About the Author

Jonathan Vaughn
Quest Oracle Community, CEO

Quest Partners with Local Organizations to Have a Positive Impact

Partnerships will positively impact the places in which Quest does business with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and sustainability

Lexington, KY., April 28th, 2023 – Quest has a history of partnering with local organizations, but this year’s collective impact of Quest for Good initiatives is the community’s most comprehensive. With thanks and appreciation to attendees, speakers and partners for their financial support of the 2023 BLUEPRINT 4D conference taking place soon in Dallas TX, this annual program is again focused on creating a positive impact in our local host community.

While we must create value for our members through the conferences we deliver, we also have a responsibility to create value and have a positive impact on the communities where we do business. This means we seek to create opportunities that are systematic, sustainable, and innovative. If it is not a win-win for our members and the communities where we do business, then it is a missed opportunity.

While Quest is delivering the BLUEPRINT 4D conference in Dallas, we will be partnering with:

• two (2) organizations that support underserved and underrepresented communities in the Dallas community,
• several local technology and DEI experts and storytellers to help expand the content offered to Quest’s BLUEPRINT 4D attendees and to create platforms for those experts with Quest’s international community, and
• the Hilton Anatole and AT&T Stadium to reduce the environmental impact of our event and donate food to local food banks and shelters.

Quest’s Partnership with St. Philip’s School & Community Center, South Dallas
St. Philip’s School & Community Center provides education and compatible community services with an emphasis on serving low- and moderate-income families. We feel it is important to create technology opportunities for students at an early age to help bridge the digital divide as access to education, jobs and other opportunities become increasingly dependent on technology. We also seek to promote diversity and inclusion in the technology industry and expose students to the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing economy. As a result, Quest is partnering with SPSCC around two specific initiatives:

1. Quest is donating STEM kits for St. Philip’s School and Community Center Lower School students in kindergarten, first and second grades. These STEM kits will help younger students to push the boundaries of their ideas and think creatively, relying on experimentation. Students will get to experiment and take risks during learning activities that can lead to innovative ideas.
2. Quest is also hosting St. Philip’s School and Community Center Middle School students on Wednesday of BLUEPRINT 4D. This “field trip/career day” experience will expose students to Oracle technology and the many careers one might pursue in this area. Quest has several volunteers that will be meeting with the students to provide hands-on experiences and interactive sessions that will expose students to the possibilities around a career in technology.

Quest’s Partnership with DFW Alliance of Technology Women (DFW*ATW)
The DFW*ATW is a vital non-profit organization committed to increasing the number of women in leadership and strengthening the pipeline of girls entering technology fields. Their members are people who support women and girls in technology.

This year, Quest will be partnering with the DFW*ATW to deliver Quest’s annual Women in Technology Leadership Luncheon. Valerie M. Davis, Patent Counsel for Texas Instruments and President of DFW*ATW will provide the opening keynote remarks and facilitate a panel of experts, including other leaders in the DFW market. The topic of discussion will be increasing the ratio of women in technology, as a 2022 study found that women only held about 25% of the leadership positions in technology and only 14% of the software engineering positions. The panel will address the barriers to entry, overcoming the challenges, and what each attendee can do to empower and support women in technology leadership positions.

Partnering with DFW Technology and DEI Experts and Storytellers
Quest has a history of inclusivity, but as we attempt to evaluate the opportunities for greater inclusivity within Quest and the greater technology community, we sought local resources to help provide education and networking opportunities for our community. We have turned to several technology professionals that have a passion for various aspects of the DEI conversation. As a result, Quest has developed one of the most comprehensive Oracle technology conference offerings of education and networking sessions dedicated to the topic of DEI. By including local experts, we expand our pool of expertise and perspective, but we also provide an additional medium in these presenters can leverage to advocate and share their expertise around these important conversations.

Reducing Environmental Impact and Helping Others in Need
While reducing our environmental impact is not a new initiative, Quest continues to take steps to reduce the environmental factors of our events. This year’s efforts include:

• Providing refillable water bottles and water stations to reduce waste by as much as 10,000 plastic or paper cups over the course of the week.
• Using a conference app instead and on-line surveys instead of printing a conference guide and surveys which is a significant reduction in paper used as well as a reduction in transportation emissions.
• Partnering with conference suppliers to repurpose unused conference materials to reduce unnecessary waste and to benefit those in need.