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Supplier Diversity Newsletter |
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Greetings Partners,
Every month we share a list of the most recent state certified businesses including the business name, contact information, business description, etc. This list is best utilized regularly in combination with OMWBE's Directory of Certified Businesses.
Please contact our Supplier Diversity team for assistance using our online directory, or to schedule a virtual training for your procurement team.
Email: supplierdiversity@omwbe.wa.gov
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Access Equity will officially launch on February 5th! At this point, implementation is complete with the onboarding of 107 Washington state agencies and institutions of higher education. Following the launch, OMWBE will continue to train our partners in the tools to expand outreach opportunities and track state spending at the subcontractor level.
Getting Access Equity to this point has taken several years and would not be possible without a lot of hard work from our dedicated partners across the entire state. Implementing enterprise-wide software solutions is complex, and requires organizational change management and updates to longstanding workflows and processes, which look different at every organization.
We are thankful for each and every contribution, and the partners we have gained along the way. Access Equity is a necessary step forward on the legal path to contracting equity, and we are excited for what the future holds.
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We are trying something different this year, in hopes that you will have a seamless experience participating in our toolkit workshops. Rather than use a separate signup and link, the workshops will be incorporated into the Supplier Diversity Community of Practice monthly meetings. So, if you are already attending those, you are already registered!
If your agency operates within the “Washington State Executive Branch Agencies” tenant in Microsoft teams, you can join the community of practice conversation using the link below. If you get any access errors when trying to open that link, email DESPIEProgram@des.wa.gov and we will make sure you are able to access the group and see the meeting information.
The button below links to the Microsoft Teams site for state employees.
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New Director of Business Diversity & Inclusion
Tennille Johnson joins OMWBE with a background in many different industries and sectors including healthcare, retail and sales, banking and taxes, landscape and design, business start-ups, and more. She found her passion in workforce development, working with marginalized communities where re-entry was the focus. She is an EDI focused leader who understands the need for all voices at the table, in order for us to embrace the richness of the people and resources in Washington state, and to provide equitable and diverse products and services.
Born in Europa, Mississippi, Tennille grew up in Tacoma, Washington where she watched the power of cultural diversity change and grow communities. She is passionate about continuous self-growth and development and enjoys spending time with her 19-year-old son and nieces and nephews. She likes cooking, shoes, sports, and loves to travel.
Tennille is very excited to be a part of an organization that truly matches all her core values, her empathy and love for people, and where she can help forge paths of opportunity for others.
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Kimber Starr is ecstatic to join OMWBE as our new Subcabinet Manager. With a background as Director of Outreach for Congresswoman Strickland, Kimber has experience leading various sectors in securing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding, ensuring equitable opportunities for Minority Contractors. She initiated efforts to reform the Disadvantaged Business Enterprises certification processes for First Nations' economic development corporations, reflecting her commitment to inclusive policymaking. She earned a Master of Public Administration from The Daniel J. Evans School Of Public Policy & Governance at University Of Washington, which enriched and built upon her practical experiences of collaborative governance, organizational redesign, collaborative policy development and implementation.
Kimber is a Citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a descendant of Muscogee Creek of Oklahoma. Her given name in Cherokee is ᎠᎾᎦᎵᏍᎬ ᏃᏈᏏ (phonetically pronounced A-na-ga-li-s-gv No-qui-si) which translates as “Lighting Star.” She was born and raised on the Cherokee Nation and Muskogee Creek nation reservations in what is also known as Tulsa, OK and came to Washington state on vacation a few weeks before 9/11 where she fell in love with this state and decided to make her home here. As a former sous chef, Kimber enjoys cooking for her family, as well as caring for her house plants, home improvement projects, camping, hiking, SUP, and beach combing.
The vision of OMWBE resonates deeply with Kimber’s belief in the transformative power of equitable access and opportunity in business policy practices. She is eager to contribute her skills and passion to advance OMWBE's mission, working towards a more inclusive and prosperous economic landscape for all.
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If you would like to include others on our distribution list to receive these monthly supplier diversity emails, please let us know at supplierdiversity@omwbe.wa.gov. |
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