A Practical Look at Legally Compliant I&D for HR Leaders

Carolynn Johnson is President of SHRM CEO Action, a credible, research-based “source of truth” think tank and member community for inclusion and diversity.

Before joining SHRM, she served as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Editor of Fair360 (formerly DiversityInc), the leading workplace fairness management platform for content comparative benchmarks, and predictive workforce analytics. She led teams of data scientists to build advanced analytics, benchmarking tools, and predictive models measuring inclusion, diversity, and performance. Under her leadership, the Top 50 survey became a catalyst for thought leadership and revenue growth, and she launched the DiversityInc Top 50 Event series in 2009—widely known as the “Oscars of Diversity and Inclusion.”

Carolynn has testified twice as an expert witness before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services. She was named a Distinguished Alumna of Rutgers University (2016) and, in 2022, received an AACSB honor for her research on intersectional workplace issues with a focus on gender—recognizing alumni who demonstrate leadership and societal impact. A CEO Action signatory since 2019, she worked alongside senior leaders at PwC and public-policy partners to help expand the coalition’s reach by engaging executive leaders across client organizations.

She completed an executive management fellowship at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and earned her MBA from Rutgers Business School. She also holds two MIT certifications in Artificial Intelligence in Business Strategy and Machine Learning and Data Systems. In 2023, she consulted with Wharton to design talent development coursework for undergraduate, MBA, and EMBA students. The creator of the Women of Color and Their Allies Leadership Program, Carolynn serves on national nonprofit boards including the Center for Healthcare Innovation (CHI) and is Co-director of the Relationships Across Differences Roundtable within Wharton’s McNulty Leadership Program. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Chair of Seyfarth’s People Analytics Practice Group, Partner
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Annette provides proactive counseling and litigation advice to employers on workforce strategies that leverage data analytics, with a focus on artificial intelligence governance and risk management, equal pay, inclusion and belonging practices, and people analytics.
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As chair of Seyfarth’s People Analytics practice group, Annette leads a multidisciplinary team of attorneys, labor economists, data analysts, and other professionals who partner with employers to develop data-driven solutions that solve complex workforce issues. Annette collaborates with employers to design and implement metrics for evaluating and achieving workforce objectives, including effective talent acquisition and management, equal pay practices, inclusive workplace practices, and workforce restructuring with consistent focus on minimizing legal risk.
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Annette advises employers on the lawful use of data-driven and AI-enabled tools in employment decision-making, including systems used in recruiting, hiring, promotion, retention, workforce planning, and employee engagement. Her work in this area includes helping organizations assess legal risk, develop governance and documentation practices, and align workforce technologies with evolving federal, state, and global regulatory requirements.
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Ensuring equal pay and fostering inclusive workplace practices are central components of Annette’s practice. She regularly partners with employers to conduct pay equity analyses, evaluate compensation structures, and design sustainable, inclusion-focused workplace solutions that withstand legal scrutiny while remaining operationally practical.
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Annette also brings deep counseling experience to litigation matters that sit at the intersection of workforce data and the law. She defends employers in complex litigation matters involving class certification issues, disparate impact claims, expert analyses, and damages assessments, and frequently leverages analytics-driven insights to inform litigation strategy, settlement posture, and risk mitigation.
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Annette also counsels federal, state, and local government contractors on compliance strategies in light of evolving regulatory frameworks. She provides guidance on broader risk management and strategic planning related to workforce data and employment practices, including preparation for agency investigations and audits.
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Annette has also provided written and oral testimony on proposed labor and employment legislation and regulations pending before the United States Senate, House of Representatives, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Annette is a member of the Chicago Diversity Action Team, supports the firm’s national Diversity leadership, and actively participates in pro bono and other community charitable activities.