The Walt Disney Company Announces New Chief Diversity Officer Following Latondra Newton’s Exit
The Walt Disney Company announced a new Chief Diversity Officer in Tinisha Agramonte following Latondra Newton’s exit from the company at the end of June.
It was revealed by Variety that Newton left the Walt Disney Company after they obtained an internal company memo from the company’s HR chief Sonia Coleman.
Coleman wrote in the memo, “I’m writing to share the news that Latondra Newton has decided to leave The Walt Disney Company to pursue other endeavors.”
“Since joining the company in 2017, Latondra has led the company’s strategic diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including partnering with stakeholders across the enterprise to amplify stories of the world by people around the world. She has been dedicated to ensuring every person sees themselves and their life experiences represented in a meaningful and authentic way,” Coleman added.
In a press release, The Walt Disney Company announced they named Tinisha Agramonte as their new Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
The press release states, “As Chief Diversity Officer, Agramonte will report to Sonia Coleman, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Agramonte will lead Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, helping the company inspire a world of belonging through stories and storytellers who reflect the rich diversity of our world.”
“Among each of our teams and in every community where we live and work around the world, Disney is committed to building a more inclusive and respectful world,” Coleman added in a statement. “Tinisha Agramonte is an integral member of our executive leadership, and a dedicated, well-respected leader within Disney. As our new CDO, Agramonte’s expansive knowledge and expertise, having worked in a variety of industries, will allow us to continue creating a welcoming environment for our employees globally.”
Agramonte is an internal promotion given she joined the company a year ago as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Talent Outreach & Development with Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
According to her LinkedIn profile, before joining The Walt Disney Company in 2022, Agramonte previously served as the Chief Diversity Officer of Motorola Solutions from August 2020 to September 2022.
Before that she served as the Director of the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Commerce from June 2015 to August 2020. She was the Assistant Administrator for Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights for the U.S. Small Business Administration from June 2013 to June 2015.
Her first listed job was the Director of Outreach and Retention for the Department of Veteran Affairs from May 2009 to June 2013.
Agramonte stated in the press release, “I’m honored to take on this role at a beloved brand, which impacts people around the world. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege to help foster environments where all voices are heard, where individuals from all backgrounds have equitable access and opportunities to thrive, and where innovation flourishes because of our collective strengths.”
She added, “I am proud to continue those efforts alongside our incredible leaders and employees here at Disney to optimally achieve our company’s mission to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling.”
What do you make of Disney’s promotion of Agramonte to their Chief Diversity Officer?