Meet Jenele Williams | Diversity Recruiter & Co-founder of IslandFlava

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenele Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenele, what’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
Before 2020, I’d never been in situations where I had to make a tough decision. Life wasn’t easy or anything but most decisions were relatively straight forward. What color my prom dress would be, what college I’d be going to, and even beginning my career post grad – the decisions were no brainers. But the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make came during the onset of the pandemic last year – I decided to take a step back from my career as a full-time technology consultant to refocus on my wellbeing. Like most people, the adjustment to working from home, worrying about family in NYC (and the world in general), and on top of that, beginning a stressful project at work was a recipe for stress. After talking with my doctors, my family, and a few trusted individuals at work, I decided to go on a leave of absence. The decision was definitely a tough one, since I can be my biggest critic. I honestly felt like a failure because it felt like I couldn’t “balance” it all. I took the time to really balance and reset while thinking through what my purpose in life will be. Taking a step back helped me to understand the experiences that I value in life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After graduating from Hampton University’s 5-year MBA program, I began my career as a management consultant for a technology firm. Many of my projects involved working on agile teams as a business analyst for Financial Services, Products, and Healthcare clients. Beginning my career in consulting really gave me the time to develop my skills as a business professional and consultant. But throughout my time in consulting, I enjoyed helping in recruiting with local campuses in the DMV area in addition to my alma mater. It’s always been a dream to do more impactful work during my day job. By God’s grace,, after coming back from my LOA, I began a new role as an Inclusion & Diversity Recruiter. Day to day, I still have challenges navigating imposter syndrome in this new role but when they appear, I remember my “why”. Making such a big transition during a really tough time in my life taught me the importance having a supportive network of advocates (Huge shoutout to Mark!).

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve lived in a few different places from NYC all the way down to Hampton, VA. But I currently reside in the DMV area and some of my favorite spots include Thai food and Soul food. Crystal Thai in Arlington has some of the best spring rolls ever! If you’re in the mood for some southern comfort, Kitchen Cray in DC has some of the best blackened salmon *chefs kiss*. We’d definitely go site seeing on the National Mall and take an entire day to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents have been my biggest supporters in all of my endeavors and have pushed me to do anything I put my mind to. I’m grateful for the cultural heritage they’ve instilled in me and that they decided to take the leap to begin their lives in America! My husband, Romeo has been my support system away from home and keeps me grounded. And lastly, my VILLAGE! The community of ambitious, goal oriented, and loving friends that are around me constantly inspire me to dream as they follow their dreams – forever thankful!

Website: islandflavacardgame.com

Instagram: _islandflava_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenele-williams/

Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenele-williams/

Image Credits
@marky.swoosh