Jacqueline Themel

Jacque Themel, project coordinator, joined Amazon in May 2018. Soon after joining the company, she started Body Positive Peers, an internal interest group operating on the principles of The Body Positive, Health at Every Size, and Intuitive Eating. She is passionate about cultivating body positivity and creating a correspondingly inclusive workplace, striving to address all intersections of the movement.

“I was inspired to do this,” Jacque says, “because I needed a community at work which would enforce the body acceptance I was working toward for myself. I wanted a community free of diet talk and body shaming. I found that many other people did as well. As I’ve journeyed with the group, I’ve heard countless stories of people struggling with their body image due to internal and external factors. I realized the majority of my coworkers and friends were struggling with this in one way or another, often through an intersectional lens. I’ve also come to learn that the more we can talk about the stigma and struggles we all face, the more we can change the conversations our cultures are having at large. Talking about all of this connects us and kicks shame to the curb, allowing for a much richer life.”