Building an Inclusive Scholarly Publishing Workforce

Building an Inclusive Scholarly Publishing Workforce: What we are learning from the Workplace Equity Survey

Maribel Gomez, MPS in Publishing Graduate, George Washington University, Publishing Inventory Associate, CCC

Camille Lemieux, Manager, Data Projects, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Springer Nature

Paige Wooden, Director of Publications, American Geophysical Union (AGU)

This presentation will highlight top-line findings from the C4DISC Workplace Equity Survey 2023 and discuss the lived experience of inclusivity in our industry and organizations. Building on discussions at the Council of Science Editors, Society for Scholarly Publishing, and ISMTE, we want to inspire individuals to take actions in their daily work. Benefiting from the lived experience of the presenters, we will also explore pathways to create career opportunities and the role of mentorship to advance careers for everyone. Results from the 2023 global workplace equity survey indicate most respondents are satisfied with their jobs in scholarly publishing. Compared to results from the 2018 benchmark survey, there have been gains in awareness of employer commitments to equitable opportunities in scholarly publishing. Yet, there are differences in perspective of how well employers’ words translate into action.

Maribel Gomez is a dedicated professional with a MPS in Publishing from The George Washington University. Drawing on a decade of experience in education, she is passionate about advancing underrepresented voices and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Maribel specializes in intellectual property and copyright clearances, striving to excel through a blend of rigorous academic study and hands-on experience. Currently, she works as a Publishing Inventory Associate at the Copyright Clearance Center, where she makes contributions to the scholarly publishing sector. As a recent SSP Fellowship winner, Maribel had the opportunity to conduct research on "Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Open Access: Insights in Latin America," exploring critical issues related to inclusivity and equitable access in Latin American countries. Additionally, Maribel is involved with the STM Committee, SSP DEI, and The Scholarly Kitchen Cabinet, further demonstrating her commitment to the field.

Camille Lemieux leads data projects as a Manager of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Springer Nature. Leveraging her specializations in program evaluation and data-driven decision-making, she helps teams track progress on their DEI goals. In this role she also leads the company's annual DEI employee survey, which helps senior leaders use feedback from thousands of employees to cultivate a more inclusive and equitable workplace culture. She holds a master's degree in learning sciences from the University of Iowa. Camille was recognized by SSP with a 2024 Emerging Leader Award.

Paige Wooden serves as Director of Publications at the American Geophysical Union (AGU). She oversees the department budget management process, editor relations, and department - and enterprise-wide data projects and strategy. Paige has held positions in the AGU Publications Department over 16 years, including peer review management. She holds a Master of English Literature from University of Maryland, College Park and a BA in English from University of California, Berkeley. Paige is an avid cyclist and runner.