DEI Changemaker: Katrina Edmunds

"The way you approach change is as important as the proposed change itself in terms of getting the change to happen... We all want what is best for people and it is more likely to happen if we go into that together. The language and behaviour you use have to be very inclusive."

Meet Katrina Edmunds (She/Her), Academic Counsellor, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator at International School of Lausanne (ISL) and a beacon for change in the international school community.

Katrina's commitment to fostering an inclusive and compassionate environment shines through in the innovative initiatives and the impactful changes she has implemented with a team of DEI Champions at ISL.

From developing Speak Up training to encouraging the use of Inclusive Language and pronoun usage, Katrina's work is a testament to the power of collaboration, education, and persistence in creating more welcoming spaces.

Her journey is marked by moments of courage, such as advocating for nuanced communication that respects all learners.

We hope you enjoy reading her story.

Tell us about a memorable moment in your Changemaker career.

Inspired by one of the presenters at the Thriving Talent conference last summer, we have been collaboratively developing an Inclusive Language guide for the ISL community. We launched the Inclusive Language focus with a staff presentation in November.

It was quite intimidating to propose to a room full of highly educated teachers that we could ameliorate our language! There was some pushback from some colleagues who interpreted the suggestion to use plain English (when explaining a concept to EAL or neurodivergent students) out of context and asserted their right to use similies and metaphors. Colleagues from the English department stepped in and clarified the concept.

It was one of many moments where the benefit of having DEI champions throughout our organisation shone through.

The following week, the Learning Support Coordinator and High School Principal picked up the theme, and we gave the assembly stage to students sharing their stories of their experiences of having learning differences in our community, which underscored the importance of what we say and how we speak.

This highlights the importance of collaboration and humility in this role, as many people have experiences and ideas to offer. We are all at different stages on the journey, and I endeavour to be curious about our community so that I can better understand our needs as a workplace and as a school and serve by provoking change.

What advice would you give to others aiming to catalyse change in their workplace?

Having a vision of what you are working towards and effective communication are essential. In the context of becoming an inclusive international school, we are focused on our students and staff’s experiences of belonging and the importance of modelling and representation.

It is important to regularly reflect on the stages of the journey, celebrate small wins, and keep people with you. Communicating internally and externally as you go keeps everyone invested and informed. This is a skill in itself, and I have invested in my relationship with my marketing colleagues to achieve this goal collaboratively.

Having a network of other DEI practitioners, both from education and other industries, fast-tracks your thinking and finding solutions. I follow various experts on LinkedIn and I also follow DEI developments through podcasts. Our DEI team at ISL has benefitted from the support of Hannah Wilson FCCT FRSA ACC and I have learnt a lot from the DiverseEd Podcast as well as the Principled series from Making Stuff Better Ltd . Reading on DEI topics is crucial for deepening understanding and compassion, as well as technical understanding of change management and leadership.

What fuels your dedication to your mission?

The stories of the students I support motivated me to undertake the DEI work. Listening to students’ experiences in transitions through international education and the challenges that they have faced called me to action to create a community with more awareness of well-being and compassion.

Simultaneously, as a mother of twins who values her career, I have developed a deep awareness of gender inequality in the workplace.

In Switzerland, I challenge the stereotype that you are a “bad mother” if you work full-time. Work-life balance is not easy here, with high costs of childcare and without a local family support network, it can be very challenging.

Thus, I am very aligned with Thriving Talent’s mantra of making the workplace more inclusive for all with caring responsibilities.

Are there moments in your journey where self-doubt or limiting beliefs arise?

Taking on the DEI role has been very humbling, and I am on a steep learning curve as the role requires metacognition as well as a deep understanding of a variety of complex topics such as race, the gender spectrum and neurodiversity, for example. In order to overcome my self-doubt, I endeavour to connect, listen and learn from others who are more expert than me.

I train in mental toughness using mindfulness techniques, the Trident Mindset app, and the practice of competitive and endurance sports such as rowing, yoga, triathlon, and cross-country skate skiing. I have a lot of routine practices that keep me healthy in body and mind, then there are my family and friends who remind me to have fun and give me perspective.

When I am not at work, I am rowing across lakes, running through forests with my dog, cycling up/skiing down mountains or supporting my twins to play football. When I am physically exhausted, I love reading and meditating. Breathwork and mindfulness practice feel like a supercharge and enable me to create a space for greater awareness and perspective-taking.

Looking ahead, what future trends do you anticipate in your field, and how do you envision the evolution of this space?

I anticipate greater representation of the global majority, more physical and neurodiversity in international schools, greater diversity in leadership, greater flexibility in the workplace and improved integration of well-being in schools.

Due to the drivers of mental health and AI impacting how we learn and assess, I see schools shifting towards including more social and emotional learning alongside the academic curriculum, which necessitates a more coaching culture.

Educators need to undertake coaching themselves and gain competence in coaching skills. We need to empower young people and amplify their voices as they are faster to understand inclusion and sustainability and change their behaviour than older generations.

What advice would you give to other DEI changemakers who are just starting their journey?

Connect with other DEI changemakers in your field and beyond. Audit and survey. Make an action plan with measures. Do the work on yourself, read and learn. Get started by communicating your vision.

We benefitted from Natalie Wilkins 's support in training internal facilitators to deliver Speak Up training. Her consultancy enabled us to establish our DEI Champions and the training has been well received by our staff and PTA.

What role does leadership play in driving meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion within an organization, and how can leaders effectively champion this?

DEI leaders need to be self-aware and experts at relating to others. They need to model vulnerability and humility and be able to listen and connect with others. I am still learning how to do this right.

My Director recently shared with me that people are less likely to change if you are aggressive and adversarial about it. He is right. We have to try to get everyone onboard as co-conspirators, which means sometimes going slow and taking time to get everyone is very important.

It is also valuable for the leadership to be invested in creating a feedback culture and to encourage people to be “intrapreneurs”. With DEI work, it is hard to get it right all the time for everyone, but you can't let that put you off trying.

You have to get in the arena and give your best changemaker moves.

Feeling inspired by this interview? You can follow Katrina Edmunds and International School of Lausanne on LinkedIn.

Every month via this newsletter, we feature DEI Changemakers who are making a real difference in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. If you would like to nominate someone, let us know at [email protected].