2023 Women Leaders in Technology: Dr. Kimberly Myers

Dr. Kimberly Myers is a leader in Deloitte's Government and Public Services (GPS) practice, with over 20 years of experience working with clients across the health care and scientific ecosystem, including federal agencies, nonprofits and industry. She currently holds leadership roles for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) account and for the Health and Science Nonprofits account. Most recently, she served as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Leader for GPS, a practice of over 27,000 people. In this role, she championed the use of data in advancing systems-focused initiatives that resulted in measurable and positive impact around DEI. She demonstrated a keen interest in the talent experiences of all professionals, viewing the topic through several lenses, including embracing her multiple identities.

Dr. Myers earned a Ph.D. in Virology from Harvard University and a B.S. in Biology from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a strategist helping organizations understand current trends and drivers; navigate and address issues related to health equity and workforce diversity, equity and inclusion; develop data, sustainability and other strategies; leverage data assets to meet mission needs; and develop strategic relationships between governmental agencies, advocacy organizations, and industry to accelerate success of program efforts.

What has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

Owning my strengths. This is something that I still work on. But, as women (and for me, as a Black woman), we have historically been asked to make ourselves smaller in order to be acceptable and even "respectable". A big learning curve for me has been not only understanding my strengths, but accepting them, owning them, displaying them, trading in them, honoring them, and expecting that others will honor them as well.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I'm a scientist by training and I work with clients in the health and biomedical science industry. I'm not in the lab any longer, but I'm contributing to the creation of solutions to some of the world's toughest and most intractable diseases and conditions. I enjoy knowing that the work I do makes a difference, not just for my clients, but for the people they serve (which, in the health industry, is ultimately all of us). I also enjoy the depth and breadth of knowledge that is present in a large consulting firm. Working with a diversity of people and teams and drawing on their unique experiences and skillsets is one of the most exciting aspects of consulting.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

My proudest achievements are those that have set positive and undeniable trajectories for myself – being the first in my immediate family to go to college, being accepted into and then earning my PhD in the sciences from Harvard, accepting a job at Deloitte instead of a taking a more traditional career route for a scientist, and most recently becoming a Principal at Deloitte. Those are all moments that put me on paths to have a positive impact for myself, my family and my community.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Near the end of my grandmother's life, I was debating whether to do a relatively mundane thing. I asked her about it, and she said, "do what's in your heart." It was very simple advice, but also very profound. My grandmother was born in the segregated South and had a second-grade education. She spent her life doing what others needed or wanted her to do, and very little of "what was in her heart". Whenever faced with difficult decisions, I reflect on those words, and I recognize the privilege it is to abide by them.

What does this recognition mean to you?

Personally, I'm proud of my achievements and this recognition. I'm also acutely aware of how my accomplishments fulfill the dreams of many, like my grandmother. Simultaneously, it means that I am a model for other women (especially Black and Brown women), setting the stage for bigger and more amazing things that junior professional women will be able to achieve. This recognition means celebrating the women who have laid the foundation, taking pride in what I've personally achieved, and looking ahead and forward to what will be possible for others.