Sandy Cross, the Chief People Officer at PGA of America, leads all PGA initiatives regarding people, overseeing Human Resources, inclusion and diversity, and employment engagement. She works to overcome biases that can stop individuals from seeing people from diverse backgrounds working in the business of golf. Sandy believes that driving greater inclusion in the workforce will expand the demographics of who plays the sport. She developed PGA WORKS, inclusive of fellowships, internships, scholarships, and career exploration events to provide clear pathways and on-ramps for diverse talent.
Sandy and her team have significantly elevated the PGA of America supplier inclusion program by developing a streamlined process for inviting and engaging minority-, women-, LGBT-, disabled- and veteran-owned companies to participate in the business of golf. For example, the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup generate substantial entertainment and tourism dollars in the communities where they are hosted. Supplier inclusion initiatives create awareness and a pathway for local and diverse businesses to be part of these world-class events.