About Tom
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
From 2021 - 2024 Dr. Tom Bourdon served as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at BigCommerce.
Prior career highlights include leading DEI at Staples, serving as the Executive Director of Greater Boston PFLAG, and Director of LGBT Centers at UCLA, NYU and Tufts University (where Tom also led Tufts’ Social Justice Leadership Initiative). Tom was also an Adjunct Professor at Merrimack College for seven years, where he taught graduate-level courses on diversity, social justice and identity development.
Tom received his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University, his Masters of Education from UCLA, and his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Babson College. He also holds a certification in Life Coaching from New York University.
consultant, facilitator, coach
He has served as an independent consultant, strategist and facilitator as well as a contractor for other consulting companies such as Jennifer Brown Consulting and IBIS.
Tom has coached, trained and consulted with thousands of individuals at countless organizations in the corporate, non-profit, education and government sectors. Recent clients include Google, Microsoft, the Broad Institute and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education.
He is also frequently requested as a keynote speaker, panelist, and fireside chat moderator, with recent engagements at SXSW, Advertising Week, Clyde & Co. and Sysdig.
Tom's areas of expertise include DE&I assessment, strategic planning, unconscious bias and cultural competency education and awareness, and ERG/BRG development and support, and LGBTQIA+ education.
THE DEI IMPERATIVE
Truth be told, DE&I work is challenging…but also extremely rewarding. Tom believes it is more imperative now than ever for companies to intentionally embrace and take full advantage of all the wonderful differences that exist in the workplace, marketplace, and world. He says this based on huge domestic and international shifts in demographics, the increasingly tumultuous political and social landscapes, and because such efforts will help attract/retain top-talent and keep a successful company at the top of its game. And on the more human level…. it’s simply the right thing to do!
ON A PERSONAL NOTE...
‘Creating inclusive environments of understanding’ are the words Tom uses to not only describe his career, but also his passion. He sees his purpose as helping organizations and individuals navigate through a diverse and constantly changing world, while simultaneously figuring out how they can play a role in helping change the world for the better.
Tom proudly holds the title of “out and proud gay husband and father.” Outside of work, he enjoys nothing more than spending time with his husband and their children, Lukas and Maya.
