When we are surrounded by difference, we are better. We know diversity amongst board members, leaders, and teams has impact at scale. California recently became the first state to require public companies to have women on their board.

At Cisco, we were co-founded by a woman and have had women on our board for more than 22 years. Currently, we have three women serving on our board.

Today, these extraordinary women -Carol Bartz, Michele Burns and Kristina Johnson -were named to WomenInc.'s 2018 list of the Most Influential Corporate Directors. On behalf of all of us at Cisco, congratulations and thank you for your leadership!

I'm extremely proud to work for a company and a CEO that are so committed to full spectrum diversity - inclusive of gender, age, race, ethnicity, orientation, ability, nationality, religion, veteran status, background, culture, experience, strengths and perspectives.

At Cisco, we have a long standing legacy of being a diverse company and we still have more work to do to achieve full spectrum diversity at every level of the company, up to and including our Board.

Between being left out and welcomed in, there's a bridge. Between none and many, there's a bridge. Inclusion is the bridge to full spectrum diversity. A way to connect diverse perspectives. Embrace technology. Spark new ideas. Imagine new possibilities. Challenge the status quo. Inspire innovation. And unlock the full potential of our people.

At Cisco, when it comes to diversity and inclusion, we're building the bridge to possible.