Shane Prendergast represents so much of what Cloudera values.
He is described as someone who is passionate about and drives Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts and helps the company stay aware of events and initiatives. “Flying the flag for the LBGTQ community both in and outside of work, inclusiveness is part of Shane’s DNA and he is relentless in his efforts to make everyone feel involved and heard.” said one peer.
Because of this and his dedication to excellence in HR, Shane was not only a recipient of an internal Thrivie award but is also a finalist for the CIPD Ireland HR Rising Star of the People Profession award. It’s an award that recognizes early career individuals who set themselves apart in their HR journey by having a meaningful impact in their workplace.
Shane is our HR Services Manager, EMEA based in Cork, Ireland.
He spends his time supporting employees and partnering with the business but the days and weeks are shaped by what’s happening in the company and the external world politically, socially, or economically. “I think every HR professional would agree with me when I say there is NO typical day in HR.” Though the days are ever changing he shared that he loves his job. “Being able to bring my whole self to work every day and leveraging what makes me unique to the work I do really is my energizer.”
What motivates this HR professional most? DEI!
He references the Verna Myers quote, “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.” As he points out, “what’s a party without getting to dance?” He sees Diversity and Inclusion going hand in hand. While diversity is important because representation matters, inclusion is about making everyone feel like they belong. And that is his big driving force. “Everyone deserves to feel like they belong at work, and everyone has something to bring to the table!”
He added that allyship isn’t always about large-scale gestures or initiatives. In a recent Allyship training currently being rolled out by our DEI team, that was a key point that stood out to Shane. “It’s more frequent, genuine, everyday actions such as actively and deeply listening to someone and showing support for the ideas and work of those who may be in the minority. It’s recognizing if you are in a position of privilege and using it to afford everyone in the room an opportunity to be heard.”
His passion around diversity and inclusion leads him to be really proud of the efforts being made by Cloudera, especially during a particularly challenging year.
“I am so proud of our leadership team and employees for the response to the pandemic, our stance on equality and accelerating our D&I mission, and how we have really made our company culture “people first.” Everyone has really shown up in the toughest of times during a global pandemic, social unrest, and massive amounts of personal stress and pressure.”
Being a member of the Global D&I Advisory Board and Co-founder of our EMEA+ employee resource group, Shane is a major contributor behind so much of the progress we’ve seen. It’s also a point he is personally proud of and grateful for. “We have such a passionate group of people in this space, and I learn so much from them every time we meet. To get to contribute to something so meaningful as my job makes me so proud”
When Shane isn’t busy moving Cloudera forward in our Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and building seats at the table for everyone..
You can find him volunteering or putting his unplugged days to use near a beach alongside his partner and their pups. “I find I am most relaxed by the water (preferably in the sunshine). We have some beautiful beaches and coastline in Ireland, and I try to spend as much time exploring it as possible.”
We’re glad to see he takes some downtime. With all the energy he puts into advancing HR and leading inclusion, his work is needed. Congratulations Shane, on being recognized as a stand out member of the Cloudera team and a powerhouse behind our ever evolving D&I efforts.
To join the team and be part of the great work we’re doing, check out our open positions and apply!
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