auziros:jeana-tahnk

Jeana has been in the tech industry for 15+ years, both as a communications professional and writer. As Director of Global Communications at Auth0, she works with her internal team and external agencies to amplify the company's visibility worldwide and establish its leadership in the identity industry. When she is not working, she can most likely be found on a field watching one of her three kids playing sports, or cleaning up after her one-year-old retriever who chews everything.

Senior Director, Global Communications

Jeana Tahnk

Former DEI and employee engagement lead at Nike and Target to guide company’s DEI efforts

**BELLEVUE, Wash. – May 24, 2021 –** The [Auth0](https://auth0.com/) Identity Platform, a product unit within Okta, today announced that [Natalie Hausia-Haugen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hausia-haugen-she-her-3869a4114/) has joined the company as Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Hausia-Haugen brings more than 15 years of industry experience and will be responsible for accelerating Auth0’s DEI vision, policies and processes, and further developing Auth0’s culture of inclusion and belonging.

Prior to joining Auth0, Hausia-Haugen worked at Nike, where she held senior employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, and people-related roles. She was a leader on Nike’s diversity and inclusion employee council and the co-chair of Nike’s employee resources group for teammates of color with roots in Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. Before Nike, Natalie worked for Target, Inc. leading both local and national diversity and inclusion strategies. 

“Since Auth0’s inception, we have aimed to create a safe workplace and culture where every person can show up as their authentic self, speak their truth, learn, develop, and grow—at a global scale—and Natalie will play a key role in strengthening our efforts,” said Carolyn Moore, SVP of People at Auth0. “DEI is a top priority for Auth0, and we are honored to have Natalie join our team in this newly-created role to help us continue to make a meaningful difference.”

Auth0’s DEI initiatives are shaped by the belief that there is value and power in hiring and nurturing teams of people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and human experiences. Auth0, [recently acquired by Okta](https://auth0.com/blog/okta-acquisition-announcement/), was recognized by Forbes as one of [America’s Best Startup Employers 2021 List](https://www.forbes.com/americas-best-startup-employers/#3ea4dc906527) (ranked #11 out of 500) and by Fortune as one of the [30 Best Small and Medium Workplaces in Technology](https://fortune.com/best-small-workplaces-technology/2021/auth0/) (ranked #7 out of 30), as well as by [Best Companies](https://www.b.co.uk/), and [Great Place to Work](https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7018610) for its company culture, leadership, and commitment to its people.

“Auth0’s belief in and commitment to the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion is truly remarkable and has been core to the company since day one—the team deeply cares and strives to create new standards, strengthen existing practices, and embolden others,” said Hausia-Haugen. “I’m proud to join a team that is dedicated to its talented people and culture and passionate about fostering a space where courage, real freedom, and our shared humanity meet.” 

To learn more about Hausia-Haugen and Auth0’s DEI efforts, visit [Auth0’s blog](https://auth0.com/blog/auth0-welcomes-natalie-hausia-haugen-to-the-team).

## About Auth0

The Auth0 Identity Platform, a product unit within Okta, takes a modern approach to identity and enables organizations to provide secure access to any application, for any user. Auth0 is a highly customizable platform that is as simple as development teams want, and as flexible as they need. Safeguarding billions of login transactions each month, Auth0 delivers convenience, privacy, and security so customers can focus on innovation. For more information, visit [https://auth0.com](https://auth0.com).

### Media Contacts
Global Communications 
Auth0 
[press@auth0.com](mailto:press@auth0.com) 

Matter for Auth0 
[auth0@matternow.com](mailto:auth0@matternow.com)

Natalie Hausia-Haugen Joins Auth0 as First Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

carolyn-moore

Carolyn Moore is the Senior Vice President of People, responsible for all people and human resources (HR) teams including global recruiting, HR operations, HR business partnership, employee experience, culture, and internal communications. Carolyn has spent the last three decades in global human resources roles helping fast growing startups, medium-sized companies, and Fortune 500 organizations—including Mercedes-Benz, Apple, Samsung, mSpot, and R2 Technology—form effective people strategies and build great cultures. Carolyn lives in Redwood City, CA and enjoys international travel and cooking, and is currently studying wine with the goal of passing the sommelier exam.

Senior Vice President of People

Carolyn Moore

Auth0’s SVP of People sits down with the team’s First Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for a Q&A.

_We believe that there is value and power in hiring and nurturing teams of people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and human experiences._

Since Auth0’s inception, we have aimed to create a safe workplace and culture where every person can show up as their authentic self, speak their truth, learn, develop, and grow—at a global scale. And today, we are honored to welcome [Natalie Hausia-Haugen](https://auth0.com/blog/natalie-hausia-haugen-joins-auth0-as-first-head-of-dei), Auth0’s first Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), who will be integral in further developing Auth0’s culture of inclusion and belonging.

**Welcome to Auth0, Natalie! We are so excited to have you.**

![DEI](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/5NGrCGgHuJ1Z55IzVzVv07/56120695792fc3c55b27fb4cb0253985/Natalie_HH_Appointment_3X_Separator_01.jpg)

### What led you to a career in DEI?

I have always been inspired by people and have spent most of my career focused on the employee experience. And as the daughter of an immigrant and interracial marriage who was raised in the U.S. military and a woman of color who is “ambiguously ethnic” (i.e., wherever I am in the world, I get some of the blessings and challenges of whatever box people put me in), diversity and inclusion has just always been part of being in this world. 

Over the past 20 plus years, the success I have had in every role has been rooted in helping others thrive, especially the underrepresented and the misunderstood. The goal of DEI is to help people thrive and teaching them to help each other thrive. This goal, combined with my personal background, are why I have always been drawn to DEI leadership roles. 

Aside from this pull, there are three specific things I love most about this work:

1. **The tie to our shared humanity:** you must help people better understand themselves just as much as you help them understand others. 
2. **The ability to practice systems thinking:** doing this work well also requires you to assess, develop, and improve the systems that impact a person’s ability to thrive.
3. **Being at the frontlines:** this work often puts you on the frontlines of uncharted territory where there is no room for B.S. There is no place I would rather work than on the frontlines of DEI with people who are ready for the truth and to do the hard things.

### In your opinion, where do you see the biggest challenges and opportunities as it relates to DEI within the industry? How and where can companies start?

In general, most of us know at our core that DEI is important and leads to many internal and external benefits, but we have had to feel out how we explain it, how we do it, how we make and measure progress. Businesses that are ahead of the curve have prioritized a culture of DEI and set it as an actual business goal. 

And for me, it is essential to carve out dedicated teams or roles (that most likely didn’t exist) to provide guidance on DEI in company policies and talent programs. For example, you probably will need to make some fundamental shifts in how you hire, coach, assess, promote—changes to actual programs and processes themselves.

In my opinion, the biggest challenges that exist within the industry are:

1. **Formalizing DEI efforts:** formal DEI efforts are relatively new in the business world, which means we still have a lot to learn, teach, try, and let take root before systemic change can happen. The biggest risk I have seen from this is folks can get discouraged and give up when results are not good the first time or fast enough. Consistency and accountability are key in this work.
2. **Speed:** the speed and pace of startups in tech. Urgency is often the enemy of inclusion. When it feels like there is never enough time and we are moving quickly (especially in tech), it is normal to want the fastest option, even if it means compromising in other ways. How do we get sharp on what we are not willing to compromise short-term because we understand the long-term gain? And streamline and improve processes to decrease that short-term loss? 
3. **DEI is not ‘one size fits all’ or ‘one and done’:** DEI initiatives must be rooted in core values while also free to shift, shed and improve as your company learns and grows. Companies should approach DEI as they do consumer or industry trends, constantly learning how to be more relevant and effective. Not only should DEI programs change over time, but by region as well. As a global company, Auth0 is fortunate to have international elements of DEI. Yes, this makes it more challenging, but it also makes us better, no matter what country we sit in. 

### Why Auth0 and why now?

A more just, equitable, and inclusive world is something a growing majority of the world wants, no matter where you live or what industry you are in. Employees and consumers are no longer satisfied with companies to simply do no harm. Now, we are expecting companies to do good and be involved in the change. 

I believe this makes things prime for the tech industry and Auth0 to step up and make bold moves. Tech, given its distinct cultural traits and integration across everyday life, can push the business world forward. And we at Auth0, given our deep values, experience as leaders, and strong culture, can push the tech industry forward.

My vision is for Auth0 to be DEI pioneers for the tech industry by modeling what it means to embed DEI into our business, talent, and social practices and become more successful because of it. I am grateful I get to do DEI as a job because companies like Auth0 know it is more than a good thing to do—it is necessary for staying relevant, competitive, and ahead in your industry.

What is your advice for organizations that have not prioritized DEI? How can they get started?

* Start now. It is never too late to get started. 
* Be honest about if and how DEI goals can tie to your mission and values. If they are, make that clear to your entire team and measure accordingly. If DEI goals cannot tie to your mission and values, this is a great wake-up call to dig in. Quantify the ways a lack of DEI progress is going to hinder your relevancy, market share, and performance. If you are not ready to focus on DEI, at least you will have visibility to what it costs you.
* Make sure DEI does not feel like an HR-thing. It should feel like an all-of-us thing, led by business leaders who see its value in their business results. 
* Focus on the cultural ingredients that enable inclusivity, like healthy debate, two-way communication, and trust.
* Listen to your employees. Their insights and feedback will clarify opportunities and should guide your priorities. 
* Agree to stop promoting or celebrating people who do not model your DEI goals. This is one of the biggest ways companies lose credibility with their employees.

### How do you encourage a workplace where employees can show up as their authentic self, speak their truth, learn, develop, and grow, especially in a remote environment?

First, you have to define what it means to be inclusive and consistently demonstrate that being anything less than inclusive is not acceptable Period.

You must also acknowledge there are employees who do not feel safe showing up this way, and for a good reason. And this truth must be understood, the experiences of these employees validated by **all** leaders. 

Prioritize building a culture of psychological safety and mutual respect for every single person. Employees must believe (one) they will actually be seen and heard, and (two) they will not be punished for sharing something different or even incorrect. 

Create a habit of asking: “Whose voice have we not heard?” and, “Who is missing from the table?” 

I am a big fan of “When you know better, do better.” Within this is grace and understanding that people need to learn and relearn some things. As impatient as many of us are for change, we will all benefit from helping each other feel safe, saying: “I was wrong. I’m sorry.” “I didn’t get it.” “I’ve changed my mind.” “Now that I know better, I’ll do better.” 

Regarding the remote environment, my biggest callouts are to:

* Recognize that it is a different way of working and requires us to deliberately consider if and how we need to adjust to ensure greater inclusivity. Ask the questions.
* Mind the Zoom-factor. Zoom can make it easier for the loudest voices to dominate because the audio will try to hone in on one voice at a time. Zoom can also make it easier for folks to participate because of functionalities like chat and raising a hand to signal a question or point.
* Always consider time zones. Your time zone is not the default.
* Be very deliberate about when/if you use side chat with a select group of people to continue the conversation after the meeting. 

![DEI](https://images.ctfassets.net/23aumh6u8s0i/3OA30zqYmX8fTVmwox9Gj/6258f703663612d9ee05d7d8aacf0d53/Natalie_HH_Appointment_3X_Separator_02.jpg)

To learn more about Auth0’s DEI initiatives and opportunities to join our growing team, visit the [Auth0 careers page](https://auth0.com/careers).

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