Brian Tippens is Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact & Inclusion Officer at Cisco. In this role, Brian is responsible for advancing Cisco's social impact across communities around the world, creating tangible business value, and fueling Cisco’s purpose to Power an Inclusive Future for All.
As head of the Social Impact & Inclusion Organization, Brian oversees the Cisco functions taking on the most critical challenges facing our planet, society, and vulnerable, underserved communities. His organization includes the Cisco Foundation, Crisis Response, Economic Empowerment, Employee Community Impact, Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Social Justice. The Social Impact & Inclusion Organization brings together the unique strengths of Cisco’s people, technology, innovation, and ecosystem to address systemic causes of inequity, break down barriers, and create lasting generational change.
Brian is a sought-after speaker and thought leader in the fields of social justice, diversity, and sustainability. He is a World Economic Forum (WEF) Contributor, a proud member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and he has served as a director or advisor to several organizations including Operation HOPE, the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC), Corporate Eco Forum (CEF) and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME).
Brian’s career spans over 30 years of leadership in the IT industry. Before coming to Cisco, Brian served as Chief Sustainability Officer at HPE and President of the HPE Foundation. He previously spent five years as HP/HPE’s Chief Diversity Officer, reporting to the Chief People Officer.
Brian is a purpose-driven leader who is committed to social justice and broad advocacy on the most pressing issues facing our communities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from the University of San Francisco, and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. Brian and his wife live in Houston, Texas and are parents of three adult children.