Whether she’s dominating the world of tennis, advocating for equal pay for women in sports, or winning a record-breaking 23rd grand slam singles title while eight weeks pregnant, Serena Williams has shown time and time again that she’s always up for a challenge. Now, she’s accepted a new one in Silicon Valley.
As announced by online poll-taking service SurveyMonkey earlier today, Williams has been appointed to SurveyMonkey’s board of directors. The tennis great (and mother-to- be) took to her Instagram page to express her excitement to join the team.
With experience in diversifying a majority white space, Williams expressed:
“I feel like diversity is something I speak to. Change is always happening, change is always building. What is important to me is to be at the forefront of the change and to make it easier for the next person that comes behind me.”
Williams developed a connection to the online poll-taking service through her friendship with Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer and SurveyMonkey board member, Sheryl Sandberg, and her late husband Dave Goldberg, who was the company’s CEO.
In her new role, Williams hopes to help improve diversity in the tech world and explore business opportunities in Silicon Valley. As reported to AP by the company, SurveyMonkey only has 27% of women and 14% of people of color in technology positions on their staff, which is made up of 650 workers. Williams is already trying to change that. For her “first move as board member”, she asked her Twitter followers to take a poll on gender pay inequality and other issues she should bring to the table first.
My first move as board member of @SurveyMonkey is to make a poll (obvi)! I’m curious about you – take my survey! https://t.co/4P9qekGsex
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) May 24, 2017
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If there’s one thing we know about Serena Williams, it’s when she puts her mind to it, there’s nothing she can’t do it.