Q&A with Dianell B, General Manager of New Delivery Programs

Dianell joined Amazon almost 7 years ago, continuing a career of financial analysis, operational excellence, and most importantly, delivering for customers. She shared some of her insights along the way while serving as a proud leader within the Delivery Experience organization.

Which accomplishments at Amazon are you most proud of?

Since I started at Amazon, I’ve had the pleasure of working with fantastic teams and leaders- all while being tasked with solving some really interesting problems on behalf of customers and selling partners. While I can’t get into the details of my current project (It’s super interesting though!), I’m really proud of the partnership with an incredibly smart international team to set up a new centralized Vendor Support Organization. We collaborated with vendors to develop guides, training materials, and curriculum to train over 500 worldwide employees. These partners did so eagerly, enthusiastically, and with the customer’s best interest in mind (Customer Obsession!). We were able to dive into customer and vendor experiences, inspect processes, simplify, and address long standing gaps worldwide. It was humbling and inspiring to be a part of and the lessons I learned about our selling partner experience continue to influence how I think about new products and services.

What do you miss most about working onsite at Amazon?

If I answer honestly, the people, the time between meetings to catch up, and simply connecting face to face. I also enjoyed my commute with audio books about true crime, facts of the day, or various podcasts (Revisionist History FTW!). However, I also feel very fortunate that we get to work from the safety of our homes during these times. What I miss the most is the connection we cannot replicate through virtual meetings, being able to check on people in person, and can’t wait until things are back to “normal”.

How important is diversity to you and what value does it bring?

Diversity is incredibly important to me, both personally and as a leader. To me, diversity includes unique skills, experiences, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds that make us who we are. I believe diversity, in all of its forms, enriches our way of thinking, the teams we create and the products and services we build as a result. Acknowledging and embracing diversity is just as important as making room for each one to bring their full selves to work through inclusion and belonging. One of my favorite ways to explain this is Verna Myer’s quote: “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance”.

How do you empower your teams to grow and nurture diversity?

I like to empower my teams to grow and nurture diversity by acknowledging and celebrating our differences, challenging our biases, and showing curiosity to further our understanding of one another and create deeper and more meaningful connections.

What is your favorite leadership principle and why?

One of my favorite things about Amazon is that Leadership Principles are so embedded in our DNA that we reference them daily at work (and embarrassingly often outside of work). While I am a huge fan of customer obsession, ownership, and earning trust, ‘Learn & Be Curious’ is my all-time favorite. Being curious about your customers, stakeholders, industry, and even opposing ideas is the most important thing we can do as builders. Curiosity, and accepting that there’s always something to be learned, are essential to drive innovation and deliver on behalf of our customers.?

What’s your favorite travel destination??

I am born and raised in Puerto Rico, but have been in Seattle for over 13 years. I love the Pacific Northwest (It’s gorgeous!), but there is nothing quite like being able to go back home, visiting my family and enjoy our beautiful beaches.

To learn more about roles within Amazon's Delivery Experience Team, click here . Or contact me for more info.