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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Virtual Summit

A Call to Awareness, Advocacy and Action for Inclusive Leadership

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Virtual Summit A Call to Awareness, Advocacy and Action for Inclusive Leadership 15-16 July 2021 | International Leadership Association ILAGlobalNetwork.org

A Call to Awareness, Advocacy, and Action for Inclusive Leadership.  Join the ILA community and others passionate and purposeful about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for two days of empowering speeches, deep dive workshops, and information-rich poster presentations.  

On the 15th and 16th of July, a live online conference will explore how practitioners, researchers, and scholars are raising AWARENESS for DEI through ADVOCACY that impacts social justice, and how organizations and communities come together to cultivate leadership in ACTION, driving inclusive and diverse environments through the sharing of best practices.

Post-event opportunities for continued engagement through the writing of articles, blogs, case studies, and white papers, as well as presenting collectively at future ILA events will be explored.

Thank You for Sponsoring!

Fifth Third Bank
MetLife

Call for Poster Abstracts

Deadline: 4 June 2021

An interactive display poster is a one-page, visual representation (using text, graphics, photographs, data samples, etc.) of a paper, a research project, a developing idea, or an innovative program that is uploaded and presented by the creator(s) during a hosted poster session.* Posters are an excellent format for receiving feedback from colleagues with common interests. Posters are encouraged from both emerging and established scholars, as well as from practitioners who are implementing innovative programs.

Posters will be presented over the two day conference, times to be announced.

Submit Attached Word Document via Email to: DEI2021@theila.org 

Email Subject Line: ILA DEI Poster Submission

Attached Word Document Must Include:

  • Title
  • 500-700 word abstract
  • References (not included in word count) are required
  • A separate cover sheet with name and affiliation of author(s)

Poster abstracts are due June 4, 2021 with acceptance notification going out by June 18, 2021.

*Note: If accepted, there are numerous programs with which posters can be created, but PowerPoint is probably the most common choice. Free PowerPoint templates for posters are available online. Simply search for “free PowerPoint research poster templates” or something similar.

Agenda

Scroll down to read speaker biographies below agenda.

Thursday 15 July

11:00-12:15 EDT

Welcome 
Dr. Carolyn J. Stefanco, Founder & CEO, Baret Leadership Consulting; ILA Board Member

The role of diversity leaders has evolved over the years from what some viewed as a PR-friendly necessity to a role that is critical to the long-term success of an organization. Today’s focus on leading and improving the equity, diversity, and inclusion within organizations – particularly in the wake of social unrest, a pandemic, and economic downturn – have turned these roles into some of the hottest and toughest in the workplace. We gain perspectives from three DE&I executives on what it takes to promote awareness, advocacy, and action within this field of work.

Plenary Speakers
Erby Lee Foster, Jr., Chief Diversity Officer, The Clorox Company
Patricia Harris, Former Global CDO & VP, Global Community Engagement, McDonald’s Corporation
Stephanie A. Smith, Senior Vice President and Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Fifth Third Bank, N.A.
Gena C. Lovett (Moderator), Independent Board Director, Trex Company

12:18-12:38 EDT

WOW! Session

This WOW session will discuss the Reflected Best Self Exercise (RBSE)- a new approach to personal and professional development built on the idea that receiving affirmation is a powerful way for us to grow, particularly when it comes in the form of stories describing moments when we are at our best.

We will also discuss developmental relationships between managers and women of color and the need for advocacy, while also touching on systems level change in organizations in terms of policies, practices, and processes.

Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, Professor of Practice, University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business

Raj Narang (Moderator), Vice President Diversity & Inclusion Talent Strategy, Fidelity Investments; ILA Board Member

12:41-14:11 EDT

Workshops

The events of the past 18 months have drawn increased attention to global disparities. The confluence of the global pandemic of Covid-19, the differential impact of infection rates and economic hardships correlated with race, class, and other markers of difference, coupled with racial justice uprisings in the US and around the world, highlighted the depth of inequities facing many of our communities. Several commentors have noted that, despite the challenges of this time, it is potentially a transformational moment regarding how we might address and ameliorate past injustices to move forward in a way that can heal ourselves, our organizations, our communities, and our planet. 

How do we as leaders respond to this moment? What skills and abilities do we need to address the challenges of this time and the historical and structural antecedents that contributed to current conditions? How do we support people finding commonalities across our different experiences while also understanding and navigating the depth of our different contexts and different experiences? These are complex leadership questions that this moment calls us to address with confidence, humility, and courage. 

This workshop will utilize the Intercultural Development Continuum (IDC), organizational development, and systems change methodologies to deepen intercultural leadership development to support organizational and social change. Join us as we practice noticing, naming, and navigating across difference to create systemic transformational change we can bring to scale.

Workshop Learning Objectives:

  • To increase awareness of how the Intercultural Development Continuum can be utilized to support organizational culture and systems change
  • To discuss examples of systemic challenges to intercultural organizational development
  • To become aware of interculturally competent system change methodologies

This advanced workshop is for you if:

  • You are a person who has organizational roles (formally or informally) in facilitating change within your organization or educational institution regarding diversity, inclusion, and equity
  • You want to deepen your practice utilizing the IDC as a model to support facilitation, training, and systemic change 
  • You want to learn models and skills to broaden and deepen your systemic impact

This workshop will utilize lecture, facilitated discussion, and a case study approach to demonstrate the application of intercultural systemic change methodologies.

This 90-minute interactive workshop led by two of the authors of 2021 edition of the Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) will help participants to better understand and apply Inclusive and Ethical leadership principles and practices in any and all organizations. 

The session will include presentation, polling and breakouts to heighten interactivity, and will cover useful case studies and models of DEI Leadership development.

In addition to the evolution of the DEI field that the GDEIB traces, the presenters will examine the lessons learned from the GDEIB Research with special focus on what leaders can do within their sphere of control and influence to demonstrate bold leadership. The presenters will also demonstrate the importance of leaders adopting a systemic approach to DEI for maximum impact.

One of the useful DEI models to be shared is the H3 model – Head, Heart and Hands, which will be applied to Inclusive leadership through the Global Diversity Survey (GDS). 

Another useful model to be shared is the Global Leadership Survey (GLS) which is derived from the GLOBE research. This will position DEI Leadership in the broader context of global leadership. Finally, the meaning of Leadership Accountability will be explored in the session. This will have a specific focus on why leaders must lead inclusively and equitably, and hold themselves accountable first and expect the same accountability from the rest of staff.

As the workplace becomes more virtual, diverse, and dynamic, leaders are relying more on soft skills, whereas historically there was a stronger reliance on technical capabilities. Subsequently, employees require an authentic connection with their leaders through emotionally intelligent behavior that fits naturally in our diverse workplaces. In this workshop, a C-suite officer for a consulting firm proposes that today’s leaders need cultural perspicacity, the ability to understand multiple cultures and their nuances that influence behavior and perception. Cultural perspicacity is considered in light of strengths-based leadership, transformational leadership, and servant leadership. 

14:14-14:34 EDT

WOW! Session

Many organizations have started taking action to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive with a goal to become anti-racist organizations.  This framework helps an organization begin, and make meaningful, sustainable, progress toward their anti-racist goals.

The Framework has four phases: Listen, Learn, Lean-in, Live.

This journey is a marathon-not a sprint

Andréa Hawkins, Founding Partner, Leading Culture Solution

Karen Perham-Lippman (Moderator), Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Manager, Lumen Technologies

14:34-15:00 EDT

Posters 

Poster presentations are listed below. Posters may be viewed at anytime during the summit, but during this time presenters will be available to answer questions.

Decentering Whiteness in Teacher Education: A Creative Self Study of Womanist Caring Pedagogy
Jane Ammon, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Kutztown University

Emplaced Leadership: Ecological Activism as an Antidote to EDI Mistreatment Fostering Sustainability and Inclusiveness
Dr. Elena Antonacopoulou, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Ivey Business School, Western University; Visiting Professor of Organisational Resilience, Business School, University of Lincoln
Regina Bento, affiliation forthcoming
Lucas Monzani, affiliation forthcoming

Three Initiatives to Increase Belonging in a University
Kent Blumberg, Market Director, Northern Virginia Service Center, University of Phoenix
Saray Lopez, Director Office of Educational Equity, University of Phoenix; Doctoral Student, Ph.D. Leadership & Change, Antioch University
Tondra Richardson, affiliation forthcoming

Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks
Kim Borden Penney, Doctoral Candidate, University of Toronto

A Conceptual Model of Working From Home and Workplace Loneliness
Dr. Ada Cenkci, Assistant Professor, Northern Kentucky University

A Project to Increase Inclusivity in an Undergraduate Project Management Degree Program Focused on Students and Project Managers With Disabilities
Dr. Jennifer Chandler, Senior Lecturer, Leadership and Integrative Studies, College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University; Assistant Director for Diversity and Leadership, Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (CBBG), United States National Science Foundation, Engineering Research Centers

Discovering a Way Forward: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Postgraduate Medical Education
Loni Desanghere, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Anurag Saxena, Associate Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education, Deanery, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
Tanya Robertson-Frey, University of Saskatchewan

May Be “That” Is Not for Us
Deyanira Mendoza Dominguez, The MDMOTO Group
Geethanjali Kutturu, affiliation forthcoming

Case Study Analysis of Dorsey’s Leadership Model for Underrepresented Students
Dr. Tekemia Dorsey, CEO/Senior Consultant, DTD’s Urban Multisport Consulting Firm; Founder, The International Association of Black Triathletes

True Storytelling: A Training Application for Supplier Diversity
Oscar Edwards, Managing Member, DEI Group, LLC; Managing Member, HGS-Solutions, LLC
Barbara Sullivan, CEO, Sullivan International, Inc; Partner, DEI Group, LLC

Influence of Gender in Leadership
Claudia Fabiola Rey-Sarmiento, Ean University
Dr. Rodrigo Arturo Zárate-Torres, Professor of Leadership and Management, Research, Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administració – CESA

World Relief – Integrating Gender Mainstreaming Objectives Into Strategic Goals as a Success Factor for Organizational Change
Myal Greene, Senior Vice President, International Programs, World Relief; PhD Student, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University
Eeva Sallinen Simard, World Relief

Global Learning as a Catalyst for Social Justice
Dr. Maria Guajardo, Professor, International Liberal Arts, Soka University

Overcoming Systemic Socio-Cultural Barriers That Impede Leadership Opportunities for Women of Color in the Workplace and Academia
Dr. S. Jeannette Guignard, Org. Leadership Associate Professor/Department Chair, Education & Organizational Leadership, California Baptist University

The Impact of Transformational Leadership Utilizing Observational Humor for Organizations to Create a Culture of Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Cale Hall, PhD Student, Organizational Leadership, Indiana Wesleyan University; CEO, Business, Creative Approach
Jessica Huang, affiliation forthcoming

Distance Traveled: The Journey of African American College Students from Camden, New Jersey
Ky’a Jackson, Doctoral Student, Drexel University

Priming Empathy, Connectivity, and Trust to Enhance Information Elaboration and Innovation Behavior in Workgroups
Jeff James, Vice President and Publisher, HarperCollins Leadership; Ph.D. Student, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University

(Eating Thiebbu Jenn) Under the Baobab Tree: Centering Heritage & Healing in Black Student Leadership Development
Phyllis Jeffers-Coly, Diasporic Soul

Mapping the Terrain for Integrating Diversity Equity and Inclusion for Social Justice Into Innovative Programs of Inclusive Leadership
Dr. Antonio Jimenez Luque, Assistant Professor, Leadership Studies, University of San Diego
MarDestinee Perez, Director, Center for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion, UC San Diego; Graduate Assistant/PhD Student, Department of Leadership Studies, University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Science
Lea Hubbard, affiliation forthcoming

Generating Awareness and Driving Action in Future Leaders to Create and Foster Diverse and Inclusive Environments  
Celeste Raver Luning, Class of 1967 Leadership Research Fellow, Leadership, Ethics, and Law, United States Naval Academy
Kevin Mullaney, United States Naval Academy
Lindsey Santiago, United States Naval Academy

Community College Students in English for Academic Purposes Programs: A Mixed Methods Study of the Student Experience and Mindset
Angela Nissing, Ed.D. Candidate, Drexel University; Department Chair, English Language for Academic Purposes, Linguistics, and Communication Studies, Montgomery College

The Female University Athlete: How Leadership Development Transformed Women’s Sport Teams Both in the Classroom and on the Playing Field: A Preliminary Study
Matthew Ohlson, Director, Taylor Leadership Institute, University of North Florida
Dr. Jessica Stapleton, affiliation forthcoming
Dr. Elizabeth Gregg, affiliation forthcoming
Dr. Amanda Pascale, affiliation forthcoming
Ana Roman Dominguez, affiliation forthcoming

Awareness, Advocacy and Action:  The Excelsior College President’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Michele Paludi, Excelsior College
David Schejbal, President, Excelsior College
Andre Foisy, affiliation forthcoming
Li-Fang Shih, affiliation forthcoming
Elizabeth Ireland, affiliation forthcoming

Inclusion Programs to Assist Asian Canadians Feel Included
Tanya Ponnan, Student, MA Global Leadership, School of Leadership, Royal Roads University

Ethnicity, Gender, and Perceived Discrimination: The Moderating Role of Perceived Humble Leadership
Nalini Puri, Illinois Institute of Technology
Roya Ayman, Professor, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology

Let’s Have the Conversation: A Heuristic Inquiry of Perspective Shifts From the Experience of the 100 Voices Conversation Method About Racial and Cultural Identity
Megan Ratcliffe, Saybrook University
Tracie Jae, affiliation forthcoming

Actionable, Access, and Accountability- Interactions of Inclusion for Diverse and Equitable Perspectives in Leading Student Success Through Technology, Data, and Educational Leadership towards Awareness, Advocacy, and Action
Leesa Riviere, Fielding Graduate University

Pushing Pause: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Progress of Black Women in the Professoriate
Dr. Heather Scott, Assistant Department Chair, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Kennesaw State University

A Decade Later: Exploring Managerial Insights on Millennials in the Workplace
Dr. Sandra Sessoms-Penny, University Faculty and Research Fellow, College of Doctoral Studies, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, University of Phoenix
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix
Dr. Donna Smith, Faculty, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

Harnessing Diversity Appreciation to Develop Leadership in Members of Generation Z Through the Service-Learning Experience: A Consideration of Four Theories
William Shorts, PhD Candidate, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University

Leadership Roles in Facilitating the Transition of Transgender Individuals in the Workplace
Dr. Donna Smith, Faculty, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

Reimaging Recruitment and Retention Policies and Initiatives Affected by Social Movements in Higher Education
Cary Snow, Culinary and Hospitality Management Instructor North Carolina Central University; Ph.D Candidate, Indiana Wesleyan University

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): We’re Measuring It Wrong
Elizabeth Sweigart, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

The Influence of Leadership on Recruitment and Retention of Minority Educators
Joy Taylor, Research Fellow, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, University of Phoenix
Dr. Sandra Sessoms-Penny, University Faculty and Research Fellow, College of Doctoral Studies, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, University of Phoenix
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

DEI, Inclusive Leadership, and the “New Normal”
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

Neurodiversity and Leadership
Sophie von Laer, Indiana Wesleyan University

Multiculturality and Qualitative Research Interviewing
Dr. Brenda Williams, Adjunct Faculty, Global Leadership Doctoral Program, Indiana Institute of Technology; Adjunct Faculty, PhD in Global Leadership, Indiana Institute of Technology

A Case Study of How Leaders in an Appalachian County View Themselves in a Global Society
Mandy Wriston, Consultant/Mentor, Leadership Fayette County

15:00-15:20 EDT

Networking

Friday 16 July

11:00-12:15 EDT

Welcome to Day 2!
Dr. Cynthia Cherrey, ILA CEO & President

In a time of increasing divisiveness in politics and society there is a desperate need for leaders to bring people together and leverage the power of diversity, equity and inclusion. Join the leading authorities on Inclusive Leadership in this important conversation as they share their perspectives and insights for fostering inclusion including how and why it matters.

Dr. Bernardo Ferdman, Principal, Ferdman Consulting
Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson, Associate Professor of Management, University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business
Dr. Ronald E. Riggio, Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology, Claremont McKenna College
Dr. Cindy Pace (Moderator), Vice President, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at MetLife; Lecturer, Human Capital Management, Columbia University School of Professional Studies; ILA Board Member

12:18-12:38 EDT

WOW! Session

Dr. Adrianna Kezar, Dean’s Professor of Leadership, Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education & Director, Pullias Center for Higher Education, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California

Dr. Joanne Barnes (Moderator), Dean of the Graduate School & Professor in Leadership, Indiana Wesleyan University; Consultant

12:41-14:11 EDT

Workshops

In this workshop, participants will explore 1-2 aspects of the ELI, through a case study. The engagement will allow participants to mirror the experiences of a real HR team to uncover and explore common HR practices that may knowingly or unknowingly inhibit DEI results.  The simulated activity will be designed to provide a glimpse of the tool and process while providing insights into the challenge’s organizations face when seeking to incorporate DEI into their organizational practices.

Session Outcomes:

  • Uncover HR practices that maybe counter to organizational goals around DEI
  • Highlight aspects of the ELI™ as a way to close the gap between employee experiences and organizational practices
  • Insights into how to leverage data for actionable results

One of the biggest challenges that many clients face is where to begin on the road to equity. We know that aligning people, processes and practices are key to creating a workplace in which diverse talent is  invited to bring their best and provide equitable opportunities to thrive and grow.  The AIDE Employee Lifecycle Indicator ™ or AIDE-ELI™ is a DEI assessment tool that allows HR teams to explore their current HR practices through a DEI lens, and determine where to start the journey. This comprehensive assessment of stages in the employee life cycle (attract, recruit/hire, onboard, develop, manage performance, engage, recognize and seperate) provides a review of aspects of workplace practices and processes that are key/critical inflection points for DEI.   Teams not only assess where the organization is currently, but also what practices are knowingly or unknowingly inhibiting DEI results. As a team facilitated engagement, participants get a chance to explore DEI practices and processes that they may not be aware of to consider for the future. We use this tool to help clients get started on actionable steps to advance organizational equity. The indicator can also include other employee data as a broader indicator of where the organization needs to focus its efforts on the road to a more equitable workplace.

Assessment Outcomes

  • An indicator measurement of where they are for each ELI stage as a baseline for advancing inclusion, diversity and equity (AIDE) for the  Client.
  • Information is part of recommendations for specific goals and strategies to support the current and future needs of the organization. 
  • Can be added to other engagement and employee feedback (focus groups, surveys, interviews) to compare current processes with employee experiences.

Given the ongoing racial, ethnic and gender issues and turmoil related to equity and inclusion, the Kozai Group wanted to make a positive contribution and so we turned to our strengths – creating valid, reliable competency measures that help people achieve change through focused behavioral development. We have always been interested in helping others successfully incorporate competency development into their practice.  Recently we developed and validated a new instrument, the Inclusion Competency Inventory (ICI), which measures:

  1. how open we are to self-reflection and change in order to adapt and remain resilient in the face of sometimes challenging demands of inclusion; 
  2. our ability to connect with people who differ from us and to accurately perceive their thoughts and feelings; and 
  3. how capable we are to bridge differences by being able to respect and understand others’ perspectives and to be sensitive to the presence and impact of power differentials. 

These key competencies were selected based on their ability to determine how well equipped we are to make people who differ from us feel they are “an esteemed member of the work group through experiencing treatment that satisfies his or her needs for belongingness and uniqueness” (Shore et al., 2011, p. 1265) and by inviting and appreciating other’s contributions” as inclusive leaders (Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006, p. 947), group members or colleagues. 

Our approach to developing these competencies in others is both intercultural and grounded in positive psychology. Janet Bennett, the well-known intercultural communication expert and diversity trainer, observed years ago that diversity training is better received when approached from the stance of intercultural understanding. Training people to hold a basic appreciation of cultural differences and a commitment to understanding the logic of another culture sets the stage for appreciating all kinds of diversity. Similarly, in decades of training and teaching global competencies, we too have found that an intercultural focus acknowledging the wide variance of behavior within cultures and the importance of reading others and adapting our behavior accordingly are crucial for inclusion of any kind. Our model includes three factors that relate to crossing any kind of boundary:  Knowing Yourself, Knowing Others, and Bridging Differences. 

Research on DEI training finds that some training provokes compliance, resistance or backlash rather than changed attitudes or behavior.  In contrast, one way of measuring the effectiveness of DEI training is to see whether people choose to take advantage of further coaching or self-development plans when offered. This has been the case with the ICI pilot projects, participants earnestly sought opportunities to develop their competencies.  We attribute this, in part, to a focus on positive psychology and to proven success with a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) approach to personal development.  We have used the CBT approach as the basis of thousands of successful Personal Development Plans targeting the global competencies measured by our other instruments, the Global Competency Inventory (GCI) and the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES).  We will present a few success stories showing that when inclusion is framed, not as a cause for guilt, but as a competency that anyone can work to develop, personal growth and organizational change is more likely to be triggered. 

Using brief lectures and experiential learning exercises, the workshop will target these learning objectives:

  • Be able to explain the ICI’s development and uses
  • Understand how to develop competencies 
  • Learn to maximize the use of personal development plans
  • Figure out how to incorporate the ICI into your practice

 References

Ferman, M., & Deane, B. R. (2014). Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Nembhard, I. M., & Edmondson, A. C. (2006). Making it safe: The effects of leader inclusiveness and professional status on psychological safety and improvement efforts in 

health care teams. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 27, 941-966. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.413

Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Ehrhart, K. H., & Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model for future research. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1262-1289. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310385943

Have you remained silent when work conversations took place that were not inclusive of others? Have you ever kept quiet at work about an organizational issue when you really wanted to voice your opinion? What stopped you from speaking up? What kept you silent? Organizational silence is a phenomenon where people decide not to express their ideas about organizational problems and/or issues and is at the core of many non-inclusive organizational cultures.

Many reasons exist to explain organizational silence but mostly it is old-fashioned peer pressure—people just want to fit in.  Stereotypes, judgments, fears, and biases that exist in the workplace influence our interactions with others, keeping us silent out of fear of being ostracized for having a different perspective. This fear can lead us to act one way with a specific group and another way with others—excluding others for the purpose of our own inclusion. Fitting in is easier than “rocking the boat.”

In this dynamic session participants will explore the topic of organizational silence and its impact on creating an inclusive workplace environment where employees can bring their “whole-selves” to work. Discussions will center on unconscious bias, code-switching, and the dangers of silence.

Workshop Objectives:

  • Define and discuss organizational silence.
  • Participants will understand the dangers of silence.
  • In addition, participants will increase their understanding of code switching.

Participants will develop a plan on how to use their voice.

14:14-14:34 EDT

WOW! Session

The European Union’s motto is “United in Diversity.” Still, equality, diversity and inclusion remain “unfinished business.” Lessons-learnt from 20 years leading the way for gender equality and diversity in Europe, and globally:

–       Making Individual, Collective and Systemic changes: what works.

–       Women’s survival kit – in Brussels & elsewhere.

–       Supporting inter-generational learning & development.

Claudia de Castro Caldeirinha, Leadership & Gender Equality Specialist; CEO Redscope Consulting

Savannah Harrell (Moderator), Senior at Western High School; Leader, Voice Indiana

14:34-15:00 EDT

Posters 

Poster presentations are listed below. Posters may be viewed at anytime during the summit, but during this time presenters will be available to answer questions.

Decentering Whiteness in Teacher Education: A Creative Self Study of Womanist Caring Pedagogy
Jane Ammon, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Kutztown University

Emplaced Leadership: Ecological Activism as an Antidote to EDI Mistreatment Fostering Sustainability and Inclusiveness
Dr. Elena Antonacopoulou, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Ivey Business School, Western University; Visiting Professor of Organisational Resilience, Business School, University of Lincoln
Regina Bento, affiliation forthcoming
Lucas Monzani, affiliation forthcoming

Three Initiatives to Increase Belonging in a University
Kent Blumberg, Market Director, Northern Virginia Service Center, University of Phoenix
Saray Lopez, Director Office of Educational Equity, University of Phoenix; Doctoral Student, Ph.D. Leadership & Change, Antioch University
Tondra Richardson, affiliation forthcoming

Banking on Equity: Bay Street and Black Women’s Leadership in Banks
Kim Borden Penney, Doctoral Candidate, University of Toronto

A Conceptual Model of Working From Home and Workplace Loneliness
Dr. Ada Cenkci, Assistant Professor, Northern Kentucky University

A Project to Increase Inclusivity in an Undergraduate Project Management Degree Program Focused on Students and Project Managers With Disabilities
Dr. Jennifer Chandler, Senior Lecturer, Leadership and Integrative Studies, College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Arizona State University; Assistant Director for Diversity and Leadership, Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics (CBBG), United States National Science Foundation, Engineering Research Centers

Discovering a Way Forward: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Postgraduate Medical Education
Loni Desanghere, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Anurag Saxena, Associate Dean, Postgraduate Medical Education, Deanery, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
Tanya Robertson-Frey, University of Saskatchewan

May Be “That” Is Not for Us
Deyanira Mendoza Dominguez, The MDMOTO Group
Geethanjali Kutturu, affiliation forthcoming

Case Study Analysis of Dorsey’s Leadership Model for Underrepresented Students
Dr. Tekemia Dorsey, CEO/Senior Consultant, DTD’s Urban Multisport Consulting Firm; Founder, The International Association of Black Triathletes

True Storytelling: A Training Application for Supplier Diversity
Oscar Edwards, Managing Member, DEI Group, LLC; Managing Member, HGS-Solutions, LLC
Barbara Sullivan, CEO, Sullivan International, Inc; Partner, DEI Group, LLC

Influence of Gender in Leadership
Claudia Fabiola Rey-Sarmiento, Ean University
Dr. Rodrigo Arturo Zárate-Torres, Professor of Leadership and Management, Research, Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administració – CESA

World Relief – Integrating Gender Mainstreaming Objectives Into Strategic Goals as a Success Factor for Organizational Change
Myal Greene, Senior Vice President, International Programs, World Relief; PhD Student, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University
Eeva Sallinen Simard, World Relief

Global Learning as a Catalyst for Social Justice
Dr. Maria Guajardo, Professor, International Liberal Arts, Soka University

Overcoming Systemic Socio-Cultural Barriers That Impede Leadership Opportunities for Women of Color in the Workplace and Academia
Dr. S. Jeannette Guignard, Org. Leadership Associate Professor/Department Chair, Education & Organizational Leadership, California Baptist University

The Impact of Transformational Leadership Utilizing Observational Humor for Organizations to Create a Culture of Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Cale Hall, PhD Student, Organizational Leadership, Indiana Wesleyan University; CEO, Business, Creative Approach
Jessica Huang, affiliation forthcoming

Distance Traveled: The Journey of African American College Students from Camden, New Jersey
Ky’a Jackson, Doctoral Student, Drexel University

Priming Empathy, Connectivity, and Trust to Enhance Information Elaboration and Innovation Behavior in Workgroups
Jeff James, Vice President and Publisher, HarperCollins Leadership; Ph.D. Student, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University

(Eating Thiebbu Jenn) Under the Baobab Tree: Centering Heritage & Healing in Black Student Leadership Development
Phyllis Jeffers-Coly, Diasporic Soul

Mapping the Terrain for Integrating Diversity Equity and Inclusion for Social Justice Into Innovative Programs of Inclusive Leadership
Dr. Antonio Jimenez Luque, Assistant Professor, Leadership Studies, University of San Diego
MarDestinee Perez, Director, Center for Faculty Diversity and Inclusion, UC San Diego; Graduate Assistant/PhD Student, Department of Leadership Studies, University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Science
Lea Hubbard, affiliation forthcoming

Generating Awareness and Driving Action in Future Leaders to Create and Foster Diverse and Inclusive Environments  
Celeste Raver Luning, Class of 1967 Leadership Research Fellow, Leadership, Ethics, and Law, United States Naval Academy
Kevin Mullaney, United States Naval Academy
Lindsey Santiago, United States Naval Academy

Community College Students in English for Academic Purposes Programs: A Mixed Methods Study of the Student Experience and Mindset
Angela Nissing, Ed.D. Candidate, Drexel University; Department Chair, English Language for Academic Purposes, Linguistics, and Communication Studies, Montgomery College

The Female University Athlete: How Leadership Development Transformed Women’s Sport Teams Both in the Classroom and on the Playing Field: A Preliminary Study
Matthew Ohlson, Director, Taylor Leadership Institute, University of North Florida
Dr. Jessica Stapleton, affiliation forthcoming
Dr. Elizabeth Gregg, affiliation forthcoming
Dr. Amanda Pascale, affiliation forthcoming
Ana Roman Dominguez, affiliation forthcoming

Awareness, Advocacy and Action:  The Excelsior College President’s Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Michele Paludi, Excelsior College
David Schejbal, President, Excelsior College
Andre Foisy, affiliation forthcoming
Li-Fang Shih, affiliation forthcoming
Elizabeth Ireland, affiliation forthcoming

Inclusion Programs to Assist Asian Canadians Feel Included
Tanya Ponnan, Student, MA Global Leadership, School of Leadership, Royal Roads University

Ethnicity, Gender, and Perceived Discrimination: The Moderating Role of Perceived Humble Leadership
Nalini Puri, Illinois Institute of Technology
Roya Ayman, Professor, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology

Let’s Have the Conversation: A Heuristic Inquiry of Perspective Shifts From the Experience of the 100 Voices Conversation Method About Racial and Cultural Identity
Megan Ratcliffe, Saybrook University
Tracie Jae, affiliation forthcoming

Actionable, Access, and Accountability- Interactions of Inclusion for Diverse and Equitable Perspectives in Leading Student Success Through Technology, Data, and Educational Leadership towards Awareness, Advocacy, and Action
Leesa Riviere, Fielding Graduate University

Pushing Pause: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Progress of Black Women in the Professoriate
Dr. Heather Scott, Assistant Department Chair, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Leadership Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Kennesaw State University

A Decade Later: Exploring Managerial Insights on Millennials in the Workplace
Dr. Sandra Sessoms-Penny, University Faculty and Research Fellow, College of Doctoral Studies, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, University of Phoenix
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix
Dr. Donna Smith, Faculty, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

Harnessing Diversity Appreciation to Develop Leadership in Members of Generation Z Through the Service-Learning Experience: A Consideration of Four Theories
William Shorts, PhD Candidate, Organizational Leadership, Eastern University

Leadership Roles in Facilitating the Transition of Transgender Individuals in the Workplace
Dr. Donna Smith, Faculty, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

Reimaging Recruitment and Retention Policies and Initiatives Affected by Social Movements in Higher Education
Cary Snow, Culinary and Hospitality Management Instructor North Carolina Central University; Ph.D Candidate, Indiana Wesleyan University

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): We’re Measuring It Wrong
Elizabeth Sweigart, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

The Influence of Leadership on Recruitment and Retention of Minority Educators
Joy Taylor, Research Fellow, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, University of Phoenix
Dr. Sandra Sessoms-Penny, University Faculty and Research Fellow, College of Doctoral Studies, Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research, University of Phoenix
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

DEI, Inclusive Leadership, and the “New Normal”
Dr. Kimberly Underwood, University Research Chair, School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix

Neurodiversity and Leadership
Sophie von Laer, Indiana Wesleyan University

Multiculturality and Qualitative Research Interviewing
Dr. Brenda Williams, Adjunct Faculty, Global Leadership Doctoral Program, Indiana Institute of Technology; Adjunct Faculty, PhD in Global Leadership, Indiana Institute of Technology

A Case Study of How Leaders in an Appalachian County View Themselves in a Global Society
Mandy Wriston, Consultant/Mentor, Leadership Fayette County

15:00-15:20 EDT

Networking

Featured Speakers

Allan Bird

Allan Bird

Dr. Bird has served as President of The Kozai Group, Inc. since 2001. He is also Senior Professor at the Goa Institute of Management.  From 2009 to 2019 he was the Darla and Frederick Brodsky Trustee Professor in Global Business at Northeastern University. Prior to joining Northeastern, Dr. Bird was the Eiichi Shibusawa-Seigo Arai Professor of Japanese Studies and also served as Director of the International Business Institute and Director of the International MBA program in the College of Business at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Dr. Bird has previously been a Visiting Professor at Rikkyo University in Japan, Columbia University, Monterey Institute for International Studies, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Osaka International University and Japan’s National Self Defense Academy. He has also served on the faculty of the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication. He teaches courses in global leadership development, intercultural management, international negotiations, and intercultural and global leadership assessment.

Professor Bird received his BA in Special Studies from California State University, Fresno, his MA in Comparative Culture and International Business from Sophia University in Japan and his Ph.D. in Organizational Science from the University of Oregon, where he was named Doctoral Student of the Year in 1986 and was a Fulbright Graduate Award recipient.

He has authored, co-authored or edited nine books, over 40 book chapters, and more than 60 journal articles. His most recent book (with M.E. Mendenhall, J.S. Osland, G.R. Oddou, M.L. Maznevski, M. Stevens and G. Stahl) Global Leadership: Research, practice, and development (3nd Edition) was published in 2019.  The second edition won an Award of Merit for Research Scholarship and was a finalist for the University of San Diego’s Leadership Book of the Year Award in 2013.

His articles have appeared in the Journal of International Business Studies, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Executive, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of World Business, Journal of International Management, Journal of International Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management, International Studies of Management and Organization, International Journal of Intercultural Research, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Advances in International and Comparative Management, and Advances in Research on the Sociology of Organizations.

His professional service includes tenures as President of the Association of Japanese Business Studies, as well as lengthy service on the Association’s Executive Committee. He was formerly chair of the Careers Division in the Academy of Management and has served on the Executive Committee of the International Management Division. He was a key architect and founding member of the International Organization Network (ION), a network of academics and managers from around the world committed to increasing the quality and impact of research on people and their effectiveness in international organizations. He was also an architect, founding member and the first chairperson of the Consortium for Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE), a collaborative effort among more than 45 universities.

In other professional services, Dr. Bird served on the Graduate Advisory Board of the College of Business at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences in Finland and as Honorary Dean of the Park Global School of Business Excellence in India. He also serves on the board of the IGB Network Co., Ltd. in Japan. He has worked with numerous companies in North America, Japan, and Europe, including AT&T, Boeing, Bose, Coca Cola, Eisai, EMC, Ernst & Young, Fujitsu, GE, IBM, Medtronic, Molex, Monsanto, Nippon Express, Sharp, and Watchmark.

Growing up in California’s central valley, his neighborhood included a mix of racial and ethnic heritages, and there were more than sixty ethnic groups in his town.  Through high school, one of his best friends was a Japanese American whose parents, though American citizens, were held in a US internment camp in WWII.  This fostered within him a deep interest in diverse people and a concern for equity.  He spent two years in Japan mid-way through his junior year in college.  After graduation he lived, studied, and worked in Japan for more than 8 years, much of that at the cultural intersections of race, ethnicity, and nationalities.  Throughout his career he has continued to engage globally and work extensively with colleagues from around the world, seeking out ways to foster inclusion.  He has previously served on advisory boards that worked to provide international experiences for students from under-represented communities, served as an Affirmative Action Facilitator in his college, and worked with numerous non-profit organizations in outreach programs for under-served groups.

Claudia de Castro Caldeirinha

Claudia de Castro Caldeirinha

Claudia de Castro Caldeirinha works on Leadership, Inclusive Leadership, and Gender Equality issues for the past 20 years and is the Founder and Executive Director of Redscope Consulting. Through Redscope, she provides strategic and operational advice to international organizations and businesses around the world, and helps them develop the agile, inclusive and efficient work cultures needed in today’s world.

Claudia’s strategic advice, inspirational seminars and top-level Learning & Development Programs has extensively helped leaders and organisations to grow the work cultures, the leaders and teams that make sense in the inter-connected 21st century.

Her key areas of work are: Women Leadership Development; Cultivating (Inclusive, Gender Balanced and Emotionally Intelligent) Leaders; and collectively creating Diverse, Inclusive & Agile Work Cultures and Work forces.

Previous and current clients include the different European Union Institutions, the United Nations and several of its agencies (OIM, UNDP, UNHCR), the OSCE, and organisations/companies (like Levi’s, EY, Total, ING Bank, the Club of Madrid, the Soros Foundation, among many others).

Claudia is co-author of “Women Leading the Way in Brussels” (Caldeirinha & Horst, John Harper Publishing, 2017), a book collecting the stories of inspirational women leaders in Europe, which provides advice for women in different professions, and suggests ways to advance gender equality at the top.

She regularly speaks in European and global events and is frequently invited to teach in university executive programs, in Europe and globally. She has a master in international politics and gender studies (UK), and PhD ABD in International Affairs and Strategy (European University Institute, Florence/Italy, the “EU Harvard”). She is a certified executive coach (ICF – PCC) and a Member of the International Leadership Association.

Claudia works in five languages (EN, FR, PT, ES, IT), is Portuguese (born in East Timor) and is the mother of a boy.

Learn more at Redscope Consulting.

Tenia Davis

Tenia Davis

Tenia Davis serves as the chief talent and administrative services officer at HBR Consulting (HBR), where she oversees HBR’s talent, legal and information technology and security functions. Tenia works with HBR’s leadership around efforts to achieve operational excellence and to invest in talent and a culture of empowerment. Prior to joining HBR, Tenia served as the chief human resources officer at Raise and previously held executive roles with iManage, Johnson Publishing Company and HARPO Productions. 

Tenia holds an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the Center for Values-Driven Leadership program at Benedictine University.

Tenia is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders and volunteers with several non-profit organizations. She was recently acknowledged by the United States Senate and received Congressional recognition for efforts in her pursuit to inspire our future leaders. Outside of work, you can find Tenia in her garden, catching the latest Broadway musicals or spending time with her family and friends.

Bernardo Ferdman

Bernardo Ferdman

Bernardo Ferdman, Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert and thought leader on inclusion and diversity with 35+ years’ experience in the U.S. and around the world, is principal of Ferdman Consulting—where he focuses on supporting leaders and organizations in bringing inclusion to life, inclusive leadership, and executive coaching. Bernardo is passionate about helping to create a more inclusive and just world where more people can be fully themselves and make a difference that matters, and he has focused his career on supporting organizations to use their diversity to achieve better results.  

Ferdman works with organizational leaders and employees to foster inclusion, to develop and implement effective ways of using everyone’s talents and contributions, to develop and implement DEI strategies, and to build inclusive behavior and multicultural competencies on the part of individuals, teams, and organizations.

A CCE Board Certified Coach and native Spanish speaker, Bernardo also has extensive international experience. Bernardo works with organizations, groups, and individuals to improve performance and leadership and to foster inclusion, focusing on assessment, coaching, dialogue, facilitation, and learning in the context of diversity. He has consulted to a range of businesses, NGOs, non-profits, government agencies, and educational institutions in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia to develop and implement inclusion initiatives. He has served as a leadership coach for a range of clients in corporate, non-profit, and other settings, working to support them in achieving their goals while developing self-awareness, receptiveness to feedback, and practice in working effectively and productively with a range of co-workers, supervisors, and reports. He has also worked with UCLA, UCSD, Ascent-Leading Multicultural Women to the Top, and others to develop Latino/Latina and other multicultural leaders in both corporate and nonprofit settings, and with the United Nations System Staff College, UCLA, and other organizations to support leaders in enhancing their inclusive leadership.

A sought-after speaker, Bernardo has designed and delivered learning sessions and worked with managers and executives to support their professional and leadership development and with organizations to develop effective strategies for diversity, equity, and inclusion. A skilled facilitator, he has designed and conducted hundreds of workshops, meetings, and other events on inclusion and diversity and various other issues. At Ferdman Consulting, he particularly focuses on building inclusive leadership practices to bring out the best in organizations and their members, assessing DEI, and developing DEI strategies. His workshops focus on the practice and challenges of inclusion, inclusive leadership, working across differences, authentically and effectively engaging in conflict, and bringing one’s whole self to work.

Bernardo is distinguished professor emeritus of organizational psychology at Alliant International University, where he taught doctoral and masters students from 1993 to 2017, and he was the 2020 H. Smith Richardson Jr. Visiting Fellow at the Center for Creative Leadership. Bernardo created Inclusion@Work®, a digital coaching platform for learning about inclusion, as well as the Workplace Inclusion Inventory™, and he created and served as the first faculty director of the Inclusive Leadership Program at UCLA Anderson Executive Education. Bernardo served as president of the Diversity Collegium, is a member of the Inclusion Allies Coalition and an expert panelist for the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks, and was a network associate with AmericaSpeaks. He has written numerous articles and chapters, has made 300+ presentations, and has conducted research on various aspects of inclusion, identity, and multicultural issues. Bernardo’s books, Inclusive Leadership: Transforming Diverse Lives, Workplaces, and Societies (Routledge, 2021, co-edited with Jeanine Prime & Ronald Riggio) and Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion (Wiley, 2014, co-edited with Barbara Deane) provide state-of-the-art, research-based understanding of inclusion and how to systematically create it, foster it and navigate its challenges.

Bernardo is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Society of Consulting Psychology (SCP), and various other professional groups. He served as chair of the Academy of Management’s Diversity and Inclusion Theme Committee and of its Gender and Diversity in Organizations Division, and as president of the Interamerican Society of Psychology. Bernardo has received various awards, including the Society of Consulting Psychology’s Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Consulting, the Janet Chusmir Distinguished Service Award from AOM’s Gender and Diversity in Organizations Division, the Trailblazer Award from the Ph.D. Project’s Management Doctoral Students Association, and the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.  A native Spanish speaker who immigrated to the U.S. as a child—Bernardo earned a Ph.D. in Psychology at Yale University and an A.B. degree at Princeton University.

Visit his website at Ferdman Consulting.

Erby Lee Foster, Jr.

Erby Lee Foster, Jr.

Erby Foster is a CPA with broad experience creating business strategies that increase customer satisfaction, drive profitable growth, and expand market share in the Restaurant and Consumer Packaged Goods industry. As the Chief Diversity Officer for The Clorox Company, he encouraged unique viewpoints, championed everyone to contribute to growth culture: put the consumer first; be curious; embrace change; think boldly; act like an owner. Prior to Clorox, Erby served as the Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for AAA Chicago.

Erby Foster is a CPA with broad experience creating business strategies that increase customer satisfaction, drive profitable growth, and expand market share in the Restaurant and Consumer Packaged Goods industry.

A solid foundation of core business skills: leadership, influence, analytical, data-driven, building relationships, communications, authenticity, cultural competency. Intellectual curiosity, ability to think systemically, take the complex concepts to simplify with data analysis, insights, and visualization for a broad non-finance audience.

As the Chief Diversity Officer for The Clorox Company, encouraged unique viewpoints, championed everyone to contribute to growth culture: put the consumer first; be curious; embrace change; think boldly; act like an owner.

“Erby knew better than anyone that to win in today’s marketplace we not only needed to focus on a diversity of consumers, we also needed to hire the best and brightest from all backgrounds to really connect with those consumers. His integrity, curiosity, and compassion for all made us a better team and a better company.” Don Knauss, Chairman & CEO, Clorox

“There are many leadership qualities that enabled Erby to accomplish so much. Having said that, I continue to be in awe of his ability to partner across many different entities, bring people together across the community, open new doors, and truly scale Clorox way beyond its size.” Jackie Kane, EVP, Human Resources & Corporate Affairs, Clorox

“Erby created a strong imprint for Clorox within Walmart as well; there is no higher honor than be recognized with the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. – Visionary Award.” Karen Stuckey, SVP, Private Brands & Merchandise, Walmart

Prior to Clorox, Erby served as the Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for AAA Chicago. During his tenure with McDonald’s Corporation, he was Senior Finance Director, Great Lakes Division and Director, International Accounting. He also served as Director, Worldwide Auditing & Consulting with PepsiCo / KFC Corporation.

Foster began his career with Arthur Andersen, LLP after graduating from the University of Southern California. His next move Executive Vice President, Business Management Firm where he provided personal financial planning for athletes, entertainers, and high net-worth professionals.

Foster has served on several nonprofit boards, including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Enactus, Glide Foundation, INROADS, Museum of the African Diaspora, and Network of Executive Women. He served as President & CEO, National Association of Black Accountants, Inc.

Received national awards from Ascend (D&I Leadership), Enactus (Champion), NABA (Commitment to Community), Out & Equal (Outstanding Ally); 1 of only 3 employees in 100-year history to receive Clorox Chairman’s Award.

A native of San Francisco, Foster has been featured in Black Enterprise, CFO, Diversity Matters, DiversityMBA, Hispanic Network, NEW Voices, Professional Women, Savoy, U.S. Veterans, and Wall Street Journal.

A nice way to summarize Erby’s career journey is a quote from his personal mission statement:

As I live each day with passion, courage, integrity, and discipline … I will be known as a creative leader,
who loved his family, gave to society, contributed to business, and always did the right thing.

Savannah Harrell

Savannah Harrell

Savannah Harrell is a senior at Western High School in Indiana and is actively involved within her community leading programs such as Voice Indiana and Howard County Youth Council, which provides information to adolescents about the effects of drugs and other substances. In school, she’s involved in speech and debate as well as student council, and outside of school she is a competitive dancer. She conducts interviews for different programs throughout her community and has her own show where she brings on guests to talk about current issues both locally and globally.

Pat Harris

Patricia Harris

For more than 40 years, Pat Harris served as an invaluable contributor to the success of McDonald’s Corporation. In her role as Global Chief Diversity Officer & VP of Community Engagement, Pat led the evolution of the company’s diversity and inclusion function. She documented its origin and transformational effect within McDonald’s in her book, “None of us is as good as all of us: How McDonald’s prospers by embracing inclusion and diversity.”

Under Pat’s leadership, McDonald’s was widely recognized for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. This recognition included Fortune magazine’s “Top 50 Places for Minorities to Work,” Black Enterprise magazine’s “Top 40 Companies for Diversity,” Latina Style magazine’s “Best Companies for Latinas,” the “Corporate Leadership Award” by the Organization of Chinese Americans, the “Disability Diversity Award” by Work Life Matters magazine, the Catalyst Award, and the Human Rights Campaign’s recognition as the “Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.”

A well-regarded trailblazer in the field of diversity and inclusion, Pat also received numerous awards, is a sought-after speaker at high-profile events, and holds several leadership positions in key national organizations. She was also featured in several national and local publications including the Chicago Tribune, as well as Black Enterprise, Essence, Diversity Woman and Chicago Woman magazines.

Pat is the Founder & CEO of the TBS Learning & Tennis Center which offers youth the opportunity to learn in a trusting, safe, and nurturing environment. The Center’s educational leadership program is designed to provide a positive, productive, and fun-loving environment. The Center is located in Pat’s hometown, McBee, SC, and is named in honor of her mother, Thelma Barnes Sowell, whom she credits with instilling in her the values of fairness and equality which have guided her throughout her life.

She serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Roosevelt University/Chicago, Board Co-Chair of PUSH/Excel, Board Member of the Southern USTA organization, as well as a trusted advisor to several diversity and community organizations.

Pat received her Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) Degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She has also received three Honorary Doctorate Degrees from South Carolina State University, Coker College and Roosevelt University. Pat resides in Chicago, IL and McBee, SC, and has one son and one granddaughter.

Andréa Hawkins

Andréa Hawkins

Andréa Hawkins is the Founding Partner of Leading Culture Solutions, a boutique consulting firm serving organizations primarily in three practice areas: Strategic Planning, Organizational Effectiveness, and Culture Transformation. She is a 20+ year veteran holding various executive leadership roles and leading teams in Finance, Operations, Product Development, IT, Marketing and Learning at Fortune 100 companies across Healthcare, Finance and Insurance.  Most recently Andréa has partnered with non-profit organizations to bring her expertise to help them build capacity. 

Andréa approaches leadership with a unique blend of emotional intelligence and strategic consulting that helps organizations build employee- and customer-based solutions by linking innovation with culture. To date, Leading Culture Solutions has supported many organizations in building and integrating DE&I strategies broadly throughout their business structures, systems, and teams. Current and past clients include Coverys, RE-Center, Legal & General Retirement America and Life Company, Regional Water Authority, American School for the Deaf, Greater Hartford Arts Council, COCC, and BronxNet.

Understanding the importance of giving back, Andréa is also an active member of her community. She is the Immediate Past President of the Board of Trustees for The Amistad Center for Art and Culture, where she has been a volunteer for more than 23 years. She is a member of the YWCA Hartford Region and currently is chair of the Human Resource Leadership Forum’s membership committee.

Andréa is a highly sought-after presenter and speaker who captivates her audiences with powerful messages on cultural transformation, optimizing business and accelerating growth through a DE&I lens. A few of her recent speaking engagements include MetroHartford Alliance, podcast b CAUSE with Erin & Nicole, Central CT Chamber of Commerce, Farmington Diversity Task Force, and the Human Resources Leadership Forum.

Andréa is currently writing a book, 4L© Framework: Journey to Inclusion, and was recently named as an Affiliate Researcher at the Boston University Center for Anti-Racism Research Center and will study under Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to be an Anti-Racist.

As an entrepreneur and small business owner, Andréa and her husband Doug own two cafés, Berkins Blend Café and Berkins on Oak in the Greater Hartford area.

For more information on Andréa Hawkins and Leading Culture Solutions, visit https://leadingculturesolutions.com/.

Stefanie K. Johnson

Stefanie K. Johnson

Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson is an Associate Professor of Management at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business where she studies the intersection of leadership and diversity. She is the author of the National Bestseller, Inclusify: Harnessing the power of uniqueness and belonging to build innovative teams and was selected for the Thinkers 50 Radar List (50 global management thinkers to watch) as the authoritative voice on inclusion. Media outlets featuring Stefanie’s work include: The Economist, Newsweek, Time, and The Wall Street Journal.

Adrianna Kezar

Adrianna Kezar

Adrianna Kezar is Dean’s Professor of Leadership, Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education, at the University of Southern California and Director of the Pullias Center for Higher Education within the Rossier School of Education. Dr. Kezar is a national expert of student success, equity and diversity, the changing faculty, change, governance and leadership in higher education. Kezar is well published with 20 books/monographs, over 100 journal articles, and over a hundred book chapters and reports.

Recent books include: The Gig Academy (2019) (Johns Hopkins Press), Administration for social justice and equity (2019) (Routledge), The Faculty for the 21st century: Moving to a mission-oriented and learner-centered faculty model (2016) (Rutgers Press), and How Colleges Change (2018) (2nd ed) (Routledge Press).

Nene Molefi

Nene Molefi

Nene Molefi is a Diversity & Inclusion — with a strong focus on the role of leaders — consultant, facilitator & CEO of Mandate Molefi Human Resource Consultancy. As a South African who has a lived experience of the devaluing impact of Apartheid, Nene has designed a model of dialogue that highlights the complexity and interplay between participant and observer in a system designed to perpetuate exclusion. She has facilitated large scale transformation processes to help organizations create a culture where shareholder value and stakeholder expectations are mutually inclusive.

Molefi has worked with large and medium sized organizations assisting executives to co-create a solid vision for D&I. The organizations range from listed companies to non-profit organizations including a number of private schools where racial diversity is a challenge. She prepares a safe space for crucial conversations between diverse teams that are conflicted and need to create a high-performance culture.

Her passion is in looking at Diversity & Inclusion through the lens of multiple systems. She believes strongly that work on any one part of the organization is bound to impact another, in an interconnected way. While focusing on Diversity and Inclusion, she incorporates equity, talent, performance management, marketing to ensure meaningful culture change. She developed the 10 steps iterative culture change model which ensures sustainable change— going beyond workshops and examines barriers embedded in the organization thereby demonstrating the connectedness of the system.

She has helped numerous clients develop visions and strategies for sustainable change.  Nene has also led social context discussion with the SA Judiciary across all the High Courts, Supreme, and Constitutional Courts. She authored a book, “A Journey of Diversity and Inclusion in South Africa” and a number of other publications. She is a speaker at various conferences around the world. She is an associate lecturer for GIBS and was a visiting lecturer at the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. She sits on the advisory board of the Auditor General of South Africa. She studies Social Science at University of Fort Hare, University of Cape Town & Master’s in Leading Change & Innovation: York St John University, UK. She is Secretary of the Board for The Centre for Global Inclusion.

Learn more at: https://mandatemolefi.co.za/

Laura Morgan Roberts

Laura Morgan Roberts

Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts is an innovative global scholar, speaker, and consultant on the science of maximizing human potential in diverse organizations and communities. Her thought leadership in diversity, authenticity and leadership development has been recognized by LinkedIn (Top 10 Voice in Equity; 2020); Thinkers50 (On the Radar, 2021); ThinkList #Amplify (2020), and the Academy of Management Organizational Behavior Award for Societal Impact (2020).  Laura currently serves as Professor of Practice at her alma mater, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and she is the founder of The Alignment Quest Enterprise, LLC.

Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts is a Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Laura’s research and consulting focus on the science of maximizing human potential in diverse organizations and communities. She has published over fifty research articles, teaching cases, and practitioner-oriented tools for strategically activating best selves through strength-based development. She has also edited three books: Race, Work and Leadership; Positive Organizing in a Global Society; and Exploring Positive Identities and Organizations. Her influential publications on diversity, authenticity and leadership development have been featured in Harvard Business Review and several other global media outlets.  

Laura earned a BA in Psychology (highest distinction & Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Virginia, and an MA and Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Michigan. She has served on the faculties of Harvard Business School, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, and Antioch University’s Graduate School of Leadership and Change. She has also taught courses in organizational behavior, psychology, negotiations, group dynamics, diversity, leadership and career development as a faculty affiliate of the University of Michigan, the Wharton School of Finance, Tuck, Georgia State University, UCLA Anderson, Simmons School of Management, and AVT (Copenhagen).

For more information visit: https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory/laura-morgan-roberts

Joyce Osland

Joyce Osland

Dr. Joyce Osland is an internationally known specialist in international management with a focus on global leadership, Latin America, and organization development. She retired in 2020 from her role as the Lucas Endowed Professor of Global Leadership and Executive Director and founder of the Global Leadership Advancement Center (GLAC) at San Jose State University. She is a senior partner at the Kozai Group and senior editor of Advances in Global Leadership.  Joyce’s research interests and publications focus on practical ways to improve global skills and organizations.

Joyce Osland, Ph. D. is an internationally known specialist in international management with a focus on global leadership, Latin America and organization development. Joyce is the Lucas Endowed Professor of Global Leadership and Executive Director and founder of the Global Leadership Advancement Center (GLAC), which is housed in the School of Global Innovation & Leadership at San Jose State University’s Lucas College and Graduate School of Business in the Silicon Valley. She co-founded GLAC’s Global Leadership Lab, Global Leadership Passport Program and the Advanced Global Leadership Certificate. Her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior was earned at Case Western Reserve University. A former president of the Western Academy of Management, Joyce has won numerous awards for teaching, research, and leadership, including the Journal of Management Inquiry Scholar Award for career achievement and the Academy of Management International Management Division’s Outstanding Educator Award, the highest teaching award in her field. Joyce was a Senior Research Fellow at the Army Research Institute for five years. Joyce’s research interests — global leadership development, expert cognition in global leaders, cultural sensemaking, and repatriate knowledge transfer — focus on practical ways to improve global skills and organizations. She has over 100 publications — research articles in leading academic journals like the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, and Human Resource Management as well as practitioner articles, book chapters, and cases. Her first book, The Adventure of Working Abroad: Hero Tales from the Global Frontier, (Jossey-Bass, 1995), has been used in corporate training programs for expatriates. Joyce has also written popular textbooks, The Organizational Behavior Workbook: An Experiential Approach and The Organizational Behavior Reader, and won awards for her co-authored global leadership books: Global Leadership: Research, Practice, and Development and Advances in Global Leadership, vol. 8. Joyce lived and worked overseas for fourteen years in seven different countries, mostly in Latin American and West Africa. She worked in the field of international development as a program manager, trainer and consultant and also spent three years as a full-time faculty member and consultant at INCAE (The Central American Institute of Business Administration) in Costa Rica. Joyce is a visiting professor in graduate programs at various universities around the world. In addition she does executive education programs and consults with companies, universities and global non-profits on organizational effectiveness and global leadership and competence.

Kelly Peterson

Kelly Peterson

Dr. Kelly Peterson  is an industrial psychologist and consultant whose 25+ year practice specialty includes a wide range of organizational development strategy and design solutions.  Her expertise includes leadership development, diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI), executive coaching, culture change management, strategic planning, performance assessment, management and organizational effectiveness facilitation, design and consultation.  She has worked with 1,000’s of leaders in Fortune 100 companies globally, from corporate boardrooms and executive leadership teams to frontline managers. 

Peterson has consulted in an array of business industries, including consulting with The Walt Disney Company, designing and facilitating leadership engagements across the enterprise both nationally and globally for over 12 year. She has also facilitated leadership engagements for Coca Cola, Hitachi, UCLA, Los Angeles County and Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Specifically, she has lead DEI engagements for Honda Motors, Honda Manufacturing, Phillips, BMG, Comcast, Viacom, 3D Systems, and Southern California Edison, amongst others.

Her leadership experience includes six years as senior partner and founder of Syzygy Global Consultants, Inc., seven years in a variety of HR management roles, including diversity and inclusion, employee relations, and training and development for Sony Pictures Entertainment, and three years as Chairperson of the doctoral program in psychology and organizational management and consulting at Phillips Graduate University. She has been on faculty for UCLA’s Technical Management Program and The Economic Development, Leadership Institute at College of the Canyons. 

She has a doctorate of psychology in organizational management and consulting from Phillips Graduate University and is a graduate of the University of Southern California, Human Resources Development Master Trainer’s Institute. Kelly is a Coro Fellow and graduate of Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Business Program through Babson College.

Learn more at: https://transitions2transformations.com/

Misty Resendez

Misty Resendez

Dr. Misty Resendez has over 17 years of professional experience in business administration and leadership methodologies. She has practiced in for-profit and non-profit arenas holding both clinical and management roles, allowing her to utilize her expertise coaching and mentoring leaders to increase organizational performance. An avid educator, Misty spends much of her time teaching both business and community leaders the importance of cultural diversity, leadership, and inclusion—focusing on the impact these necessities have on overall success at work, at home, and abroad. She often presents her research and expertise at national and international leadership conferences.

Misty’s experience enables her to strongly grasp the interworking of people and the organization to positively affect cultural diversity and inclusion, organizational change, and leadership development.

Education and Certifications

  • Doctorate of Education (ED.) in Organizational Leadership, Indiana Wesleyan
  • Master of Science in Management, Indiana Wesleyan University
  • Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Indiana University
  • Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Certified Administrator
  • Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI) Certified Administrator

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Board Member and Vice President of Programs, IndySHRM
  • Member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
  • Member of the International Leadership Association (ILA)
  • Member of the Women’s Leadership Affinity Group (WLAG)
  • Board Member of Christamore House, Indianapolis
  • Board Member of Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana
  • Assistant Professor in Leadership Studies, Indiana Wesleyan University
Alan Richter

Alan Richter

Dr. Alan Richter, PhD, is Founder and President of QED Consulting. He has consulted to organizations for over 32 years in multiple capacities, specializing in the areas of global leadership, ethics and values, diversity and inclusion, culture and change. He serves as Treasurer of The Centre for Global Inclusion. He provides strategic consulting and assessments for clients and has designed and developed innovative curricula for global diversity and inclusion, ethics and cultural intelligence, using research, simulations and games, videos, and custom case studies.

Richter is also very much engaged in developing instructional products including five on-line self-assessment tools.

He is the author of the award-winning Global Diversity Game and the co-author of the Global Diversity Survey as well as the Global Leadership Survey and the Global Gender Intelligence Assessment. In addition to the GDEIB, he has also co-authored the Global Ethics and Integrity Benchmarks, which follows an approach that is similar to the GDEIB. Alan is also the co-editor of a study looking at values across cultures through the lens of comparative jurisprudence: An Inquiry into Global Values (Hart 2015).

Alan has been a presenter at many conferences worldwide and has delivered workshops on D&I and ethics around the world in over 70 countries for a wide variety of clients both for- profit and nonprofit. The United Nations and many of its agencies (FAO, ICAO, ILO, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, and so forth) have been major clients for decades. He has also worked with highly innovative organizations such as NASA and CERN. He has been recognized as a Diversity Pioneer (2007) and is on the Economist’s Global Diversity List (2015).

He has an Master’s degree and a B.A.B.Sc. degree from the University of Cape Town, and a PhD in Philosophy from Birkbeck College, London University. He has a passion for jazz, tennis and words, having been a lexicographer early in his career. He grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, lived in London, England while completing his doctorate and teaching at the Open University, and has lived in New York City for the over 30 years

For more information visit: https://www.qedconsulting.com/ and https://centreforglobalinclusion.org/

Ron Riggio

Ron Riggio

Dr. Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. is the Henry R. Kravis Professor of Leadership and Organizational Psychology at Claremont McKenna College. He has served on the editorial boards of several journals, including The Leadership Quarterly, Leadership, Journal of Management Spirituality and Religion, and has served as an Associate Editor on The Leadership Quarterly and Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies. He is co-editor of the recent book, Inclusive Leadership, and author of Daily Leadership Development: 365 Steps to Becoming a Better Leader.

Stephanie Smith

Stephanie A. Smith

Stephanie A. Smith serves as senior vice president and chief inclusion and diversity officer for Fifth Third Bank, N.A. She is responsible for creating and executing a holistic internal and external strategy, that supports employees and partners with diverse suppliers. Her oversight includes the Bank’s eight enterprise and 70 regional business resource groups, 13 regional inclusion councils, Project SEARCH, supplier diversity, and all other enterprise inclusion and diversity programs, strategic initiatives and efforts related to environmental, social and governance reporting.

In her previous role as director of supplier diversity, Stephanie oversaw more
than a 900% increase in Fifth Third’s spending with diverse suppliers. Over more than 20 years, she has also worked in the Bank’s Community and Economic Development and its Commercial divisions, as well as in the Foundation Office.
In 2019, Stephanie was recognized as one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Women in Corporate America. In 2020, she was recognized by the National Diversity Council as one of 2020’s Top 50 Chief Diversity Officers, and Career Mastered Magazine recognized her efforts with the 2020 Career Mastered Diversity Leadership Award. Under her leadership Fifth Third has been named one of America’s top corporations for women-owned companies by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council and was named to the Best of the Decade list by Minority Business Network magazine.

Education
Stephanie earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Wright State University and a master’s degree in community planning from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.

Professional and Civic
Stephanie is a passionate community advocate. She serves on boards for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Social Venture Partners and the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Carolyn Stefanco 250x350

Carolyn J. Stefanco

Dr. Carolyn J. Stefanco, Ph.D. is a global higher education and women’s leadership expert. She now serves as founder and CEO of Baret Leadership Consulting, where she offers executive coaching to individuals, and assistance with global engagement and board development to universities and organizations. Following two decades as a tenured professor of history, she held positions as dean, vice president, and president in both public and private universities in the United States. She also served as resident director of a London Study Program, Senior Fulbright Scholar at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, higher education consultant for Saudi Arabia and South Africa, trustee and board chair at the American University in Bulgaria, and board member of the ILA.

While president, Stefanco founded a women’s leadership institute and raised millions of dollars in support of diverse women’s leadership. Along with the roles she has held in U.S. and international higher education, Dr. Stefanco is a sought-after speaker on women’s issues, publishes regularly in popular and scholarly venues, and serves on numerous boards. She was awarded a Helen Gurley Brown Foundation Genius Award in recognition of her decades of achievement.

Dr. Stefanco earned a Ph.D. in history from Duke University, an M.A. in women’s history from Binghamton University, and a B.A. in history and a women’s studies certificate from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Kevin Shane Walsh

Kevin Shane Walsh

Dr. Kevin Shane Walsh is an accomplished leadership development expert and a seasoned Executive Coach. His consulting practice specialties include a wide range of training and development solutions, including team cohesion, interdisciplinary coalition development, diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI), social justice, and organizational culture transformation. He has over 20 years of facilitation experience since he was hired as a trainer at Disney University in 1996.

Kevin has coached and trained over 60,000 employees from the C-suite to the front line, across the globe. He has successfully worked with numerous Fortune 100 Corporations, International NGOs, State and County Government Agencies, and prominent Colleges and Universities. Kevin has made an impact through educating adults in the Healthcare, Education, Finance, Agriculture, Engineering, Utilities, Manufacturing, and Entertainment industries.

Kevin is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF). He has held faculty positions at Phillips Graduate University, Loyola Marymount University Extension, College of the Canyons and Rollins College. Kevin earned a Doctorate of Psychology in Organizational Management and Consulting from Phillips Graduate University.

Learn more at: https://www.globalcommunityenrichment.com/

Beth Zemsky

Beth Zemsky

Beth Zemsky, MAEd, LICSW, Consultant – Intercultural Organizational Development, comes to her work out of her continued commitment to engage people in learning activities that move them to understand critical social and cultural issues. Building on best practice approaches, Beth specializes in intercultural organizational development with organizations working towards racial justice, social change and structural transformation including foundations, non-profits, educational, health, faith-based, and social change organizations.

Beth has over 35 years of experience working as a consultant, community organizer, psychotherapist, educator, and organizational leader including serving as the principle of Zemsky and Associates Consulting, a psychotherapist at Family & Children’s Service, founding Director of the LGBTQ Programs Office, Supervisor of the Diversity Institute, and Coordinator of Leadership Development & Organizational Effectiveness at the University of Minnesota. She also served as former national co-chair of the Board of Directors of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.

Beth has specialized training in intercultural competency, organizational development, systems change, change management, community organizing, leadership development, coaching, intercultural conflict, mediation, assessment, and action learning. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, certified clinical trauma profession, certified workplace mediator, and a qualified administer of the Intercultural Developmental Inventory (IDI) and the Meyers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI). In addition, Beth has been adjunct faculty at University of Missouri – St. Louis, Augsburg College, and the University of Minnesota where she has taught courses in Gender & Sexuality Studies, Social Work, and Family Social Science. Beth is also a faculty member of the international IDI Qualifying Seminar Instructor team.

Beth was chosen to be Grand Marshall of the Twin Cities GLBT Pride, and she was awarded Quorum’s Lifetime Achievement Award and OutFront MN’s Legacy Award for service to the LGBTQ community. In addition, Beth was awarded a Bush Leadership Fellowship to study organizational development of social change organizations, and she was the recipient of the 2016 IDI Intercultural Award for commitment to social justice.

While Beth is passionate about her work, her spare time involves endorphin rushes from long distance bicycling, losing herself in cooking, getting silly with her dog, and getting her hands dirty in her garden (growing more kale than any person could possibly eat.)

For more information about Beth, go to https://bethzemsky.com/

Summit Program Team

Joanne Barnes

Joanne Barnes

Dr. Joanne Barnes, is the Dean of the Graduate School and a Professor in Leadership at Indiana Wesleyan University and consultant with Kozai Group on DEI. Dr. Barnes also consults in Cultural Competence and DEI; she has consulted with business, healthcare organizations, boards of trustees and higher educations in developing cultural competence and becoming more diverse, equitable and inclusive. She serves on the board of trustees for Houghton College in New York and is also a board member for the ILA. Dr. Barnes’ research is in women leadership and intersectionality, unconscious bias and inclusion, multicultural leadership and intelligences, and mentoring. 

Dr. Barnes has an Ed.D. Organizational Leadership, MS in Management, and a BS in Business Administration. She earned a post-doctorate certificate in Advanced Global Leadership Studies from San Jose State University. Dr. Barnes is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. Sorority, Omicron Phi Omega Chapter.

Chris Cartwright

Chris Cartwright

Chris Cartwright, MPA, Ed.D. is a consultant, researcher, and instructor supporting individuals and organizations in assessing and developing intercultural, global leadership, and inclusive competencies. He is an associate of Aperian Global, the Connective Leadership Institute, icEdge, and the Kozai Group and has 40+ years of experience in multiple sectors. He is an adjunct faculty for Portland State University. He served 10 years as Director of Intercultural Assessment and Associate Director of the Graduate Program for the Intercultural Communication Institute. Prior to this, he served as the Dean of Academic Programs for the International Partnership for Service Learning and Leadership.

Gena Lovett

Gena C. Lovett

Gena C. Lovett is a versatile and energetic leader and sponsor-for-change with extensive experience working within signature consumer companies such as Boeing (NYSE: BA), Alcoa (NYSE: AA), and Ford (NYSE: F). Gena is known for leading strategic engagement and innovation, focusing on cultural development, performance improvement, talent alignment, and competitive advantage. Deeply rooted in community, Gena currently serves as an Independent Director for Trex Company and a board trustee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Gena is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in values-driven leadership at Benedictine University in Chicago, Illinois, with an expected degree conferral date of May 2022.

The Benedictine curriculum is executive-focused and designed to enable executives to rise above “business as usual” and lead strategically at the intersection of business and society. Gena leverages her business leader practitioner experience and research from the fields of global leadership, strategic change, and corporate responsibility and sustainability to advise and help companies achieve optimal solutions. She currently holds a B.A. in the liberal arts and an MBA in international business.

Raj Narang

Raj Narang

Raj Narang serves as Vice President Diversity & Inclusion Talent Strategy, at Fidelity Investments and also serves on the board of the ILA.  Previously, Raj served as vice president and director of inclusion and diversity strategies at Fifth Third Bank, N.A. where she supported the Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer in building upon the culture of inclusion through development and execution of an enterprise-wide strategy for diversity. This includes a focus on employees, suppliers, and customers facilitating the cross functional development of policies, programs and solutions that promote the feeling that these stakeholders belong, that they are included and are able to contribute their best.

Raj’s past experience spans several industries in two continents. Raj started her career in India, working for two prestigious global hospitality legends – The Taj Group and The Oberoi’s. Since moving to the US, Raj worked in the field of economic impact research, data analytics and in communications consulting with various Fortune 500 and non-profits. Raj was also an entrepreneur in the multicultural space where she struck a venture with a major conglomerate’s paper division for a few years. Before joining the Bank, Raj led a LEAN six-sigma statewide initiative on Quality Improvement for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital spanning 51 NICUs and 100 plus level -1 hospitals in Ohio, working with the state legislature on policy issues and several non-profits. Raj is very connected to the arts and cultural scene in the region and was instrumental in hosting the first Indian Film Festival in Cincinnati in 2017.

Education
Currently – Doctorate in Leadership Studies from Xavier University; M.B.A., University of Louisville, KY; Bachelor’s in economics from University of Bangalore, India; Masters in the Kathak – ancient performing dance from Northern India

Professional and Civic
Board member on International Leadership Association (ILA).
Advocacy and Grant Committees -Women’s Fund. Of Greater Cincinnati Sponsor and Advocate for Back-to-Business program -UC’s College of Business. Member – Mayor’s working group on welcoming new immigrants to Cincinnati.
Organizer – Indian Film Festival 2017.
Classical Dance educator and performer of Kathak dance from India
Grant Committee – ArtsWave

Cindy Pace

Dr. Cindy Pace is Vice President, Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at MetLife.  In this role, Dr. Pace leads the global D&I strategy for an enterprise wide employee base of ~47,000 in more than 40 countries. Aligned to the company’s business imperative, Dr. Pace drives and promotes D&I as critical success factors to fuel innovation, cross-cultural collaboration and business success. 

Dr. Pace is also a leadership scholar practitioner who frequently provides thought leadership at global conferences and academic institutions where she presents on global diversity, inclusive leadership, purpose and women’s leadership. Her insights have been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Fortune Magazine and the book Women’s Leadership Journeys: Stories, Research, and Novel Perspectives.

Karen Perham-Lippman

Karen Perham-Lippman

Karen Perham-Lippman is a dynamic and award-winning executive, community leader, and national public speaker. A mission-driven business strategist with over 10 years of demonstrated strategic and processing thinking results in diversity, equity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, community outreach and employee engagement. She currently oversees Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Programs for Lumen, a Fortune 200 leader in the technology sector where she participates in developing and executing a corporate-wide global Diversity and Inclusion strategy, defining measurements of success, and establishing metrics that track attainment.

Ms. Perham-Lippman has a proven track record of influence and impact through servant leadership developing, educating, and inspiring commitment to global innovative strategies and programs with emphasis on equity, employee and customer experience and business goals. Her expertise stems from scholarly and practitioner based consultative experience with nonprofit, business, state government and municipal clients driving organizational change, process improvement, learning and development, benchmarking, reporting and metrics.

Ms. Perham-Lippman, holds a Diversity and Inclusion Professional Certification from Cornell University ILR School. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut and received her Master’s in Science Business Management and Organizational Leadership at Albertus Magnus, receiving Honors distinction as well as the 2017 Albertus Magnus College Leadership Excellence Award. Ms. Perham-Lippman is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership at Eastern University and resides in Northglenn, Colorado with her three sons.

Her research is primarily focused on destructive leadership and impact to followers for which she has presented at American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences Annual Conference (2019) and with the International Leadership Association’s Annual Conference (2019 & 2020). Through her work in DEI she has also served as a presenter with DisabilityIN and Fairygodboss and with International Leadership Association’s annual conference on the topic of out-groups and integrating women and people of color into leadership teams. She is also committed to addressing the stigma of mental health and substance abuse and was honored to have her article “The Pandemic within the Pandemic The rise of substance abuse in the COVID era” published in 2021 in Psychology Today.

Awards & Recognition

  • Frederick G. Adams Community Service Award, United Way – 2018
  • National ALICE Forum, for dedication to serving youth and families in poverty, National Press Club, 2018
  • Leadership & Community Service, Hartford Public Schools – 2018
  • Leadership Excellence Award, Albertus Magnus College – 2017
  • Coordinator of the Year, United Way of Central & Northeastern Connecticut – 2016
  • Sister of the Year, Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters (NBBBS) Connecticut – 2015
  • Volunteer of the Year, United Way of Greater New Haven – 2015
  • New Britain Board of Education, Lincoln Elementary – 2015
  • New England President’s Volunteer of the Year, Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) – 2014
  • Women in Cable Telecommunications National Lucille Larkin Fellowship (WICT) – 2014
  • Women in Cable Telecommunications Emerging Leaders, Management (WICT) – 2014
  • SERC & Connecticut Commission on Children Parental Involvement Recognition Award – 2013

Community Impact and Professional Affiliations

Present

  • DisabilityIN, Mental Wellness Committee
  • National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications
  • Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, Eureka! STEM & Scholarship Program Advisory Councils
  • International Leadership Association, Women in Leadership
  • Mile High United Way, Women United Leadership Council

Previous

  • Women in Cable Telecommunications, Rocky Mountain
  • Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut, Inc., Board of Directors, Chair
  • United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Women United Leadership Council
  • Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, Board of Directors
  • Hartford Public Schools, Student Governance Council
  • Connecticut Women’s Council, Board of Directors, Chair of Membership
  • YMCA of Greater Hartford, Board of Managers, Chair of Financial Development Committee
  • Women in Cable Telecommunications, New England Chapter, Executive Board of Directors

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