Coffee Break is a brand-new digital series brought to you by workplace equality experts, mygwork.

These sessions will explore issues important to our community and highlight some of the amazing work being done to push forward equality and inclusion.

These sessions hosted by Zoe Schulz, myGwork's Client Success Manager, will explore how we can push forward equality, support vulnerable people and educate our audience on issues important to our community.

This week we talk to author, speaker, educator and corporate diversity leader, Ashley T Brundage. Ashley is the Founder and President of Empowering Differences. While seeking employment at a major financial institution, she self-identified during the interview process as a transgender woman and subsequently was hired. She was offered a position and started as a part-time bank teller and worked in various lines of business before becoming VP, Diversity and Inclusion in less than 5 years. Ashley recently celebrated 18 years of marriage to Whitney and together they have two biological sons; Bryce, 15, and Blake, 13.

Ms. Brundage speaks locally and nationally about her transition, workplace equality, leadership, and diversity & inclusion. She has also been interviewed in several publications and media outlets, including Tampa Bay Times, Watermark Magazine, Creative Loafing, The Tampa Bay Business Journal, The Miami Herald, Fox 13 News Tampa, ABC News 7 Ft Myers, CBS 10 Tampa, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Milwaukee Biz Times, the Daily Beast, Fairygodboss, and a feature story with Bloomberg Businessweek in 2019. Ashley has been recognized in many areas and has received numerous awards locally, nationally, and internationally for her work and volunteerism.

Watch now: