Meet Our Inclusion Council: Jeremy Gorges

Meet our Inclusion Council!

Throughout the year, we'll be highlighting our Inclusion Council members and learn more about their committed efforts to diversity and inclusion. First up, Jeremy Gorges!

PSA's Internal Communications Specialist, Maggie Short, had a chance to interview with Jeremy (Inclusion Council Executive Sponsor). Read more about Jeremy's story below:

What is your role with the Inclusion Council? I am the Executive Sponsor of the Inclusion Council. The Executive Sponsor serves as the liaison between the Council and senior leadership. I facilitate approval of action plans and budget requests.

What is your role at PSA? I am the Director of Team Member Services and I support the teams of individuals that care for our team members by providing tools and resources to ensure they feel safe to be “all in,” feel connected to their communities, bring their whole selves to work, are supported in times of need and are rewarded with industry-competitive pay and benefits.

Why is the Inclusion Council important to PSA? Diversity is essential in every healthy organization and is more than just a focus on visible differences. A strong Inclusion program will be essential in moving PSA closer toward being an organization recognized for having the greatest team and performance.

Why are you passionate about diversity and inclusion?I love diversity and inclusion and I was really immersed in it with a previous employer. I love the D&I initiative because I enjoy learning about people. People are my passion. I really have enjoyed my experience with D&I because it has opened my eyes to a bigger world that I am not used to, being from a small town in Wisconsin. I have been on a Corporate Council at past employers as well as a Human Resource-specific council. I have laughed with my fellow council members. I have cried with them. I have been happy with my reactions to situations and I have felt guilty for not being more aware of my own bias. These are all part of learning and understanding new and different things that are not considered my “norm.”

What characteristics make you who you are? In my personal life, I have great friends and family that have taught me how to be patient, kind and caring. When my husband and I adopted our four children (biological siblings), our world changed for the better. They have had challenges that we couldn’t understand, but we do our best to make sure they know they are loved, even if it’s “tough love” at times. In my professional life, I have had leaders in my past that had a vested interest in my future success. They groomed me to strive past my current role and accept new challenges, even if they were out of scope at the time. The harder I seemed to work, the responsibilities rose and my career progressed. Nothing was ever given, it was earned. If I were to combine the two, I think what I could say best is “work hard, play hard.”

Be on the lookout for more Inclusion Council features every month!