Speaker

As a part of the Global Diversity & Inclusion team, Katy Jo partners with Business and HR Leaders in two of Microsoft’s engineering groups that include 25,000 employees worldwide to attract, retain, and develop diverse talent, as well as create an inclusive work environment where all employees can reach their potential.  Katy Jo also acts as a D&I liaison with Microsoft’s Staffing Consultants globally for hiring and onboarding people with disabilities.  Katy Jo continues her passion for working with People with Disabilities by representing Microsoft on the Corporate Advisory Board for the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN). 

Katy Jo has been at Microsoft for 15 years.  Prior to working in Global Diversity & Inclusion, Katy Jo spent 7 years in another Organizational Development role where she built and launched Microsoft’s integrated worldwide talent platform for managing and developing employees across the entire company, known as the career model.  She also drove alignment of the talent and leadership development strategy with the overall business strategy to ensure high business impact.

Prior to working with career models, Katy Jo spent her first 5 years at Microsoft within the Staffing organization, where she co-created the Explore Microsoft Program. Designed to increase the Computer Science graduation rates among females and diverse students, this program provides freshman and sophomore college students a meaningful introduction to a career in the technology industry and remains a pipeline of diverse technical talent for Microsoft.   

Katy Jo received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology from Carroll College in Helena, Montana and her graduate degree in Organization Systems Renewal from Seattle University.