As part of recognizing International Women’s Day, SapientRazorfish hosted a Q&A with Danielle Gray, a partner at O’Melveny & Myers, one of the world’s largest law firms.
Gray served in the administration of President Barack Obama for five years in senior legal and policy positions, most recently as Assistant to the President and White House Cabinet Secretary, acting as President Obama’s liaison to the administration’s cabinet members.
In addition, Gray played a leading role in judicial selection and confirmation proceedings, including steering the successful confirmation processes for Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. She also served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and justice nominee Merrick Garland.
The agency also has another reason to celebrate. Just in time for IWD, SapientRazorfish was named a Great Place to Work for Women in Canada.
Diverge talked to Lauren DeGeorge, Senior Account Director at SapientRazorfish to find out more about the agency’s plan to celebrate IWD:
Why is International Women’s Day important and why should it be celebrated?
International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
At SapientRazorfish, the Women’s Leadership Network seeks to empower our women through inspiration, advocacy and guidance to help them achieve their greatest potential year-round. We also embrace the theory of intersectionality, and stand in unity with our colleagues of all identities.
What will you be discussing at the SapientRazorfish on Thursday and why did you ask Danielle to speak?
We will be discussing Danielle’s career path— her mentors and champions, what it was like to work in the Obama administration, her current life as a New York lawyer and what might be in store for the future.
Danielle Gray is one of the most prominent attorneys in the U.S. Previously, she served as a senior advisor to President Obama and was responsible for leading the confirmation process for two female U.S. Supreme Court justices, the passage of the Affordable Care Act and other critical actions protecting the nation’s most vulnerable populations. A graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School, Gray has been described as someone “smart as a whip, totally no-nonsense, and has zero ego.” Known as someone with vision and conviction, who can unify even the most contentious of factions, she is an inspiration to the women and men of SapientRazorfish, and symbolizes what we look for in a leader— creativity, openness, humility and power.
Danielle Gray shared advice and favorite memory of working with President Obama with DIVERGE:
What is your advice for those who want to get involved in politics but are afraid?
Politics is hard. But it’s easier when you have a cause or candidate that you truly believe in. There are also many different ways to get involved — from volunteering and fundraising to working on advocacy or grassroots organizing.
What is your favorite memory working with President Obama?
The night the Affordable Care Act passed. You get involved in public service to make a difference in people’s lives, and few things compare to the feeling of accomplishment we all had on that night.
How can we help elevate the work of the Obama administration on gender equity?
There are a number of ways to promote gender equity. We can do it in our workplaces, in the leaders we elect to represent us, and even in our own personal mentoring relationships. I think the kind of activism all across the country that we saw with the Women’s March and the focus placed on issues of workplace fairness, women’s health, and anti-discrimination policies was extremely inspiring and empowering. We have to keep it up.
