
COS: Fostering a diverse workplace across the globe
We aim to foster a workforce that reflects and contributes to the diverse, global community in which we operate. We are committed to developing, maintaining, and supporting a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion for all our colleagues.
At COS, we take a collective responsibility to create an environment where colleagues feel included, respected and comfortable to bring their whole self to work.
We launched the COS Diversity & Inclusion Group in 2020 with the specific aim of bringing diversity to the fore.
Stacie Hudgens is our Founder & CEO.
" The foundation of humanity should be that individuals from all diverse populations inhabiting this earth are included and treated equitably and fairly, irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, age or gender.
As the CEO of an outcomes research group, I founded this company on this general principle and will continually work to maintain these values at COS. It is my responsibility, as a leader, to ensure equitable treatment across the organization both in terms of current employees as well as those considering joining the COS team.
Personally, as a gay woman who grew up very poor with an amazing single parent, I know what it is to hide your true self and have to fight the odds to find success. It is with great pleasure that I stand behind the new, employee-run Diversity & Inclusion panel at COS; and firmly support that every team member will be embraced for their individuality in our work family. "
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month!
Our spotlight is on a special LGBTQ+ activist, Marsha P. Johnson. Without this incredible and brave person, the LGBTQ+ rights movement would not be where it is today.
Marsha was born on August 24th, 1945, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Marsha identified as male at birth. After graduating high school, Marsha moved to New York City with only $15 and a bag of clothes. She began dressing almost exclusively in women’s clothes and adopted the full name Marsha P. Johnson. The “P” stood for “Pay It No Mind.” To her, this was a life motto and a response to questions about her gender.

For more information about Marsha P. Johnson and to watch a great aminated video, click here.
To read about other LGBTQ+ activists, click here.
Happy LGBTQ+ Pride Month!
Sources:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/glsen-lgbtq-history-cards-marsha-p-johnson
https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/marsha-p-johnson/
https://ucnj.org/mpj/about-marsha-p-johnson/
https://www.pridetraining.org.au/pages/pronoun-page
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/lgbtq-pride-activists-advocates-johnson-milk/

April is ‘Celebrate Diversity Month’ – an opportunity to enjoy, promote, and celebrate our differences
Did you know that April is diversity month? It was officially designated as diversity month in 2004, and it strives to help people gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other and their differences. There are many holidays, holy days, and diversity events that take place in April from World Autism Awareness Day and Earth Day to Ramadan, Passover and Easter, which makes April the perfect month to consider new ways you can integrate diversity into your life.
At COS, we celebrate diversity and inclusion daily and believe there is true strength and creativity in diversity, and inclusion unleashes that strength.
"Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization."
- M Gandhi

Beginning in the 1960s, Marsha became actively involved in the gay rights movement. Specifically, Marsha found herself near the Stonewall Inn in the early hours of June 28th, 1969. That night, police officers raided the gay bar. As the officers began to arrest people for violating various discriminatory laws, the patrons of the Stonewall fought back. The Stonewall uprising was an awakening for an entire generation of LGBTQ+ activists. Following the Stonewall uprising, Marsha and a fellow activist, Sylvia Rivera, established the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) in 1970. STAR was a group committed to supporting transgender youth experiencing homelessness in New York City.
Marsha was found dead on July 6th, 1992. Her death was ruled a suicide. At Marsha’s funeral, hundreds of people showed up. The church was so full that the crowd spilled into the street. Marsha’s friends and acquaintances thought it was more likely that Marsha was a victim of an attack. Trans women, particularly women of color, were regular targets of hate crimes, a problem that persists to this day.
In the time since her death, Marsha has become an icon of the transgender community. In 2019, New York City announced that a statue of Marsha and Sylvia Rivera would be the first monument to honor trans women in the city. In 2020, New York State named a waterfront park in Brooklyn after Marsha.
The COS Diversity & Inclusion Committee
The COS Diversity and Inclusion team is made up of colleagues based in the UK and US, each with an equal voice.

Emily Calderbank
Medical Writer 2

Kelsie Brewer
Senior Research Associate

Libby Floden
Senior Director of Quantitative Science
I am on the D & I team because I want to foster a work culture that is supportive of all people. More than this, I want to help actively seek people of diverse backgrounds to COS because I believe the richness and depth of various viewpoints and perspectives will elevate our delivery of good science (not to mention enrich my own work experience). On a more macro level, I want to contribute to increasing inclusion and diversity of the patient-voice to clinical trials.

Lauren Garcia
Research Associate 2

Ruby Gogana
Study Coordinator 2

Melanie Hughes
Research Associate 1

Elaine Langlais
Study Coordinator 2

Karen MacNab
Director of Human Resources

David Navarro
Medical Writer 1

Jennifer Rafalski
Senior Research Associate

Cindy Umanzor-Figueroa
Research Scientist 1
Joining D&I was a must do for me. As a first-generation Latina, I’ve played the role of the translator to help my family overcome the language barrier and navigate the healthcare system. Now in a professional role as a researcher, I have an opportunity to contribute to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in my work, to strive for all voices to be represented. Diverse representation, equity and inclusion gives us the opportunity to translate our unique experiences and create an environment where all voices are heard and understood.

Traci Abraham
Research Scientist 2
Growing up in the rural Midwestern US, I witnessed first-hand the damaging impact of social marginalization on individuals and communities. These early experiences led me to volunteer for the D&I committee, where I can support the effort to create a COS that is as inclusive and welcoming as possible. I believe that inclusiveness fosters a more dynamic and cohesive work culture and that organizations therefore gain strength from leveraging the diversity found within them. Serving on the D&I committee allows me to support the effort to foster a work culture that meets people where they are and embraces the uniqueness that they bring to our international team.
COS Diversity & Inclusion highlights
Project Launch: August 2020
Launch of the COS Diversity & Inclusion Group (D&I Group) and Charter
Newsletter Content
D&I Group provides monthly content for COS Connect, our global team newsletter
Keeping in touch
Biweekly Group meetings scheduled
D&I sub-group formed: Communication and Promotion
This group works together to design and produce D&I items to promote for the global team and bring attention to the work being done to maintain a diverse and inclusive place of work for all COS
D&I sub-group formed: Cultural Calendar
For the creation of a cultural/events calendar
D&I sub-group formed: Data Measurement and Recruitment
D&I sub-group formed: Training and Building and Inclusion Culture
Finding workshops for COS employees, refine hiring efforts, and discusses what goes into the newsletter.
Here are just some of the events we recognise:
February
LGBT History Month (UK)
Black History Month (USA)
International Epilepsy Day
Chinese New Year
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Rare Disease Day
March
Endometriosis Awareness Month (International)
International Women’s Week
World Kidney Day (International)
World Autism Awareness Week (International)
April
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (International)
Parkinsons Awareness Month
May
Skin Cancer Awareness Month
World Asthma Day (International)
Deaf Awareness Week (UK)
World Lupus Day (International)
ME Awareness Day (International) & Fibromyalgia Awareness Day (International)
Neurodiversity Celebration Week (UK)
World Meditation Day
World Digestive Health Day (International)
World MS Day
June
Pride Month (international)
June 7: Cancer Survivors Day (International)
June 15-20: Men’s Health Week (International)
June 19: Juneteenth
June 21-30: World Wellbeing Week (International)
September
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day (International)
September 21-26: International Week of Happiness at Work
September 25: World's Biggest Coffee Morning
October
ADHD Awareness Month (UK)
Black History Month (UK)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (UK)
October 1: World Vegetarian Day (International)
October 10: World Mental Health Day (International)
October 12-15: National Work Life Week (UK)
October 18: World Menopause Day
November
November 2-5: International Stress Awareness Week
November 14: World Diabetes Day (International)