Pinterest's global head of inclusion and diversity Tyi McCray is leaving the company, less than one year after joining in the midst of a controversy over alleged discrimination and retaliation against two Black female employees.
In an internal email obtained by Protocol, Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann alerted staff that McCray's last day will be July 15. "She came to us during a critical moment in time for our company, and has been a key member of our Leadership Team," Silbermann wrote. While Pinterest searches for a replacement, Silbermann wrote that Deb Elam, General Electric's former head of diversity, will "advise and provide support for the [inclusion and diversity] and leadership teams."
A Pinterest spokesperson confirmed McCray's departure to Protocol: "We want to thank Tyi for her many contributions and the time and effort she spent getting us to where we are today. We recognize there's more work to be done and are committed to continuing on our journey to build a culture grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion."
McCray joined Pinterest last August, two months after former employees Ifeoma Ozoma and Aerica Shimizu Banks came forward with allegations of discrimination and retaliation at the company.
In a statement, McCray told Protocol the company had "established a strong foundation for the continual work of building an inclusive company."
"I'm proud of the work I've done during my time at Pinterest," McCray said. "We've increased the number of women and candidates from underrepresented races and ethnicities interviewed for open roles, we expanded our apprenticeship program to increase opportunities for women and diverse candidates, and set bold diversity goals for the future."
Megan Rose Dickey contributed reporting.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE