Our Consultant Spotlight series lets us tell the stories of the people who make up the Lions & Tigers community. For L&T Consultant, Dale Thomas Vaughn, it’s a story of two paths. He’s an accomplished leader in communications and strategic business development, and he is also a dedicated inclusion activist. With a passion for long-distance trekking, Dale loves to travel and also is an author who has written 10 books.

ABOUT DALE

I was born in Houston to a NASA family and raised in a rural suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth. I have since lived in Paris, London, Los Angeles, and now Pittsburgh. My professional journey intertwines two major paths. The first as a leader in communications and strategic business development, the second as an activist for inclusion and connection.

On the side, I am certified in wine, earned a master’s degree in sociology, have written 10 books, led hundreds of leadership workshops, and have delivered keynotes at places like Unilever, Stanford, TED, and Walgreens.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE

I started out in strategic communications with organizations like Southwest Airlines, Ticketmaster, and the House of Commons in the UK. Most recently, I spent a few years in the travel industry as a VP helping to grow B2B partnerships for an established company called AirTreks. I pivoted to agency consulting in 2020 where I built narrative strategies with leaders at Facebook, Genentech and others.

An inclusion activist since 2002, I co-founded the Better Man Conference and have spoken about healthy masculinity and inclusionary leadership on media like CNN, BBC and in the award-winning documentary NEVERTHELESS. In 2016 my organization was named a HeForShe Champion by UN Women.

WHY LIONS & TIGERS

I chose to work with Lions & Tigers for a few reasons. I am drawn to the pro-feminist culture and the flexibility and stability, which are important to me as I begin preparation to care for my parents. I also wanted to work with Microsoft and see what I could learn. I joined Lions & Tigers to support an executive communications manager to help her scale her executive communications for a CVP at Microsoft. I’m also partnering with her to drive D&I and culture across the organization.

AREAS OF INTEREST & PASSIONS

I am passionate about traveling, in particular long-distance trekking. I have earned “Dual Pilgrim” status by UNESCO which means I have completed both World Heritage Pilgrimages in Spain and Japan (an achievement accomplished by fewer people than have ever summited Mt. Everest!).

I write short stories at MrInkredible.com, host the Rising Stars Flash Fiction contest, enjoy participating in axe-throwing leagues, international dodgeball tournaments, love baking, gardening, and playing music at my home in Pittsburgh, PA.

MUSICAL TALENTS

I’m learning the guitar and piano at the same time.  I’m enjoying the journey.

BIGGEST BENEFIT TO HIGH IMPACT, FLEXIBLE WORK

Sanity, purpose and balance are all benefits I see in flexible, high-impact work.

FAVORITE THING TO BAKE

I host a regular Pittsburgh Bake-Off with my circle of friends. Last week I baked Kolaches (a Czech tear-and-share sweet roll) with homemade mango and apricot jams.

TRAVEL BUCKET LIST

Argentina for the mountains, wine country, and dancing in Buenos Aires.

Nepal/Bhutan to trek the Himalayas and experience a country devoted to happiness.

Edinburgh, Scotland for walking around on cobblestones and drinking whiskey.

ADVICE TO OTHERS NAVIGATING A CAREER TRANSITION

I don’t have career advice because everyone is so unique, but I’ll share a recent story from my life that may have value to others. About five years ago I was shifting from the startup and nonprofit world back to the corporate world. I took myself camping for a weekend and just focused on feeling – very specifically – what I wanted my re-entry to the enterprise corporate world to feel like. I wrote all those little things down and they turned into my keywords, interview questions, and negotiation points during my transition. Since I installed that practice I’ve had lovely working experiences that fit all my specific needs. It’s been a very empowering experience. I learned that I can’t get what I don’t ask for.

Interested in joining Lions & Tigers?  Check out our open roles here.