You can't measure equity across all the dimensions, so you have to really be continually trying to create a culture of inclusion. When I look back on my career, it feels like there's a very clear red thread running through all of it. My career story is a mix between consulting and working in industry. So started in design consulting, moved into more digital consulting with companies like AT&T and Hewlett Packard and Cisco. Went in-house for a period of time for about five years with Philips and that was a fantastic experience. I learned a tremendous amount about what our clients really go through and see where experience and where my perspective could help that business grow and succeed was an opportunity of a lifetime. And then when I went to Deloitte, design was just one part of a very, very big, broad set of services that they offered. It taught me how to thrive in a matrix organization. So when I came to Sapient, it was sort of that natural next step. I think that the role I have now is just a gift. I have a mandate and the support of the executive team to be able to really grow our experience practice. You feel truly empowered to do what you need to do when you've got that trust.
I think at the most basic level, the concept of gender equity means you couldn't look at a male or a female or any gender and say that there's a disadvantage because of their gender. And when I talked earlier about some of the moments in my career where I grew and learned the most and felt the most accomplished were when I was not just sitting at the table, but I was able to really fully participate. It's about creating an environment and a culture where everybody feels that they can contribute their very best. Inclusion isn't just about inviting somebody into the room. It's about helping them participate and give their best selves to the situation.
We have a RISE program, which is a senior mentoring of other senior women. We could be extending that idea down through the ranks. When young women are starting out their careers, they need mentoring just as much as when they get to a certain level of seniority. And in terms of gender equality and parity, I think we need to work a lot harder to actively mentor and coach the young women on our team. So you have to really be continually trying to create a culture of inclusion. What I see at Sapient is that we're constantly evaluating and investigating what else we can do to create a fair playing field for everybody. But we need to do much more.