Her story
Increasing diversity within the real estate management industry is something Samantha Thornton, CPM®, ARM®, is not only passionate about but is committed to making a reality. In 2021, she was named the Chairwoman of the Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) committee for her local IREM Austin Chapter and a 2021 DISI Leader, making a remarkable impact on both her local community and for the industry on a national level.
Samantha has set her focus on the hiring and recruiting process and how unconscious bias plays a rather large role in that. “No one is free of these biases and my goal is to make people in leadership roles aware of this and help to find more structured tools to change and diversify our industry. We can grow so much as an industry the wider we open our arms to embrace more people.”
Samantha is now paying it forward as a participant in the other Foundation initiatives and raising funds to support DEI initiatives, like future DISI Leaders and the Foundation’s Diversity Scholarship. Thank you for making a difference, Samantha!
Quote:
"Diversity and representation are so important in the workplace. When people see leadership that represents them, they know they can achieve high levels of success. One of the most rewarding things about the work I've done as a DEI advocate and IREM DISI Leader is watching the change happen right in front of our eyes."