Arvest Bank is pleased to announce we have hired Cinthya Allen as our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Officer, effective Nov. 1.

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Allen has 20 years of relevant experience and most recently served as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator for the City of Norman, Okla. She also serves an adjunct professor at the University of Oklahoma.

In her role at Arvest, Allen will lead our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, building on the strong foundation we have established. Arvest earned a spot on Forbes magazine’s list of “Best Employers for Diversity 2022” earlier this year.

“I am thrilled that Cinthya is joining the Arvest family,” Arvest Chief People Officer Laura Andress said. “Her passion, drive and dedication to DE&I – both within the bank as well as in our communities – makes her a perfect person to lead these efforts. The result will be a more respectful and inclusive workforce, workplaces and communities for us all to grow and celebrate for decades to come.”

Allen’s DE&I roots trace to AT&T, where she led HACEMOS, AT&T’s Latino-focused employer resource group, among other responsibilities. She led HACEMOS as it grew in membership from 900 to 11,000 members and ultimately served as its national president. Allen also led corporate external affairs and served as a state-registered lobbyist for AT&T.

“I am excited to join the Arvest family,” Allen said. “The people-centric commitment that runs throughout the organization is the lifeblood of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles. I look forward to partnering with our teams to learn, lead and build our workforce and communities in transformative ways.”

Allen earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Oklahoma and a graduate certificate in diversity and inclusion human resources policy from Cornell University. She also holds an ADA coordinator certificate from Great Plains ADA and the University of Missouri.

Among other civic endeavors, Allen serves as a board member for the Latino Community Development Agency and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Norman and is a member of the Norman Rotary Club.