Melonie D. Parker

Why you should listen

As vice president and chief diversity officer at Google, Melonie D. Parker is responsible for driving strategies, practices and approaches that build a company in which all employees thrive. Passionate about people and organizations that make substantive and sustainable impact, she works on everything from recruitment to industry research.

Prior to Google, Parker was the vice president of human resources and communication at Sandia National Laboratories, the first Black woman to hold that role. She also served as human resources director at Lockheed Martin, where she graduated from its Executive Assessment and Development program. She was one of Savoy magazine’s “Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion” in 2023 and has received other industry honors, including being featured on AfroTech's “Future 50” list and awarded a “Sisters with Superpowers” award from Rolling Out magazine.