Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Influencers
The DE&I Influencers list honors individuals who are advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within their organizations and across the workforce solutions ecosystem at large.
Nish Parikh
Honoree profile
Nish Parikh’s journey in the world of DE&I started in 2007 when he attended a special needs high school graduation and spoke to parents of students. The parents felt apprehensive about what would happen to their students next. How would they find work?
“We all have our own needs at the workplace,” Parikh says. “The difference is, people with disabilities have different kinds of needs. How do we help them manage these needs and focus on their strengths so they are successful?”
Parikh started by volunteering in special needs classrooms, which led him to build a platform to revolutionize early intervention and assessment in special education, specifically for children on the autism spectrum. That platform won a $1.5 million cash prize from Verizon — and that was Parikh’s “aha” moment.
“I’d be able to make … not just an impact, but build a business around it, which will have a more global impact,” he says.
When we adopt these methods of inclusion in the workplace, we’re not only helping people with disabilities or diverse talent, we’re helping everyone.
Today, the CEO and co-founder of Rangam believes empathy should drive innovation in the world of work. Under his leadership, the organization recently launched TalentArbor, an AI-powered platform that revolutionizes the hiring process for people with disabilities by focusing on each candidate’s strengths and interests.
Parikh believes DE&I shouldn’t be an initiative; it should be a natural part of a business’s day-to-day process. By removing barriers to work and creating a truly inclusive environment, every business can thrive with a diverse workforce.
“As Rangam, [DE&I] is not an initiative — it’s a part of what we do every day,” he says. “When we adopt these methods of inclusion in the workplace, we’re not only helping people with disabilities or diverse talent, we’re helping everyone.”
Parikh encourages other leaders to start their DE&I journey with a comprehensive plan and process in mind. Getting the right buy-in may take time, but once the organization has success stories, everyone will start raising their hand to jump in.