Finalist: Corteva Agriscience DAWN (Disability Awareness Network)
Award: Employee Resource Group
Day Job: Linzie Dehring, Master Data Steward, and Phil Ranly, R&D Team Leader
Connect with Linzie and Phil on LinkedIn:
Linzie – https://www.linkedin.com/in/linzie-dehring-698b8617/
Phil – https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-ranly-25815b3/
The Corteva Agriscience DAWN (Disability Awareness Network) ERG was created to support their work sites as a welcoming place for employees with disabilities. Corteva Agriscience feels passionate about all employees having distinct, valuable abilities and wishes to support employees by allowing them to bring their best to work and life. The vision of DAWN is to create, cultivate and embrace a culture of inclusion for people with all abilities, in our workplace and in our communities.”
Mental and emotional health issues are estimated to effect one in every five adults. To bring awareness to this often hidden and sometimes stigmatized disability, the DAWN ERG in Indianapolis partnered with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) to raise awareness and provide employee resources on mental and emotional health. In these turbulent times, mental and emotional health is as important as ever, and the DAWN team met this challenge by organizing informative events, including “NAMI Walks,” which was shared on internal and external social media channels.
Q: How did you feel when you found out that Corteva Agriscience DAWN was a finalist?
LD: I was really excited because it is just not about me. Our entire DAWN steering team made this all happen, especially bringing the disability awareness network to Indianapolis. It gave us a platform to bring awareness to mental health and physical disabilities and made me feel that all our hard work and passion are making a difference in the community.
PR: I felt honored. We have some great momentum that was established last year with Linzie and the DAWN steering team. When I saw the nomination, it reinforced for me why disability awareness and support for our colleagues and the community are so important. I also see it as a way to ramp up our activities for 2021. We want to build on ways we can support the agricultural and rural communities regarding suicide prevention and the opioid epidemic.
Q: What is your vision for Central Indiana?
LD: To end the stigma on mental health and to create awareness not just in Indianapolis but throughout the country.
PR: Corteva is involved in the community to enrich lives. I see a vision where we can have our sales reps and research partners that are working in the rural and farming communities provide inclusive and positive support resources to help remove the stigma that comes with disabilities, and make sure that people in the community have resources to go to if they have a mental, physical or emotional disability.
Q: Finish this sentence ““Being a great [Volunteer, Advocate, etc.] means to me….”
LD: Being a great volunteer means thinking of others outside of yourself.
PR: Being a great volunteer means making an impact.
Q: What have you learned about yourself during the pandemic and how has it affected your job, volunteering, etc.?
LD: I learned that I need to turn to my family and friends because I am not able to be in an unstimulating environment for very long. The pandemic has made it difficult for me to stay motivated because I work better interacting with others face to face. These are some struggles I deal with while having generalized anxiety disorder
PR: I’ve learned during this time that I really need to take care of myself so I can better take care of others. I have been focusing on mindfulness and meditation type practices for myself to make sure I can bring that energy and focus to my work and community. It has been a challenge with the lack of interactions and changing how school goes for my kids especially last spring. It was an adjustment. It has given me a new appreciation for the interactions I do have with my family and also an appreciation for where I work. Corteva has been very accepting of remote work assignments. They have taken work safety very seriously.
Time for some favorites:
Q: Favorite spot in Indy?
LD: Downtown Carmel
PR: Monon Trail
Q: Favorite travel partner?
LD: This is tough, but I would say my mom.
PR: My wife and daughters
Q: Favorite vacation song?
LD: “I want to Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston
PR: I have a lot of kids’ music on the playlist so I would say Kid Bop.
Q: Where will you travel to once it is safe to do so?
LD: Bahamas
PR: St. Petersburg, Russia
Q: Favorite podcast or book?
LD: “Crime Junkie”
PR: “10% Happier” by Dan Harris
Q: Motto or life saying?
LD: “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage. People who wade into discomfort and vulnerability and tell the truth about their stories are the real badasses.” Brené Brown
PR: Take care of myself so I can bring my full self to others.
Join Linzie and Phil at ELEVATE and don’t forget to RSVP, today!
