Published:  January 20, 2022

David Pollock is on a mission.  Driven by purpose and a clear vision to see his beloved community empowered, David is helping to bring African-Americans and people of color further into the tech industries.

To accomplish his goal, David has launched Code Black, a non-profit organization focused on fostering collaboration and sponsorship between Black and Latinx who are emerging and experienced professionals in technology.

He launched the organization in the midst of the pandemic which is a great example of his commitment to the cause.  He reached out to professionals in the industry and other leaders in the community to make sure he was creating something that would be of value to others.

Pollock did the work necessary to build a solid foundation.  After years of preparation, he stepped out in faith to make it a reality.

While others pulled back during the pandemic, he continued to push forward.  He is also a strong believer in collaboration and team work.  Others have joined in to support him with his mission.  It’s a beautiful thing to see, preparation meet opportunity.

David not only believes in the importance of education, he is leading by example in that area as well.  David obtained his master’s in Organizational Leadership from Bellevue University.

He is also able to speak the language of those he seeks to see empowered.  David’s tech experience and certifications consist of in IBM Cognitive Analytics (Chatbot), Grow with Google (app development), Drone software developer, Software: Airsim – Unreal Engine 4 – Watson Image Classification system, Languages: Java, C++ and Python.

Before starting Code Black, David worked 3 ½ years as a Fatherhood Coordinator and 4 ½ years as a college success advisor for students of color.  These experiences allowed him to gain additional insights on how he could better serve his own community.

After a successful career in coaching, mentoring and developing programs, David is now leading the way with others to create an organization where Black and Latinx in technology impact the very community that they live in.  His initial focus is the State of Nebraska.

Most importantly, David is a dedicated husband and father.  He and his wife are consistently engaged in work to improve their community and highly regarded in the areas of leadership development, career advancement, tech, diversity and inclusion and innovation.

David is available for community networking and for business collaboration.  You can reach David at 402-515-8865 or david1pollock@codeblackinc.com

Published:  January 19, 2022

Shavonne Washington-Krauth is the inaugural Culture and Inclusion Director for Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.

In mid-2018 Children’s Hospital & Medical Center began intensive conversations about their desire to do more focused and intentional work related to diversity and inclusion within the organization.

By July 2019, Children’s had hired its inaugural Culture and Inclusion Manager, Shavonne Washington-Krauth. Since that time, Children’s has been working to provide a more diverse and inclusive workplace experience for employees by focusing on programming, systems, and policy concepts.

They have also been working in the realm of creating a more inclusive experience for their patients and families. Due to the success and level of influence she was having in her role, Children’s promoted Shavonne to the Director of Culture and Inclusion one year after she joined the organization, and is now adding a new member to her team.

Children’s is proud of the progress made in the past 2 ½ years and looks forward to seeing how much more they will accomplish.

Ms. Washington-Krauth’s responsibilities include the creation and revision of systems, policies, opportunities, and environments in which everyone can not only work, but thrive at a more equitable rate without feeling excluded or marginalized.

She also leads the development and implementation of a culture, diversity, and inclusion strategic framework; supervision of six employee resource groups and serves as an advisor or subject matter expert on topics regarding the organization’s culture, diversity, and inclusion efforts.

Ms. Washington-Krauth holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, a master’s degree in health education, is a Prosci-certified Change Management Practitioner, and a trained Bridges Out of Poverty facilitator.  Washington-Krauth is also a graduate of the Empowerment Network and BCT Partners’ Redefine the Game Institute.

Shavonne is dedicated and committed to the success of her community.  She serves on the board of the Latino Center of the Midlands in South Omaha and Union for Contemporary Art in North Omaha.

She is a self-proclaimed “Air Force Brat” currently living in Omaha with her husband, two sons, two dogs, a fish, and three chickens.

Published:  January 8, 2022

Shawntal M. Mallory was recently announced as the first Executive Director of the Nebraska Legal Diversity Council, a newly formed nonprofit organization aiming to increase and support diversity in the practice of law and law school matriculation in Nebraska.

“I am optimistic and excited about this timely opportunity to partner with so many entities within the Nebraska legal community to formalize and flourish our efforts toward greater diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and access in our beloved profession,” said Mallory.

Shawntal is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. She was educated at Creighton University and Creighton University School of Law where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and her Juris Doctorate, respectively.

A licensed attorney, over the course of her fifteen-year practice, she has specialized in adoption, juvenile, family, and employment law while serving in nonprofit executive positions as general counsel and in human resources.   Mallory also serves as an adjunct Law Professor at Creighton Law School teaching a Race & Law course she developed.

She is a highly sought after and featured speaker, trainer, coach and consultant on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, justice and belonging.   Shawntal is certified in Nonprofit Executive Leadership and Leading Equity & Inclusion in Organizations through Northwestern University.

She is dedicated to continuous education, life-long learning and serves as an inspiring mentor to many.  Mallory is the co-founder of the Nebraska Association of African American HR Professionals, an Inclusive Communities LeadDIVERSITY Advocate and a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class 31.  Shawntal serves on the Boards of Inclusive Communities and Lamp Rynearson and is a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Commissioner.

Mallory is committed to her community serving in a variety of roles.  She is an active community volunteer, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and attends Salem Baptist Church. She has earned a number of awards including, the 2009 TOYO recipient and the 2021 Nebraska State Bar Association Diversity Award.

Shawntal’s favorite role is mom to her two sons.

Mallory had this to say about her new role with the Nebraska Legal Diversity Council:

“I am so thankful for the confidence of the Board and I look forward to leading this new organization in this important work.”