When Dr. Thelá Thatch was a young girl living on the outskirts of various public housing projects in East Orange and Newark, New Jersey, she dreamed of becoming a doctor and a teacher one day. Faced with a shortage of resources growing up, Thelá was instilled with a deep desire to serve her community and bring greater equity and opportunity to those less fortunate.

On her path to becoming a doctor and educator, she had a brief foray into the world of rap. In high school, Thelá was voted the most musical and most instrumental. This eventually led to a brief career as part of a rap group that toured New Jersey, opening for iconic acts such as Salt ‘N’ Pepa, Roxanne Shante, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, and numerous other artists.

Thelá spoke to us about her role as an Adjunct Faculty member for the University of West Los Angeles (UWLA) School of Business (SOB) and her journey to becoming a Black female professor.

Q. Even as a young person, you knew you wanted to give back to the community. How did those formative years shape you?  

Thelá: The desire to serve my community began early on, fueling my desire to help others and be a resource for people that did not know they had choices, resources, or options. I am passionate about strategies that deliver resources – especially to those who need them the most.

Q. As a young, Black female professor, do you see yourself as a role model?  

Thelá: Absolutely. Growing up in the inner cities of New Jersey, I did not see many teachers that looked like me that I could emulate. I am excited that I can provide exemplary, quality education to students while being a role model to women and others from marginalized groups. In fact, one of my students shared this semester that they had never had a Black female professor. Introducing students to new possibilities is my why! Providing instruction to students from diverse backgrounds from all around the world is the fulfillment of a life dream for me.

Q. What is the focus of your classes?

Thelá: I teach Human Resource Management, the Diverse Workforce, and Leadership and Management. In these courses, I provide instruction in the area of human resources, leadership, and equity, while guiding students on the selection of methods and procedures for qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.

Q. Besides UWLA School of Business, where else have you taught?

Thelá: Before joining UWLA, I was an Adjunct faculty member at Strayer University, Walden University, and Neumann University, where I taught human resources, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and public policy courses for Masters and Doctoral candidates. My personal journey as an educator started as a Doctoral Cohort Peer Mentor. I highly encourage students and all learners to get involved with their universities to determine how their educational journey may complement their personal and professional goals.

Q. UWLA has a unique reputation for supporting working students juggling professional responsibilities and educational aspirations. Many of the professors also remain active in their professions. Do you have responsibilities outside of the classroom?

Thelá: Beyond teaching at UWLA, I work full-time as the Founder and Chief Equity Officer of Thelá Thatch Consulting. With more than 20 years of experience in human resources, talent management, organizational development, and diversity and inclusion, I provide fractional chief impact officer services to help companies prepare for growth and transformation. 

My background as a businesswoman is extensive. I previously served as an executive consultant for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, where I created a human capital and workforce strategy to train individuals to serve homeless and vulnerable populations. I also led diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at Paychex. I was Chief Diversity Officer for Live Nation Entertainment, where I established the first diversity program in a global organization of over 10,000 employees. I worked with Fortune 500 firms, including UPS, Fox Television, Devro, ADC, and Cablevision.

Q. We understand you are also a published author.  What are the titles of your books?

Thelá: My first published piece was a children's book titled "The Dog Chef." I have written numerous articles for various publications. And I have two upcoming books, "Inclusionomics™," which focuses on the study of inclusion, and "The Diversity Dilemma," which provides an unfiltered perspective on the impact of diversity work on society, culture, community, and souls. Both are set to be released in 2023.

Q. Have you received any professional recognition or honors?

Thelá: I have. I’m pleased to say I was named 2022 Women of COLOR DEI Innovator, 2022 World’s Most Ethical Companies Committee Member, 2022 Paychex Integrity Icon, Tech Diversity Magazine’s Distinguished Diversity Professional, and Top 100 HR Experts to follow on Twitter.

Q. You’ve expressed a desire to find solutions for homelessness and develop policies that promote equity for the world. What is your dream?

Thelá: First, I am particularly proud of my family, who manages a non-profit called “Time2Dream,” developed to help minority entrepreneurs and small business owners. As a person whose ancestry is 75 percent Sub-Saharan African, it is my dream to develop educational programs in Africa. I recently started this journey, speaking to small business owners and entrepreneurs in Senegal and the Ivory Coast. My fervent hope is to continue to support any and all work on the continent that supports economic growth and wealth for the region. I also look forward to recruiting students from Africa to join us at UWLA, where I will have the opportunity to teach them.

Q. Can you share an example of one of your students whose thinking was transformed by your classroom?

Thelá: I did have a student in my class who has a law degree but didn’t recognize the full impact they could have within their profession through Human Resources. By the end of the course, this student decided they could expand their horizon and walk into their purpose by adding employment law to their offerings.

Q. What parting thoughts would you like to leave with anyone considering furthering their education at UWLA?

Thelá: UWLA provides access to an excellent education in a family environment. We are focused on the student first. Our staff is personable, approachable, and knowledgeable. UWLA firmly believes an investment in continued education is not only an investment in yourself but in generations to come. Your children’s children’s children will benefit from your decision to increase your knowledge in law and business. It is a decision you will never regret.