Dr. Johné BattleSVP, Chief Diversity Officer — He/Him

“My difference that makes a difference is working with intentional leaders to build an inclusive workplace where everyone can feel valued, respected, and supported.”

Dr. Battle grew up in the SWATS — Southwest Atlanta Too Strong! He is blessed to be the son of parents that were Civil Rights foot soldiers. His father was Rev. Dr. Noel Battle who was a march organizer for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and who sits in the prestigious Morehouse College’s Preachers Ring of Honor. His mother is Mrs. Martha Hall Battle, and her servant leadership started during the Civil Rights era when she was a secretary for the SCLC. Both of Dr. Battle’s parents were a part of the first F.W. Woolworth lunch-counter sit-ins.

“I share this bit of my background, not to impress you, but instead to impress upon you that I am standing on the shoulders of giants today. It is the work of all those that have gone before me which drives me to live a life of servant leadership,” Dr. Battle often states.

As a dynamic motivational and transformational speaker, Dr. Battle has taken the attention of students, athletes, educators and corporate executives of all ages, interests and backgrounds hostage with his energetic and heartfelt messages of hope, persistence and moving beyond your circumstances. His story of overcoming an early age reading disability to pursue an Ivy League doctoral degree has inspired audiences across the nation. He is an advocate for purposeful development, and intentional life-changing reimbursement by leveraging certain benefits and freedoms that can only come through both formal and informal education.

“My difference that makes a difference is working with intentional leaders to build an inclusive workplace where everyone can feel valued, respected, and supported,” Dr. Battle continues. “I am proud to work for Dollar General, where I get the opportunity to work with leaders everyday on behalf of 160,000+ associates employees to be the most inclusive retailer on the planet. Everyday, I am more and more inspired by the collaboration of my peers across the Dollar General enterprise to build an inclusive workplace future. It’s a privilege to work each day to make our stores the best and most inclusive shopping experience for our customers and the communities we serve.”

Khasi AreamaDirector of Diversity & Inclusion, Supply Chain — She/Her

“My difference matters because it adds a vibrant hue to the tapestry of diversity and inclusion. Through embracing the unique qualities that make me who I am, I become an agent of change, challenging norms...

...and expanding perspectives. It is within the mosaic of our differences that we find strength, unity, and the power to create a more inclusive world where every voice is valued, and every individual can thrive.”

I am Khasi Areama, the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, supporting our Supply Chain. The reason I am passionate about supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our supply chain is because I believe that creating a diverse and inclusive environment is not only the right thing to do, but it also has tangible benefits for our organization. Embracing diversity allows us to tap into a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and talents within our supply chain team. By cultivating an inclusive culture, we foster a sense of belonging and empower individuals to bring their authentic selves to work, which leads to increased engagement, creativity, and innovation. Additionally, a diverse and inclusive supply chain enables us to better understand and meet the needs of our diverse customer base, which is essential for our long-term success and sustainability. I am committed to ensuring that our supply chain is a place where everyone feels valued, respected, and has equal opportunities to thrive, regardless of their background or identity. Together, we can create a supply chain that embraces diversity and uses it as a catalyst for positive change.

My difference matters because I grew up with a Cuban father and a Black mother. This unique blend of cultural backgrounds has shaped my perspective, opened my eyes to diverse experiences, and taught me the value of embracing different identities. Through my upbringing, I have gained insights into the struggles, celebrations, and histories of both the Cuban and Black communities. This firsthand experience of navigating multiple cultural identities allows me to bring a nuanced understanding to conversations about race, ethnicity, and multiculturalism. By sharing my lived experiences and advocating for the inclusion of all underrepresented communities, I aim to contribute towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for everyone, regardless of their cultural heritage or racial background.

Lisa de PerioDirector Diversity & Inclusion, Store Support Center — She/Her

“My Difference makes a difference because I am more than just a box to check off. A prism of colors of brown, yellow, red and purple swirl within me of my Filipino and Chinese experiences of hurdles and happiness.”

There is a colorful beauty in a prism. With a prism, a spectrum of colors emerge often from a single source. Depending on the different angles you look through, light bends creating different, often unimaginable, colors and hues. In the same way, diversity and inclusion can be seen as a prism. By looking at people through a prism, you see that people are multi-faceted hosts of beauty, intellect and emotion. Their thoughts, perspectives and lived experiences radiate through.

My name is Lisa de Perio, and I am the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion supporting the Store Support Center at Dollar General. It is my mission to equip everyone at the store Support Center with a personal prism to learn from others and themselves and to allow authentic selves to shine. A diverse and inclusive workplace means people from all different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives can come together and create something beautiful. The often unimaginable colors and rays emerge as the innovation, the creativity and the problem solving that is much needed in any organization. Cultivating an environment where people from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities can thrive will allow Dollar General as #1 retailer in America to continue to thrive.

My difference makes a difference because I am a mother of a daughter of a rainbow of ethnicities. I am a cooking instructor. I am a reiki practitioner. I am skier. Once you think you have me all figured out, I’ll have you twirled up in a colorful whirl.

Antoine HintonDirector of Supplier Diversity — He/Him

“My difference matters to me because I grew up working alongside my grandfather. I watched him build a business and invest in his community. I understand the economic impact supplier diversity programs can have on local communities.”

My professional career spans over 27 years in the areas of operations, inventory, merchandising, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at Sherwin-Williams, Ace Hardware, Sears Holdings, and True Value. Today, I am the Director of Supplier Diversity at DG.

My difference matters because I believe education pays off. I grew up lower middle class on the South Side of Chicago with parents who believed in education. My parents had limited financial resources yet sacrificed to invest in my secondary education. As a result, I enrolled in and received a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Coincidentally, I met my wife of 22 years at UIUC. We have two daughters. I also earned an MBA from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois.

My difference matters because I benefited from mentors growing up. I learned the importance of giving back. In my spare time, I serve as a mentor for Master MINDS and on the Board of Directors for two organizations: BGI Foundation of Zeta Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha and Rock of Ages Baptist Church where I am also a Deacon.

My difference matters to me because I grew up working alongside my grandfather. He was an entrepreneur and I watched him build a business and invest in his community. I understand the economic impact that supplier diversity programs can have on local communities. Programs designed to enhance supplier diversity have the added benefit of creating economic opportunities that leads to job creation, reinvesting of resources back, and better businesses in the local communities. Further benefits are increased tax revenue, higher wages, better jobs, and enhanced school systems.

Leading Supplier Diversity at Dollar General is important to me for the following reasons:

• Diversity: Our employees and supplier base should reflect the communities that we serve.
• Equity: Our supplier diversity program should provide everyone with what they need to succeed.
• Inclusion: Our supplier diversity program should give suppliers a seat at the table they otherwise may not get.
• Business case: Our inclusive procurement strategy should widen the pool of potential diverse suppliers and promotes competition in the supplier base which can improve innovation, product quality, and drive down costs. Further, investment in diverse markets translates into investment in our company.
• Values: Our supplier diversity program should reflect our global/corporate commitment to fight racial discrimination.

Joi N. BassDirector of Diversity & Inclusion, Retail — She/Her

“My difference matters because I have experienced feeling out of place, like I did not belong, but I had people in my life that helped me navigate through my differences and accepted me with no judgment.”

I am Joi Bass, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, supporting our Supply Chain. I have over 20 years of experience in retail and operations at major retailers and operations such as CVS Pharmacy, Caterpillar Corporation, Cargill Grain Export, and Target.

My difference matters because I serve on the Board of Directors for Longview Queens United as a teen mentor and the Chair of Fundraising. I also serve on the Advisory Board of the Applied Engineering Technology Program at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. As a 19-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, I serve as the Chair of the Empower Our Families Initiative in the Kappa Alpha Omega Chapter.

I am in the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion role because I value employees feeling safe, respected, and connected in the workplace and I want to ensure barriers are removed so that employees can bring their whole selves to work and celebrate them for all that they are.

I received my B.S. in Manufacturing Systems & Technical Management from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and I am a certified Safety Management Specialist through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. I have a wonderful husband and we have two sons and one daughter.