True change doesn’t just begin with opportunity—it begins with who gets seen, considered, and invited to the table.
For over three decades, Diane Boettcher has used her position, including 10 years at Microsoft, to ensure that inclusion isn’t just an ideal, but a practice rooted in action. As Director of Business Management, Diane has built—and taught others to build—diverse teams by cultivating diverse networks. “If we don’t intentionally reach out to those who don’t look like us,” she says, “our networks will be homogenous—and so will our teams.”
Throughout her career, Diane has made it a personal mission to diversify the hiring pipeline. She doesn’t wait for great candidates to apply—she actively recruits them. She’s trained her peers to do the same, developing internal programs to help hiring managers grow beyond their usual circles and expand their reach. That strategic outreach has paid off: in one recent effort, her team hired over 25% from historically underrepresented groups, proving that talent is abundant when you know where (and how) to look.
She also scrutinized job descriptions to strip away unnecessary barriers, ensuring qualifications listed as “required” truly were. By moving marginal requirements to the “preferred” category, she opened doors to candidates who may have previously self-selected out.
Diane’s approach is simple but powerful: build systems of access with intention, and make equity a habit, not an exception. Her commitment to justice and representation has left a lasting mark on Microsoft’s hiring culture, cultivating workplaces where diverse voices aren’t just present but empowered.
For Diane, impact means more than numbers. It means using every opportunity to uplift others and building teams that reflect the rich complexity of the world they serve.
About #empowHER50 campaign
This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50
To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/
