GLOBE’s Natasha Selzer on Identifying and Becoming an Ally

As Nasdaq continuously strives to advance economic progress for all, we amplify the voices of our communities who help carve this path forward. Our GLOBE (Global Link of Black Employees) employee resource group brings together employees that have an affinity or interest in Black, African, African-American and West-Indian communities. The network aims to empower the success of employees with initiatives that promote professional advancement; provide networking opportunities; and build mentorship, advocacy, and community outreach efforts.

For Black History Month, we spoke with Natasha Selzer, Interim GLOBE Co-lead and Global Head of the Strategic Relationship Management (SRM) team at Nasdaq about the importance of welcoming, identifying, and being an ally.

Tell us about your role at Nasdaq and how you became involved in GLOBE.

My role at Nasdaq is within the Index team as its Global Head of the Strategic Relationship Management (SRM) team. Our team is responsible for being the voice of the client and as well as their advocate for any internal decision making that impacts them.

I became involved in GLOBE during the pandemic and after the tragic murder of George Floyd. I wanted to help drive change, meaningful change for the black community. I thought there was no time like the present to do this. I decided to reach out internally at Nasdaq and see what I could do, so I started by becoming a member of GLOBE, then part of the Globe Task Force formed after the George Floyd murder, followed by becoming a Co-lead of GLOBE Marketing & Communication and now I am an Advisor & Interim Co-Lead of GLOBE.

What’s your favorite memory while being part of the employee network?

My favorite memory while being part of the employee network is when I led GLOBE’s 2022 Black History Month Committee. The Committee was made up of both members and allies and we all worked together to put on amazing programming, which focused on financial literacy in the black community. It was really the first time I led something so meaningful and impactful. We had some big shoes to fill, as the program was done so successfully in the years prior, it also had to be done virtually for the second year in the row.

I have to say, this experience really helped me to expand my collaborative experience with others across the organization, as well as external to Nasdaq. It was truly a great time in my career, which I will never forget.

How can people outside of the GLOBE network be a valuable ally to the Black, African, African American and West Indian community?

There are many ways people outside of the GLOBE network can be valuable allies. The first and easiest thing to do is to join the GLOBE employee network as an ally.  Allies make up a good part of Globe’s membership. Another way is for allies to identify those individuals in meeting settings, whose voice is not often heard, by supporting them to get their voices heard. I also encourage allies to help check in consistently with members on their team and ask them: “How are you doing?" or "Is there any help or support you need from me?" I find these simple steps go a long way in being an ally—it is never too late to take any of these steps.

What are your goals as a member of GLOBE?

My goal as a member of GLOBE is to keep active by immersing myself in the events and activities that GLOBE puts on. I will also continue to lead efforts that continue to engage our members.

How can diversity at every level of the workforce lead to better outcomes?

Research has shown that companies with a diverse workforce at every level perform better. This company makeup leads to a competitive advantage, higher engagement from employees and a better hiring experience for job applicants. Companies are also able to benefit from decisions being made by employees with various backgrounds.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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