CCWomen is a community platform for women and allies to empower one another. While women are at the frontlines, our male allies provide us with the resources to amplify our voices and drive tangible change. Without them, our attempts to close the gender gap would be significantly more difficult.
Here, we highlight several of our CCWomen male allies committed to revolutionizing the customer contact space and business world. Their stories demonstrate a deep and wholehearted commitment to inclusivity—and how nurturing DEIA is a collective effort placed on all our shoulders as we pave a more equitable future for everyone, everywhere.
1. Adam McCreery, Director of Customer Service, DraftKings Inc.
There are two key moments in my life that really helped increase my awareness of being an ally for women.
The first was when I was a teenager, and my mother was ill with epilepsy. We didn’t know at the time the root cause or even diagnosis of her illness, but she never missed a day of work nor did she ever miss taking care of our family. I was truly inspired by her love for her work and for her family, all while dealing with an undiagnosed condition.
The second experience was in my first job out of college at a major financial investment institution. This was in the late 80’s and it was a typical, Wall Street look and feel environment, and lacked diversity. I remember seeing only men in leadership positions and mostly females in administrative assistant roles. I was disappointed, even at an early age and stage of my professional career to see such a lack of diversity in that company. It caused me to commit to change and become an ally throughout my career.
I have a post-it on my desk with me at all times reminding me of how fortunate I’ve been throughout my career, and how important it is to give back to those less fortunate or those who might be disadvantaged.
I strive to inspire those around me, especially the women I work with. I focus on how I can continue to be a good role model and ally for them, and help mentor them towards achieving their professional goals. I always promote diversity and inclusion in my conversations regularly with my colleagues, and have specific discussions with the women I work with regularly on how to promote equality in the workplace. I believe these actions, in addition to the words, help uplift the women I work with.
Allyship is a movement that’s critical to success in our society. From the moment the first woman voted, to now seeing women in prominent positions like CEO is incredible. But we recognize there’s still a lack of equality in society, so, as an ally, I believe it's important to be a vocal advocate for this movement. Until we achieve 100% equality in society’s workplace, I will continue to advocate for this movement.
2. Geoffrey Burbridge, Executive Vice President, Head of the Truist Care Centers, Truist
But it goes beyond this. I am also a member of the LGBTQ+ community. These strong women leaders I worked for created a space where I could be my authentic self—at a time where that was not a part of the business model in the 90’s. There were little to no diversity business groups, there was little advocacy—everything was word of mouth and one-to-one. Your boss held your future in their hands.
This became so apparent to me during one particular episode—a woman who I completely admire chose to leave our company and blaze her own trail instead of seeing a less qualified male take a role she truly deserved. She had helped me move into my very first management position, and here she was lacking similar advocacy. In fact, if you looked at the leadership pyramid, while women were prevalent in local leadership roles at the time, there were in fact very few women in the senior ranks of the company. I realized then that in order to retain the best talent, this needed to change. I had to be the change that I wanted to see—at the very least a part of it!
First and foremost, I advocate for them via visibility. I make sure the leaders on my team tell their own stories vs. having them told for them. Whenever I can, I create an environment of inclusivity. This inclusive culture helps them build broad networks of support. It creates learning opportunities for them to develop new skills and to enhance existing ones. I make sure that we participate in the various affinity groups that are available—whether it be diversity business groups at our company, or through external groups like CCWomen.
Out of my six primary direct reports, five of them are women—and four of them have spoken at CCWomen events! I’m proud of their contribution to the CCWomen community! I also ensure that all have mentorship opportunities. We all have our strengths and we all have our developmental items we are perfecting—mentors play a key role in this.
I think there are a number of reasons I’ve touched on here—allyship is important to promote inclusion, to amplify the voices of those that all too often go unheard. It supports equality and builds cohesive teams. Allyship drives innovation. It fosters empathy and compassion, which makes our workplace a better place to be. All that said—at the end of the day, we were all hired to do a job. We all are accountable for results. Being a great ally is, in my experience, one of the best ways to promote accountability and to drive better outcomes. Allyship fuels our mutual success.
3. Jason Hiland, EVP of Sales and Marketing, CCWomen+ Member, CollaborationRoom.ai
I was born the day after my mother turned 16 years old. Two years later, my sister was born. We all three grew up together. With my mother, I watched her struggle in life. There really wasn’t a community, outside of family, that helped young women in the 70s and 80s. She had to choose: work to provide for us or accept welfare to raise us. She lived a hard life, but I would like to think her final 15 years were made a bit easier because I was able to be the help she never received from others. With her passing in 2023, it left a hole in my life. My wife, Lindsay, helped me get involved in a charity called Fresh Start Women’s Foundation. I truly enjoyed being an ally to them.
I guess, to make a long story short, I was raised by a strong woman. I married a strong woman. I believe that I have more to learn from women, and that I can bring a unique experience to them as well.
I am involved in Fresh Start for Women’s Foundation which is very rewarding. I have also mentored for Helping Hands for Single Moms. I am extremely supportive of my wife who recently wrote a book for Women in Real Estate and runs a mastermind for women in real estate as well. I think what I do best to uplift women is I just try to listen. My mom once told me, “You do not have to solve all my problems. Most of the time, I just need you to listen to them.” I call it “comfort versus counsel.”
None of us have gotten where we are by ourselves. We’ve all had “allies” to get us where we are. My allies have more often than not been women. As far as being an ally for CCWomen, I believe I can be a sounding board with a different point of view. I am here to help AND to learn.
4. Wes Dudley, Vice President of Customer Experience, Broad River Retail
Allyship is crucial in creating an inclusive and equitable environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive. Allyship involves recognizing the barriers that others face and actively working to remove these obstacles. When men become allies to women, they support and amplify women's voices, contributing to a more balanced and fair society.
I’ve been attending CCW for many years. I’ve witnessed Sandy’s passion as an activist promoting women in this industry. Her enthusiasm is contagious, which one day led me to ask her, “How can I help?” I feel I have always been inclusive of everyone, but that day was a game-changer for me. I shifted from being inclusive to becoming an ally.
Some meaningful steps I try to take to uplift women around me are:
- I try to create a space for women to speak and have others genuinely listen to their experiences, using my own voice to help support them.
- I promote work-life juggling. I picked up that term from a local newscaster in the Charlotte area who spoke at our company last year. She talked about having a demanding career and a large family. It isn’t a balance of work and life, as you will likely dedicate more waking hours to your job than your family. But, it is about having the flexibility to juggle your work and life schedule so you can be successful in both.
- I provide mentorship. Find a mentor who can enhance your personal and professional growth and provide you with the guidance and support you need to achieve your goals. This needs to be someone with whom you have personal chemistry and who can both support and challenge you.
- I encourage others to meet new people who don’t necessarily look or act like them. It is important to get out of your comfort zone. Last year, I started randomly picking five people I didn’t get to meet at a conference (most conferences have a list of attendees). I reach out on LinkedIn and ask if we could connect about our learnings from the conference. I’ve met some new friends with very eclectic backgrounds. This has helped me open my mind even more to others.
- I encourage everyone to find their passion. Is your current job fulfilling you both personally and professionally? If not, what do you want to do? How can I help support you in this drive?
Allyship is important because it fosters an environment of mutual respect and collaboration. When men actively support gender equality, it breaks down stereotypes, creates equitable opportunities, enhances innovation and performance, and builds a better society.
Male allies play a crucial role in advancing gender equality. By educating themselves, amplifying women's voices, challenging inequities, and promoting inclusive policies, men can help create a more balanced and fair environment for all.
Consider yourself an ally? Champion our cause!
Ready to celebrate women in customer contact and business? Whether you want to provide tangible resources, sponsor a community activity, or help others share their stories, we provide various opportunities to empower.
Let's create a more diverse and inclusive future together, one woman and ally at a time.
