This post is a part of our series, Culture Champions — Spotlighting the actionable advice, tips, tricks and learnings from top ERG leaders who are making a difference in their workplaces and communities.

Meet Carolina Chavez, Account Executive and LatinX ERG Leader at Salesforce

As an Account Executive at Salesforce, what has best prepared you for this role and why?

I started at Salesforce as a Sales Development Representative in 2017 and have been promoted a few times leading up to my current position. Each role offered amazing training which allowed me to come into my Account Executive role with confidence. I’m also very fortunate to have been a part of Florida International University’s Global Sales program in college. I still use tactics I learned years ago from those sessions! 

What was your journey to becoming the Latinoforce ERG leader at Salesforce? 

I’ll never forget my first day at Salesforce. I was immediately welcomed by the Latinoforce Atlanta Co-President and invited to one of their meetings. Latinoforce built a strong sense of community for me from Day 1. I loved the focus on driving diversity and inclusion at work as well as the strong commitment to fundraise for local Latin nonprofits. After a year and a half in Atlanta, it was time for me to make the move out to Denver, and with this new move I was able to help start Latinoforce Denver. Starting a chapter from scratch and seeing this community grow over time is something I am so grateful for.

What are the goals of Latinoforce? (i.e. internal, external, community, professional development, recruitment, inclusive product design, programming) 

Latinoforce connects and promotes an inclusive community of latino/a/x employees at Salesforce and in the tech industry to create a kind and inclusive community, support career growth and advancement and positively give back. We focus on providing education to drive diversity and inclusion efforts at Salesforce and are open to all backgrounds. Latinoforce has many members that are Latino/a/x allies.

What are some of your accomplishments over the past year in the employee experience and how would you measure your impact? 

This past year, Latinoforce Denver alongside the Denver Women’s Network hosted a Virtual Talent Show for Latina SafeHouse (LSH), a nonprofit in Denver that helps support domestic violence victims. Collectively, Salesforce employees across the US performed, judged, MC’d, attended, and raised over $18k for LSH. These funds will go directly to therapy and safe rehousing services for those impacted this year. Being a part of a team that was able to accomplish this during our new virtual world has truly blown me away. We’ve adapted and continue to focus on how we can best support our community. That never changes. 

How are you celebrated and compensated as an ERG leader at Salesforce? 

ERG leadership positions are volunteer-based and are not compensated. There are a lot of unpaid benefits though that have come with the position. By being an ERG leader I’ve had the opportunity to work with other members across the US and globe that I may not have connected with otherwise. I have learned so much from these connections and also sought out mentors through the Latinoforce network. 

What advice do you have for folks looking to start or lead an ERG within their organization?

Seek out support prior to launching! Before the first Latinoforce Denver meeting we had a leadership team and a few executive sponsors already on board. Leading an ERG can be a lot of work and it’s important to make sure you have the right people to help you build a strong foundation. Teamwork is key. Make sure to reach out to others with common interests and ties to your ERG prior to launching to see who might be able to help. 

What is your call to action for leaders to support the work of ERGs? 

Continue providing support for local nonprofits at this very trying time. With the shift to virtual work and COVID restrictions, many nonprofits have struggled to meet their goals. It’s our responsibility as leaders to give back to our communities and to make sure our members know how to help. 

How did Latinoforce and Salesforce celebrate/honor National Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 this year? 

This year, Latinoforce Global hosted several sessions on a variety of topics: hispanic heritage month history, career development, networking, philanthropy and community work, afro-latino education, and how to support diverse and inclusive practices at work. Providing ongoing education is incredibly important especially now that we are in a primarily remote environment.