (employee resource groups) are employee-led groups that provide support, advocate for inclusive policies, and create networking and development opportunities for their members. These groups focus on fostering belonging and addressing the unique needs of different employee demographics and are open to all employees.

The Inclusion Communities start as working groups formed by employees who share a common interest in creating a group. Once a working group evolves into an Inclusion Community, an Executive Sponsor, group leads, and Steering Committee members are appointed.

Inclusion Communities collaborate with our DIB team to establish annual goals and strategies for hosting various events and programs throughout the year that focus on community involvement, career development, and cultural awareness. Regular committee meetings are held to assess progress, and ongoing collaboration with Executive Sponsors and the DIB team is crucial to ensure alignment of goals and track success.

How does Delta Dental’s Women’s Inclusion Community reflect the overall culture?

Our Women@ Inclusion Community reflects Delta Dental’s commitment to empowering women at all levels, fostering leadership opportunities, and providing a platform for women to connect and support one another. Women@ mirrors our overall culture of inclusivity, support, and professional development.

How does Delta Dental engage with and support its communities? Is this done on a global, national, or local level?

Delta Dental, a mission-driven nonprofit organization, and the nation’s leading dental benefits provider, is committed to transforming community health through strategic partnerships and investments. Through the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation’s $33 million investment in 2024 and comprehensive employee engagement programs, we work to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare, address social determinants of health, and strengthen communities nationwide. Since 2012, our philanthropic investments have exceeded $180 million, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to creating lasting impact in the communities we serve.

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