Infrastructure Mason’s is excited to announce our newest Member Resource Group, Embrace.
The Embrace MRG is dedicated to celebrating, inspiring, and educating on race, culture and ethnicity, while promoting allyship within the community to foster a more diverse and inclusive environment. With a focus on ensuring that no one is left behind in advancing the iMasons mission within the data center space, the Embrace MRG has outlined a comprehensive plan to achieve these objectives.
Central to their strategy is the strong representation of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnicity (BAME) individuals at all levels of the organization, from individual contributors to senior management. The Embrace MRG is committed to enabling BAME employees to reach their full potential within the organization and advocating for policies and communications that address the needs of BAME communities in various aspects, including policy-making, product development, and business decisions.
To support their goals, the Embrace MRG has established three key pillars: Employee, Partnerships, and Programs. Under the Employee pillar, the focus is on implementing initiatives throughout the year to celebrate diverse cultures, support the Embrace community, and address important topics such as mental health and career development. The Partnership pillar aims to forge strong collaborations with external organizations like the UK AfBE and TC4RE, while also providing networking opportunities for members. The Programs pillar is designed to drive ongoing iMasons programs, including mentoring and scholarships tailored to ethnic minorities.
At iMasons, our Member Resource Groups (MRGs) serve as vital communities where like-minded individuals come together to collaborate on ways to elevate and inform members working in the digital infrastructure space. These MRGs play a crucial role in connecting people, enabling them to seize opportunities and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of the industry. One of the key focuses of these groups is to guide iMasons members on how to educate themselves, their companies, and their colleagues about the importance of diversity and inclusion. By fostering a culture of inclusivity and continuous learning, the MRGs empower individuals to drive positive change within their organizations and the broader digital infrastructure community.
Led by Mike Eytle and Eboni Haynes, the Embrace MRG is poised to make a meaningful impact through their dedicated efforts across these pillars. By fostering a culture of inclusivity, collaboration and support, the Embrace MRG is paving the way for a more diverse and equitable future.
Meet the Chairs
Eboni Haynes is a Principal Program manager within the Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation (CO+I) organization,leading the Supplier Diversity program within the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) organization. In her capacity, Eboni plays a pivotal role in steering the organization’s supplier diversity initiative, ensuring that EPC supports Microsoft’s public commitments to diversity and inclusion.
Additionally, as the former chair of the Blacks at Microsoft CO+I ERG (Employee Resource Group), Eboni actively contributes to fostering an inclusive and responsible corporate environment, as representation matters. Beyond her professional endeavors, Eboni finds joy in completing interior design projects, fostering her consignment shopping habit, and embarking on travel adventures with family and friends during her spare time.
Mike Eytle is a dedicated professional leading the EMEA Datacentre Integration team for Microsoft over the last two years, delivering over 1 GW of capacity in that time. He is new to the Datacentre industry having moved across from a previous career as a Management Consultant in the Oil and Gas, and International Development sectors just over 3 years ago.
His formative years were spent as a British Army officer, and he served 16 years in the Royal Engineers. During this time he delivered infrastructure projects around the world and served in Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and the Middle East. More recently, he has also delivered projects in Sierra Leone, Nigeria and South Africa. Mike has a passion for leadership and believes strongly in the principle that leadership is about empowering others to succeed. On the home front he is married to Becky and has three children aged 9, 12 and 14.
“Embrace is not just a name; it’s a philosophy. It embodies our commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and growth. With this new MRG, we aim to foster a culture where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to the table. Together, let’s embrace diversity, embrace innovation, and embrace success.” – Mike and Eboni.
Are you passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the digital infrastructure industry? Join the Embrace MRG at iMasons and be part of a community dedicated to driving positive change. By getting involved with Embrace, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals who are committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable environment for us all. Take the first step towards making a difference and join iMasons today to connect with a network of professionals who are shaping the future of digital infrastructure. Together we can build a more diverse and inclusive industry for the digital future.