# Better Allies: Former Adobe VP Shifting Workplace Culture | Karen Catlin

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/humanizeher-with-erica-lockheimer-7021072/better-allies-former-adobe-vp-shifting-workplace-culture-karen-catlin
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/humanizeher-with-erica-lockheimer-7021072/better-allies-former-adobe-vp-shifting-workplace-culture-karen-catlin.md
Podcast: [HumanizeHer with Erica Lockheimer](https://stenobird.com/podcast/humanizeher-with-erica-lockheimer-7021072)
Published: 2026-03-17T20:13:00+00:00
Episode link: https://7e64d1a1-45af-410a-a143-b6452cad0951.libsyn.com/better-allies-former-adobe-vp-shifting-workplace-culture-karen-catlin
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/7e64d1a1-45af-410a-a143-b6452cad0951/HH_Episode37_KarenCatlin.mp3?dest-id=4725527
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/humanizeher-with-erica-lockheimer-7021072/episodes/better-allies-former-adobe-vp-shifting-workplace-culture-karen-catlin
Duration seconds: 3363

## Resource

In this insightful episode, Karen Catlin , former VP of Engineering at Adobe with over three decades in the tech industry, shares her evolution from a "declared computer science major who had never touched a computer" to now leadership coach and one of the most influential voices in workplace inclusion as an acclaimed author of the Better Allies book series. Highlights of the Conversation: "Golden Age" of Women in Tech: Karen reflects on graduating in 1985 - a peak era for gender diversity in the field, where 37.5% of computer science degrees in the U.S. went to women (compared to significantly lower percentages in the decades that followed). Birth of an Anonymous Movement: Discover the fascinating origin story of the @BetterAllies Twitter handle. Karen reveals why she spent five years posing as an anonymous man to share inclusion tips, believing the message of allyship would carry more weight if it appeared to come from a male voice. 50 Shades of Privilege: Karen discusses her research-backed " 50 Ways You Might Have Privilege in the Workplace ," a tool designed to help professionals recognize their inherent advantages - ranging from financial stability and elite education to the absence of caregiving responsibilities. 7 Archetypes of an Ally: Listeners are introduced to Karen's framework for action: the Sponsor, Champion, Amplifier, Advocate, Scholar, Confidant, and the most challenging role - the Upstander. "Archery" Analogy: Addressing the corporate pullback on DEI initiatives, Karen offers a powerful perspective; equity movements are currently like an arrow being pulled back on a bow - a necessary tension before it can fly forward with even greater force. Practical Tools for Inclusion: From "idea hijacking" in meetings to negotiating public speaking fees, Karen pr…

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