MJ DePalma, a resident of Bainbridge Island, Washington, understands the power of words in transforming lives. As the Senior Global Multicultural & Inclusive Marketing Lead at Microsoft, MJ’s role was influenced by a pivotal moment at a company-wide meeting when a senior executive spoke about the importance of inclusion for people of all genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. This inspired MJ to pursue her passion for creating an environment where people can be their authentic selves at work, leading to the development of an Inclusive Marketing framework and training program. MJ is also an active member of the Global LGBTQI+ Employees and Allies at Microsoft group and hopes to use her marketing skills to change hearts and minds in countries where being gay is a crime. MJ is proud to work for a company that values diversity and empowers employees to follow their passions while being their authentic selves.