For nearly three decades, Gabby Zuniga has stood at the intersection of Human Resources (HR) and inclusion, helping organizations build cultures where every person feels seen, valued, and empowered to contribute their best. As the Founder and Principal Consultant of Inclusive Kind, she has partnered with more than 50 organizations across sectors to embed inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA), otherwise known as DEI, into their strategy, culture, and leadership.
After years of leading DEI at Ernst & Young, Gabby felt what she describes as an “itch” to build something of her own, a practice that could meet organizations where they are and help them move toward genuine inclusion. The turning point came during her maternity leave, at the start of the Black Lives Matter movement. “There was this collective realization that workplaces needed to change, but many didn’t know where to start,” she recalls. “I knew I had to step in and help.”
From that moment, Inclusive Kind was born. Rooted in empathy, accountability, and action, Gabby and her team began guiding organizations large and small to build DEI strategies that are not performative but purposeful and lasting.
The “Why” That Shapes Gabby’s Work
Gabby’s passion for inclusion is personal. Born in Chile during a time of political unrest, she immigrated to Canada at eight years old without speaking a word of English. “In Chile, I was part of the dominant culture. Overnight, I became an outsider,” she says. “That experience shaped everything, how I see belonging, opportunity, and what it means to feel like you matter.”
Though she can “pass” as part of the majority, her lived experience taught her to see both sides of inclusion, to ask the hard questions about who feels seen and who doesn’t.
“When people feel that they matter, when they know they’re cared for, they give the best of themselves to that mission,” she says. “In large organizations, we sometimes forget there’s a person behind every role. DEI helps us remember that, and when we do, we create cultures that are not only more human but more successful.”
Inclusion as Strategy and Advantage
Gabby is quick to remind leaders that inclusion is not just the right thing to do but a business imperative. “If you genuinely integrate DEI into your strategy, you’ll outperform others. It’s a competitive advantage that’s hard to replicate,” she says. “Organizations exist to achieve results. Embedding inclusion helps you get there in a way that’s sustainable and authentic.”
Among her proudest moments is helping a non-profit organization reframe its entire business strategy through the lens of inclusion and equity, work that, as Gabby puts it, “shifted the DNA of how they see their impact.”
Her influence also extends to academia, having developed and taught Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Workplace at Queen’s University, where she helps future leaders embed inclusion into the heart of their organizations.
Partnering to Ignite Change
As a proud sponsor of Ignite IDEA, Inclusive Kind is helping HR professionals deepen their capacity to lead this work. “There’s been so much debate about who should own DEI within organizations,” Gabby says. “But after nearly 30 years in both HR and DEI, I can tell you, no one is better equipped than HR. DEI lives in every stage of the employee lifecycle. HR professionals have the power to make inclusion real, every single day.”
Gabby’s message to HR professionals is clear. “Don’t be intimidated, be curious,” she says. “You don’t need a master’s degree to start. Ask questions, look at your processes through a DEI lens, and keep learning. Ask yourself: who was this designed for, and who might we be leaving behind?”
As she looks to the future, Gabby is energized by the convergence of HR and DEI. “The intersection of these two disciplines is where the future of work is being written,” she says. “It’s where culture, strategy, and humanity meet. HR leaders are at the center of it all.”
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