Corey Ponder is an empathy practitioner and educator who works with innovative companies and individuals to build empathetic spaces for inclusive and diverse experiences.
Corey believes in the power of human connection and how that drives real impact. Over his 11 years of professional experience as a policy analyst in the public sector and a program manager and policy professional in the private sector, Corey knows that an emphasis on emotional intelligence—self-awareness, empathy, and interpersonal skills—leads to a more committed, productive, and engaged workforce creating a real impact in the workplace and spaces they occupy.
Corey has scaled diversity initiatives across several companies, including with CIA and Facebook, and has spoken on allyship and empathy for several organizations, including Google, Chan Zuckerberg initiative, Fitbit, Expedia, InnovatorsBox, and General Assembly. He has also developed and facilitated many workshops on empathy, allyship, bias, privilege, and race. He continues to publish on these topics as well — essays, podcasts, and articles — being featured in Fortune Magazine’s raceAhead newsletter, Women 2.0, and Change Catalyst’s Leading With Empathy Series.
Corey holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Vanderbilt University.