Commvault : Following my passion to lead and make a difference

By Lisa Critchlow

To me, life is full of opportunities to follow your passion.

In 2015, after having more technical roles at previous companies, I joined Commvault to continue to follow my passion for marketing and connecting with people. To me, marketing is all about helping create connections. At the end of the day, the connections we feel to our brands drive our loyalty. And I have to say, during my time here at Commvault, I've continued to be inspired and passionate, fueled by not only my role in marketing but also from my involvement with our Multi-Culture Employee Resource Group (ERG).

From a young age, my mother always instilled the importance of giving back and being an advocate, which has truly become an essential part of my life, both personally and professionally. So, when given the opportunity to help lead Commvault's Multi-Culture ERG, I jumped at it! I want my Commvault family to know who I am, what my culture is about, and what drives me every day. And more over, I want to know the same about my fellow Vaulters! It's our unique backgrounds and experiences that make us stronger together.

The mission of the Multi-Culture ERG is very simple: it's about education, awareness, appreciation, and tolerance of other cultures. If we can truly understand each other's perspective, background, heritage, and culture, it makes us more human. And it also makes us more empathetic to the situations and circumstances of other people. A more diverse and inclusive workplace creates a better environment for us all to deliver for ourselves and for Commvault.

The Multi-Culture ERG hosts several events throughout the year aligned to important awareness days, including African American History Month, Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific-Islander Month and (coming up in just a few days!) Martin Luther King Jr. Day. When I look back on all the incredible events and awareness opportunities I've been part of during my time at Commvault, one of the most meaningful events the ERG has hosted was a Courageous Conversation session in June 2020, after the murder of George Floyd. The session, which was attended by over 500 employees, featured people of African American descent who shared their real-life experiences of what it means to be Black today in the United States. I had the privilege of sharing some very painful but realistic experiences that my sons have experienced. To see our CEO shed tears and empathize with something that was so personal for me, as a woman of color, and all the outpouring of love and support that I got from my work colleagues across the company was simply incredible.

My experience leading the Multi-Culture ERG has definitely made me feel like I was part of a family here at Commvault. There is still much to be done in our DE&I efforts, but I remain hopeful that we will continue to make strives in the recruitment and retention of people of color.

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