Applying for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Chair position
First and Last Name: Svjetlana Kalaba
Company Name: Kontron, d. o. o.
Current position: Executive Director BU Broadband
Company Type: Vendor/Reseller (Products)
Biography:
Svjetlana Kalaba is Executive Director of Business Unit Broadband at Slovenia's Kontron, and is responsible for business success of broadband communications division within Kontron Group. Before her current executive and strategic role, she was engaged as Sales Director in charge of a global sales team. Throughout her professional career, Svjetlana'sleadership resulted in the accomplishments of teams she had created, and she prides herself with the ability to continuously turn team diversity into a success.
Position statement:
If elected, I will expand the activities and impact of DE&I Committee in three key directions.
1. Expanding the scope
As the scope of work was extended from creating equal opportunities for women to promoting diversity and inclusion regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability and generation, the committee's activities need to be expanded accordingly. As a chair, I will focus on a balanced and diverse representation within the committee itself. Similarly, some already planned activities will have to be adjusted accordingly; one example is the poll among the FTTH CE membership which will have to include all DE&I aspects.
2. Growing the impact in the community
One of the biggest challenges of DE&I committee is having its voice heard outside the Committee, and further beyond the FTTH Council Europe. I will engage in creating relationships with other relevant associations and communities in the industry as well as in other communities that promote inclusion and have a positive social impact. As part of the effort, I will encourage the members of DE&I committee to act locally and engage within their respective communities.
3. Building public awareness
When reaching beyond FTTH Council Europe's area, it will be important to build awareness of the importance of inclusive society and working environment. In addition to the endeavour in the industry, I will promote connections with educational institutions at various levels in order to create a wider front; with more and younger voices heard, this effort will have a potential not only to improve gender balance (e.g. girls in STEM) but also to facilitate the much necessary shift towards an inclusive society.
I recognise that the success will depend on the support and efforts of all Committee's members and FTTH CE officials; I will do my best to motivate everybody with all the energy and determination that I have.
Your past role(s) and activities in the FTTH Council Europe:
An active member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
An active participant at FTTH Council Europe's General Assemblies.