Rite Aid taps inclusion leader to head diversity efforts
Rite Aid is supporting its corporate transformation strategy with the hire of a new VP of diversity, equity and inclusion.
In this role, diversity and inclusion expert Texanna Reeves will develop and implement the drugstore retailer’s overall diversity, inclusion and belonging strategy. Rite Aid has continued to hire senior leaders to drive forward its broader RxEvolution strategy, which is designed to transform the company “into the leading whole health destination that treats mind, body and spirit” as the retailer seeks to broaden its appeal to millennials and Gen X women.
Reeves will work closely with Rite Aid’s executive leaders, including CEO Heyward Donigan, to facilitate best practices in fostering and affirming an inclusive company culture. She will work to advance organizational shared responsibility for achieving Rite Aid’s strategic goals related to diversity, inclusion and belonging, ultimately ensuring alignment to the RxEvolution strategy.
Her duties will include establishing and leading an enterprise cross-functional diversity council at Rite Aid and partnering with the organization’s HR centers of excellence and legal department to embed diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) best practices into its talent attraction, retention and development strategies.
Reeves has extensive experience developing and executing diversity and inclusion strategies at Fortune 100 companies such as Merck, S.C. Johnson, Sodexo, and Georgia-Pacific Corporation. In addition to her in-house roles, Reeves recently launched Engage U, a consultancy providing expertise on diversity and inclusion management services. She holds a bachelor of business administration and an MBA from Mercer University’s Stetson School of Business and Economics.
“I believe it is important to go beyond rhetoric and strive for measurable progress in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. I’m thrilled Rite Aid is so committed to the advancement of these goals across the organization and recognizes the relevance of DE&I to the success of the business,” said Reeves. “I look forward to partnering with Rite Aid leadership to ensure DE&I is strategically integrated in every facet of Rite Aid’s future plans – particularly at such a consequential and transformative time in the company’s history.”
“Diversity and inclusion are essential to everything we do at Rite Aid,” said Jessica Kazmaier, executive VP and CHRO, Rite Aid. “To best serve our communities, our business ought to reflect those communities. The addition of Texanna will help elevate and focus our overall efforts to be an equal-opportunity employer of choice for people of broad perspectives and experiences, cultures, genders, races and generations. We know this will contribute to a stronger and more successful Rite Aid.”
Rite Aid Corp. operates over 2,400 retail pharmacy locations across 18 states.