Xiomara Lopez

My journey as a DEI Champion & Mom

I was standing in a Deloitte University ballroom as our first speaker kicked off the 2024 Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer Forum as I reflected on the last year. A colleague came to see how I was feeling and if I had eaten. She saw I just had coffee for breakfast and was making sure I was caring for myself, especially as a new mom on one of my first work trips since giving birth. Exactly a year ago, these same colleagues were the ones covering for me at this event when I unexpectedly went into labor weeks ahead of schedule. The connection and support I feel from this team at Deloitte is what makes this Purpose & DEI Office culture so great for me to be part of.

I consider my role to be my dream job. As a first-generation Latina and leader of the New England Hispanic/Latinx & Allies Community, DEI is my passion. As a lead specialist for Deloitte’s DEI Institute™, I was brought on to project manage an annual multi-day event, hosting 150 DEI executives to connect, share strategies, and gain insights from other leaders in the field. Because of my experience in campaign management and event planning from prior roles, I felt this position was a perfect match for my career aspirations and I was thrilled when they brought me on.

However, this also made me nervous to tell my manager and managing director that I was pregnant not long after onboarding onto the team. Thankfully, I felt supported and everyone on the team was genuinely excited by the news. My leadership shared stories of their own journeys into motherhood, and the vulnerability of those conversations made me more confident. It brought a lot of comfort, and with their support, I felt I was in an ideal place for this new stage of life as a working mom.

As my due date neared, I couldn’t travel safely, so I was preparing to help with the Chief DEI Officer Forum from home. But my son had other plans. I went into labor two weeks before the event began. I felt like I was abandoning my team as I emailed from the hospital, but they immediately had my back. Everyone took on different parts of the project, on top of their on-site roles, and delegated well. I think that the ability to be agile and support one another, no matter the circumstances, is a testament to the culture I have experienced at Deloitte.

That assistance extended well into postpartum when I felt comfortable fully disconnecting to bond with my baby while on family leave. For me, that is one of the best benefits. As I stood at the 2024 event—a mom to a one-year-old—and surrounded by support from my team, I felt empowered knowing I am both a strong woman leader and a present parent. I also know Deloitte’s culture is one I want to be a part of for the long run.