As director of administration for the West Region Offices of Barnes & Thornburg, Melanie Mawema is responsible for recruiting, managing employee relations and aligning employee performance and rewards with the firm’s strategic goals. She oversees Barnes & Thornburg’s LA, San Diego and Salt Lake City offices and with over 100 employees that means there is hardly ever a dull moment in her day. Despite the many tasks that her role brings, Mawema has always found time in the past decade to devote to diversity and volunteering. She remains convinced that the two go hand in hand and that diversity in the workplace remains a win/win for employee and employer alike.
Below are some examples of Mawema’s stellar volunteer efforts to educate her colleagues in the diversity space.
1. Mawema has spearheaded an initiative through the Expanding Horizons Internship Program in which a first-generation, college-bound high school intern joined the firm’s office to have an intensive experience of skill development and personal growth aimed at preparing them for college, career, and civic life. The Los Angeles office has successfully participated in this program multiple times, with one former intern being inspired to go outside her comfort zone and apply to, and ultimately attend, Stanford University.
2. Just before COVID, Mawema organized a pop-up market that featured Black artists and Black-owned businesses. With a goal of increasing awareness of Black-owned businesses in an area where they’re not as prevalent, she organized a number of vendors to set up shop in the courtyard of the firm’s office building in Century City to sell jewelry, art, clothing and books. Through the event, Mawema put Black artists in the spotlight and highlighted the Black culture and excellence that is found throughout Los Angeles.
3. In further recognition of Black History Month, Mawema has worked to bring speakers to the firm like Carl Weathers and Byron Allen. These presentations were especially timely during COVID and following the George Floyd murder when these two speakers led virtual discussion on raising awareness about racial issues, identifying and combating systemic racism, and the importance of racial equity in media.
4. Mawema was also integral in planning an inaugural retreat at the firm’s headquarters in Indianapolis in the fall of 2022 for B&T’s African American employees. She was one of a team of four people who hosted more than 40 members at an event including a private tour of We. The Culture, an exhibit put on by 18 Indianapolis-based Black artists that addresses subjects as varied as religion and spirituality, queer identity, joy, hip-hop culture, materiality, art history, nature, and social justice. The retreat also included a full-day of networking and career strategies workshops that featured esteemed panelist and presenters.
5. More recently Mawema serves as a member the Barnes & Thornburg’s Racial Justice Committee, which pledges to take meaningful action to address the issues of racial equity and justice in the 20 cities where the firm has offices and throughout the country. The committee works within the firm, with clients, and with other partners to create short and long-term change and invests time and resources to advance its mission of equal opportunities and justice for people of color.
In this role, Mawema played a key part in supporting the firm’s $50,000 donation to the Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the education, health and well-being of youth and communities of color. Following the donation in 2020, she led initiatives to create a partnership with SJLI, resulting in volunteer opportunities for members of the office at SJLI’s site in Inglewood. Similarly, Mawema was actively involved in researching and facilitating efforts surrounding the firm’s $50,000 donation towards RISE in San Diego in January of 2023. RISE is an organization that aims to elevate and advance urban leadership through dialogue-based civic engagement, dynamic nonprofit partnerships, and direct training and support to increase the capacity of urban residents to effect meaningful community change. As with SJLI, Melanie is coordinating plans for attorneys in the firm’s San Diego office to contribute time and professional experience in support of RISE.
6. Mawema is actively involved in many facets of the Los Angeles community. Prior to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she volunteered her time at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which serves more than 900,000 people each month. Additionally, Melanie has organized the office’s involvement in the annual Justice Jog, which raises money for CASA of Los Angeles and furthers their goal of advocating for children and families in LA County’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
7. In 2021 Mawema worked with her firm diversity partner to create a 1L Diversity Scholarship program for the LA and San Diego offices. This program offers minority 1Ls the opportunity to join the summer program as paid associates. And gives those offices a pipeline into diverse talent from law schools.
In addition to her impressive career growth, Mawema earned and has maintained her SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certifications.
Information for this article was provided by Barnes & Thornburg. Learn more at btlaw.com.
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