“Organizations like Catalyst have been absolutely critical in getting us where we are,” says Jodie Wallis, the Global Chief Analytics Officer at Manulife. “I think the ‘and’ is there’s a ground game that we can all play. The ground game is taking young people under our wing…and helping these young women succeed, helping them understand what is possible” beyond an often-narrow view of work based on the careers of people in their immediate circle.
Growing up in Montreal with a teacher mother, lawyer father, and sister, Jodie excelled at school and placed regionally in math competitions. When she became a mother, she took her own daughter to work for events like National Women’s Day so she could see “not just me, her mom, but other women succeeding and thriving in a work environment,” Jodie says. Jodie serves as a role model and mentor for many young people. For example, she designed and led a course on AI and analytics at a girls’ school and established an analytics employee engagement council at Manulife to address diversity, equity, and inclusion concerns. She focused on recruiting and promoting women, including transitioning women from other fields into AI roles, providing training and mentorship.
Of AI, Jodie says “Because it’s brand new, that means it’s brand new for everyone – it’s new for men, it’s new for women. We’re not starting from a place behind. There aren’t 20 or 50 years of legacy of men doing certain jobs that we need to break into. This is…a level playing field and it’s a fantastic opportunity for women who are interested in this space to get in at the ground floor.”
In addition to AI, Jodie is enthusiastic about parental leave because of how it has changed the conversation about women in the workplace. “There seems to be a much greater appreciation of the role women and men play as equals and I think one of the reasons for that is parental leave. I think when men started to take leave and experience being primary caregivers and understand what it’s like to really balance the two roles in a super personal way, it has started to change the attitude and the feelings around the workplace, and I think it’s been an incredibly, incredibly positive change.”
Passionate about fostering inclusion and diversity, Jodie champions initiatives such as the Women in AI community and the AI4Good Summer Lab and serves as an executive sponsor for Manulife’s Shalom ERG. Jodie’s dedication to empowering women in technical fields, coupled with her commitment to innovative problem-solving, exemplifies her profound impact on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in both the workplace and the broader community.
To hear from Jodie and other gender equity and DEI champions, attend Catalyst Honours on 7 October, 2024.
Why Jodie is a Business Champion:
- AI4Good Lab: Since 2017, Jodie has been a guest speaker at the AI4Good Summer Lab, which offers hands-on learning, mentorship, and economic support to increase participants’ AI skills and positively impact society. The program has graduated 236 women and developed 55 social-good projects.
- Employee Resource Group Shalom: As the Executive Sponsor of Manulife’s Shalom ERG, Jodie supports Jewish colleagues and allies, mentors ERG leadership, and promotes cultural awareness. The ERG provides programming and resources to celebrate Jewish heritage and advocate for Jewish employees, fostering an inclusive environment.