*Please note, session titles & times are subject to change due to schedule conflicts per our speakers.
As open and overt racism returns to the forefront of American's minds, it is not simply enough to not support the racist rhetoric and reprehensible actions that are growing in number and frequency. We, as people, must strive to be actively anti-racist rather than passively just not racists ourselves. This course will instruct attendees in how to be an anti-racist and to combat this culture.
In this session, attendees will embark on a journey that goes beyond conventional thoughts around resiliency and the notion of bouncing back into the realm of bouncing forward. An understanding of the not so subtle art of bouncing forward is necessary if you want growth and movement in your life and career. It is also essential to creating lasting and impactful progress in the ever-important work of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion.
With the rise of social media, it has become more pronounced how lucrative of a skill influencing can be. However, social media is not the only realm in which influencing can be beneficial both to the individual and the organizations they work with. This session will discuss the art behind influencing and how to put it into practice in the modern workplace.
As our lives become increasingly public with the rise of social media, there is a great focus on being perfect, or at least perceived as perfect. However, this is objectively unobtainable, and in the workplace this mindset can be deterimental to a leader's ability to serve their organization and team. This session will focus on the benefits and ways to lead authentically and embrace our human imperfect selves in a manner that fosters truth and innovation.
It is often said that for an organization to succeed, then all must work for that success. Therefore, leaders in all groups should seek to serve, guide, and assist others in the organization to assure overall success for all. This session will help attendees to meet that goal. Specifically crafted for leaders and aspiring leaders, this session will discuss how to serve others in order to serve the whole and ultimately succeed.
Belongingness in the workplace is cultivated by a sense of acceptance and inclusion as well as identity for members involved. Diversity within a work environment refers to the variety of differences in culture among people at a company. Inclusion refers to the comfortability employees feel to authentically express themselves. It is diversity, inclusion, and belongingness that must coexist to foster the best employee work environment possible.
Belongingness in the workplace is cultivated by a sense of acceptance and inclusion as well as identity for members involved. Diversity within a work environment refers to the variety of differences in culture among people at a company. Inclusion refers to the comfortability employees feel to authentically express themselves. It is diversity, inclusion, and belongingness that must coexist to foster the best employee work environment possible.
This session will impart different ways attendees can build environments of belongingness within their teams and organizations.
As the nation navigates it's racial reckoning, more and more brands have seized the opportunitity to take a stand on social issues and movements. This session will discuss how to maneuver these delicate waters while also making the greatest impact.
While it is true that the last year has brought pressures and difficulties many of us have never faced before, it also brought an opportunity for individuals to take another look at their lives and to re-strategize. Changing careers can be daunting, but exploring other industries and business ideas can lead to a more fulfilled life. Our panelists will walk attendees through how to broaden horizons as well as best practices for those looking to make a transition in their careers.
This session will feature a panel of diverse and accomplished speakers who can provide career advice for those looking to advance in their industries.
Companies are continually being looked to for leadership in their communities and throughout the world. But corporate stewardship is often misunderstood or viewed as difficult to fully realize. Join Sheryl Corrigan, Director of Environmental, Health & Safety at Koch Industries, to learn how Koch views and successfully implements corporate stewardship through individual empowerment, principled leadership, and mutually beneficial relationships in the communities in which Koch operates. Sheryl will also discuss best practices of how other companies can successfully meet their own stewardship goals.
Panelists will discuss the importance of putting “diversity first” and present strategies regarding how to foster a “diversity first” culture within your teams and organizations.
Establishing an internal framework of procedures to engage and motivate employees is essential to meeting client expectations. Creating this standard of organizational excellence can be difficult, especially when this standard needs to be maintained. This panel discussion includes professionals who have maintained organizational excellence within their respective organizations and offers knowledge on how to build excellence within your teams, departments, and organizations as whole.
As the say goes, no person is an island, and this is particularly truein the workplace. Teams are necessity to ensure that everything is done, to drive results, and to push for growth. This session will discuss how to create teams that are best suited to work together in order to drive the highest performance possible.
Networking and relationship building is a skill one needs to excel in their career. But only having distant connections isn't enough to advance. Having your own "board" of advisors and advocates can help you navigate the challenges that comes with career transitions, personal growth, and more. This session will delve into how to find potential "members" and ensure that not only are they individuals who can help build you, but that you are also a benefit to them as well.
This sessions discusses corporate responsibility in the face of social and environmental challenges.
This workshop will explain what it means to be culturally competent and how one can increase their cultural intelligence.
Diversity 101 takes a historical and legislative look at the origins of Diversity and how it impacts us today. Attendees will learn about the origins of racial and gender constructs, the social innovations that influenced our perspectives on age, the ancient chronicles of sexual orientation and identity diversity, people with disabilities from antiquity to the modern-day, and the founding and current influence of various religions throughout the world. Participants will develop a comprehensive understanding of the manifestations, conceptions, and definition of Diversity and use this knowledge to become champions of Diversity in their workplace and beyond.
As the United States navigates its racial reckoning, many organizations are diving into the field of DEI for the first time. This can often feel challenging as many DEI efforts are focused on continuining learning and unlearning rather than beginners. This session is geared toward those who are making their first foray or early steps into the field of DEI and details how they can begin.
The numbers are telling: Less than 1% of CEOs among Fortune 500 companies are Black, a figure that has been trending downward since 2012; Black professionals held just over 3% of all executive/senior leader roles in 2018; 37 women now run Fortune 500s yet not one is Black. While African-Americans and other minorities have been changing Fortune 500 board compositions to a greater degree over the past few decades, the C-suite glass ceiling has proven harder to crack. This session sheds light on both the challenges and opportunities around developing a representative pipeline for executive positions at the highest level. Participants hoping to attain C-suite roles will have an opportunity to garner concrete advice in achieving this aim.
It can be hard to recognize whether your company has a toxic culture. Being able to identify the signs and symptoms can help ensure that the necessary steps can be taken in order to eliminate problem areas as they arise. From poor communication and discriminatory practices to lack of accountability and unrealistic workloads, the lengthy list of possible signs of a toxic workplace can be daunting to even talk about. But once issues are brought to light, solutions can begin to germinate. This session will guide you through the identification process of toxic cultural elements as well as ways to brainstorm unique solutions that fit your company’s needs.
In relation to the multitude of social categorizations, it is no secret that many individuals of non-Caucasian descent face obstacles. Knowing how and why these challenges negatively impact employees and the overall workplace can aid in the creation of an inclusive work space. In order to better work with and provide for a disadvantaged group, one must learn about the group-specific challenges.
Many companies are working hard to ensure they are fostering an inclusive and diverse environment. While their hearts are in the right place, it can be quite common for companies to overlook certain dynamics of diversity, including those with disabilities. Considering the fact that anyone can be born with or develop a disability, accommodating to this group and removing barriers can have a huge impact on company operations and ethics. This session not only highlights the importance of disability accommodations, but shows the power, ability, and illuminates the skill sets of this often overlooked and underrepresented population.
Catering to diversity among coworkers, patients, and employers in the healthcare industry is crucial to provide quality service to those in need. This session addresses diversity best practices and how to tackle common misconceptions.
This session will provide insights about organizations’ efforts to establish diversity and inclusion programs as sustainable and strategic ways to optimize business.
Chief Diversity Officers are the driving force for diversity in the workplace. This makes them key players in the push for diversity and inclusion in business. This session includes Chief Diversity Officers who have gathered to share their knowledge and best practices. These CDOs will also discuss how they rose to their positions.
Belongingness in the workplace is cultivated by a sense of acceptance and inclusion. Diversity within a work environment refers to the variety of differences in culture among people at a company. Inclusion within a company refers to the comfortability employees feel to authentically express themselves. It is diversity, inclusion, and belongingness that must coexist to foster the best employee work environment possible.
The SURE™ Program at University of Houston has two goals: to economically empower under-resourced entrepreneurs, and train students in the human-centered skills the marketplace demands of them. Making diversity, equity, and inclusion chief among its values, SURE™ has received national recognition for its excellence in pursuit of these goals, launching or growing nearly 500 Houston area businesses. Hear from the Directors of the SURE™ Program how to build a program that connects the civic, commercial, and academic communities by making diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values.
Leadership is a journey. From one’s first experience as a manager, to one’s first experience in the C-Suite, every leader has paths they must forge and then follow to create their own success. This session will discuss how leaders can create an intentional road map to further their careers and the careers of those they lead.
This session focuses on the importance of emerging leadership. Through the guidance offered by our panelists, young audience members can learn the do’s and don’ts of leadership as well as how they can continue to grow in their industries.
Employee Resource Groups provide countless benefits to the organizations that have them, and the members they are committed to serve. However, employee resource groups take time and effort to ensure that they run smoothly and maximize the benefits offered. This session will include many best practices from the National Diversity Council's ERG Academy including articulating the business case, roles and responsibilities, processes and mechanics, ERG leadership, and ERG inter-relationship.
There are a few key skills that are essential for all leaders to possess in order to successfully navigate and thrive within their position. This session will elaborate on these skills.
The Pandemic has led to massive cancellations of internships that could cause major disruption to the career trajectory of diverse youth. The ability of the underrepresented to join the Workforce of the Future pipeline hinges on companies and organizations providing transformative models of access and connections. This workshop reviews development models for companies wanting to set diverse emerging professionals on a course for careers that will make a difference.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted people of color, with African American and Latinx populations having higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and death. Factors driving these inequities include lack of access to care, presence of chronic illnesses, living conditions, socioeconomic status, disproportionate representation as essential workers, medical mistrust, and racism. During this session, participants will learn about the social determinants most responsible for the inequities observed in COVID-19 health care outcomes. Additionally, participants will hear how leaders are partnering with vulnerable communities to alter the current trajectory of health outcomes.
During this highly interactive session, participants will begin the conversation about implicit bias in the workplace. Participants will develop a starting point for understanding and awareness of how biases can impact organizational dynamics. At the conclusion of the session, participants will outline their action steps with newly developed tools, methods, and strategies.
With the increased, almost inescapable presence of social media, we now have glimpses into the “highlight reels” of many individuals. Consider replacing the second sentence, with the following: Often an “imposter syndrome” emerges. Next rewrite third sentence as follows: The imposter syndrome can weigh heavily upon those affected, resulting in mental roadblocks that prevent employees from engaging authentically and being their best selves within their roles. This session provides tactics for dealing with biases and inequities, including outreach to the Human Resources Department. It outlines strategies for exercising confidence in your abilities and talents to enable you to efficiently and effectively perform within your role.
Inclusion is tied directly to the business case of diversity of the best companies in America and around the globe. In best practice companies, diversity and inclusion are not only regarded as assets to organizations, they are essential. As corporations look to build their bottom lines through increased employee engagement, robust recruitment and retention initiatives, inclusion in an imperative. In this session we are going to share Inclusion best practices that will help organizations rise to the fore as essential for growth and achievement.
The demographics of the USA continue to rapidly change, and in two decades we will be a “Majority Minority” country. In addition, the internet economy enables organizations to have employees, suppliers and customers anywhere in the world. As the employee base, management teams and even executive leadership becomes more diverse, the most successful leaders must subscribe to inclusive leadership. Today more than ever, we need business leaders who assert their commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the community. This session will include:
- The business case for inclusive leadership – why is it critical in today’s rapidly changing world.
- The growing areas of diversity that leaders need to understand – gender and gender identity, race, generational, cultural, sexual orientation, people with disabilities, cognitive and more
- A deep look at the characteristics of an inclusive leader.
- How leaders can become allies and mentors to diverse communities.
- How to personally become a more inclusive leader and how to promote inclusive leadership across your organization.
With the election of Joe Biden to the presidency, America also chose its first ever female vice president, Kamala Harris. Many celebrate this historic first as an inroad toward “shattering the glass ceiling” that has held women and minorities back in the workplace. This session will discuss what Kamala's position can mean for women going forward, and how we can all contribute.
Stagnation is detrimental to your health, to your brain development, and quite often to your career. This session will disuss strategies for how to make strategic moves and better position yourself for advancement.
Effective leadership requires a strong presence, firm influence, and the ability to inspire those with whom you work. This session will discuss how to bolster these three skills.
This session delves into key leadership skills such as trust, performance, and change. Attendees will learn how to build trust, how to guage performance, and how to generate change within their organizations.
Emotional intelligence involves a person’s awareness of his/her/their own emotions. Further, it includes the ability to handle relationships wisely and with empathy. Emotional intelligence is an immense asset for leaders as it allows them to maintain and control their own emotions while calmly addressing the needs of others. This session will discuss how emotional intelligence can enhance trust, respect, performance, and leadership acumen.
Many of us have the ability to be a leader, to be an influence, and a trend setter. This is all based on someone's time put into unlocking their potential and leveling up. This session will discuss how to reach your full professional potential.
The topic of sexuality and gender identity is unfamiliar to many populations, and this lack of knowledge can lead to people creating policies that can further isolate or harm members of the LGBTQIA+ community. In order to help bolster allyship, acceptance, and understanding, this session works to educate attendees on the “ABC’s” of LGBTQIA+. Through this presentation, attendees will leave with a more well-rounded and accurate understanding of many of their friends, family members, co-workers, and bosses.
This session will allow attendees to explore the different ways they can live intentional lives without fear of judgment.
We are at a time where multiple generations are working in tandem with each other. Managing such a diverse generational spread can be difficult if team leaders and managers don't have the proper mindset going in. This panel will delve into how to better manage a multi-generational workforce, how to relate to employees regardless of age, and how to ensure that everyone is included and valued no matter what generation they come from.
How would you rate your personal capacity to effectively and efficiently lead with cultural plurality among your colleagues and clients? Additionally, how would you rate your organization’s capacity to effectively and efficiently deal with cultural plurality throughout its operations and the marketplace? These are must-answer questions for any forward-thinking leader intent on succeeding in a progressively diversifying world. This session will examine the impact multicultural change is having on both individuals and organizations, from performance benchmarking and professional development to strategic planning, and operational efficiency.
This session highlights the importance of organizational change as well as ways to impart said change effectively, efficiently, and ethically.
Individuals are capable achieving a great deal - even all at once. However, this requires careful prioritization and care put into exactly what they value. This session will discuss how to self the priorities that really work for and matter to you, and how to create a life that serves your priorities.
From working out to “eating clean” to establishing boundaries for oneself, it is imperative that people take time to recharge from the stresses of life as well as create habits that will support long term maintenance and care. This session will discuss ways that individuals can take care of themselves both in the moments of great stress or distress and in the day to day.
Although white people often talk about “race problems” as rooted in communities of color, racism is in fact a problem of white communities. Ideas and practices that create inequality and inequities based on racial categories were invented, and are perpetuated, by white people. Even after the many gains of the civil-rights movement, the United States remains a white-supremacist society in material and ideological terms, and in such a society white people have unearned privileges. Robert Jensen will discuss the history and contemporary reality of race in the US, and suggests that we move beyond the rhetoric of multiculturalism and diversity to address the country’s racial divide in productive ways.
Being driven to fight for racial justice is for everyone given that the wellness of our society is a collection of the wellness of everyone. Participants of this session will learn how to promote equity in everyday life and different ways to be active advocates for racial justice within communities, social circles, and workplaces.
It is often said that for an organization to succeed, then all must work for that success. Therefore, leaders in all groups should seek to serve, guide, and assist others in the organization to assure overall success for all. This session will help attendees to meet that goal. Specifically crafted for leaders and aspiring leaders, this session will discuss how to serve others in order to serve the whole and ultimately succeed.
We all know the importance of networking, but we don't always know the best methods to do so. This session will dissect the importance of genuine networking and will help attendees to be strategic and intentional with the 'alliances' you make.
Having an effect on the people and communities around you or your organization takes more than hashtags and public statements. It takes intentional action. This session breaks down how to have meaningful and long lasting social impact on the communities around us.
This session will delve into modern day social justice, what it means, and how we can take part in generating change.
Sometimes, we think of racism as a one time incident. However, racism also pervades cultures, societal norms, policies, and institutions, and it had permeated for centuries. In this way, racism becomes systemic, and dismantling it can take introspection on not only ourselves but the society around us. This session will delve into the intricacies of systemic racism and how we can work on shifting the culture away from such a damaging reality.
Recognizing the diversity in talent is crucial to being an advocate for DEI. This session will present how pertinent it is that your organization’s selection methods prioritize diversity as a goal, and that your organization’s culture fosters environments which permit diverse talent to advance and to thrive.
Practicing inclusion in the workplace starts with understanding differences and embracing diversity by fostering inclusivity. In this session, we will explore practices to enhance inclusion.
During this COVID pandemic, many of us have committed time toward reflecting upon self discovery, self improvement, and reassessing our goals. This session highlights how we can unlock our full potential through tactics such as goal setting, relationship building, and learning how to be confident in our abilities.
Going from military to civilian life can be a difficult transition for the average American Veteran. Acclimatizing to society, re-establishing personal relationships, exploring new career paths, and managing the possibly physical and psychological effects of war can make it difficult for veterans to move forward. Adding to this fact, veterans often find themselves without the resources and representation they may need. This session highlights many of the common struggles US Veterans face, and how companies can work to better accommodate to this population in order to provide them with the tools they need to be successful.
Panelists will discuss how they have navigated through a system of racism in ways that build power and collaboration rather than division, and how they uplifted fellow women despite differences in race.
While all leaders are also managers, not all managers are regarded as “leaders”. This session will discuss how to improve leadership skills to transition from someone who manages to someone who truly leads.
Boards are an excellent opportunity to give back to the community, network, and expand your personal brand. Board seats are not easily attainable by females; and in most sectors of business, there is a dearth of boards seats filled by women. This session will discuss how women can position themselves to overcome this disparity and join boards.
Our panel of women will focus on how they created successes, the resources they employed, and the challenges they have overcome.
April 9
National ERG Summit
Concurrent Session I — 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Employee resource groups are essential for talent to feel welcome, accepted, and understood in the workplace. Despite the necessity of these groups, it is still daunting to start an ERG on your own. This group will discuss the foundational information necessary to start your own ERG from scratch. Panelists will share their specific experiences with and best practices for starting ERGs in an organization.
Employee resource groups and business resource groups are invaluable tools for inclusion and diversity in the workplace. These groups provide a home for similar people while they’re in the workplace. However, for ERGs and BRGs to also promote progress and advocate for its members, they require allies. This session will discuss how to cultivate a group of allies to help drive ERGs and BRGs.
Inclusion teams intentionally seek to diversify the workplace. Inclusion teams, therefore, are a driving force for diversity and inclusion within their respective organizations. This session will discuss the innate importance of D&I and specifically inclusion teams. This panel will include members of inclusion teams as they attest to the important role they play in organizational growth and diversity.
Concurrent Session II — 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Employee Resource Groups provide countless benefits to the members they serve. However, employee resource groups take time and effort to ensure that they run smoothly and maximize benefits offered. This session will include members of ERGs and ERG founders. They will advise on best practices for running and creating ERGs.
Employee resource groups and business resource groups are invaluable tools for inclusion and diversity in the workplace. These groups provide a home for similar people while they’re in the workplace. However, for ERGs and BRGs to also promote progress and advocate for its members, they require allies. This session will discuss how to cultivate a group of allies to help drive ERGs and BRGs.
Employee Resource Groups are essential for employee health and happiness. Through that, ERGs also contribute heavily to an organization’s bottom line. This session will focus on how ERGs can contribute and be leveraged for your bottom line. This session will feature multiple experts on ERGs.
Concurrent Session III — 2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
As ERGs continue to evolve and grow across all business segments and types of organizations, and as they become more aligned to business goals, ERG leaders and coordinators continue to seek “best practices” from across the business. This practical session will examine some innovative and successful ERG practices across how to structure, how to deliver value to members, how to have a greater impact on the business and more. Workshop leader Stan Kimer currently facilitates the module on “Best Practices for ERGs” for the DiversityFIRST Certification Program as well as designing NDC’s new ERG Academy offering.
Employee resource groups are essential for talent to feel welcome, accepted, and understood in the workplace. Despite the necessity of these groups, it is still daunting to start an ERG on your own. This group will discuss the foundational information necessary to start your own ERG from scratch. Panelists will share their specific experiences with and best practices for starting ERGs in an organization.
Diversity 101 - Starting from Scratch
To be determined
April 10
Concurrent Session I — 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
There is no mistaking that racism is still rampant in today’s society, and organizations are not immune to that disease. This then creates in the workplace places of privilege and places of racism. This session is geared toward discussing race and racism in the workplace and how to navigate it. This session will also incorporate talks around what privilege is and how it plays into structural racism.
Are you interested in what it takes to be a leader? Do you know how to inspire as a leader? Do you know how to define yourself as an emerging leader? This lesson is designed by leaders to equip emerging leaders with the tools necessary to utilize their skills and designate themselves as leaders.
It is often said that for an organization to succeed, then all must work for that success. Therefore, leaders in all groups should seek to serve, guide, and assist others in the organization to assure overall success for all. This session will help attendees to meet that goal. Specifically crafted for leaders and aspiring leaders, this session will discuss how to serve others in order to serve the whole and ultimately succeed.
As the title suggests, for upward mobility risks are required. However, despite the connotation of the word, risks do not inherently have to be dangerous. Risks can be beneficial for a career if not a catalyst for it. This session will help attendees differentiate between a chance and a calculated risk that can bolster a career.
Diversity and Inclusion, of course, requires the involvement of women, people of color, the LGBTQIA community, and people of different abilities. However, the benefits of white males in this movement is often overlooked. White men, through their positions in power, can be catalysts for change. Therefore, their championship for diversity and inclusion can help the movement make leaps and bounds. This session will enable attendees to engage with white males who have made inclusion their mission to determine how white males can be champions and how organizations can better utilize white men as supporters of diversity.
While diversity is necessary in the workplace, it cannot be sustained without inclusion. One of the most efficient ways to ensure that companies are able to acquire a diverse workforce is to adapt an inclusive lens. An inclusive leadership lens will allow those in management to realize and acknowledge the array of ideas available in a diverse workforce. This session will help attendees discern what an inclusive leadership lens looks like and determine how to adapt one in their own organizational model.
Understanding the LGBTQIA community is an essential move for businesses to evolve with modern society. The LGBTQIA community offers a diverse array of opinions and advantages. However, to access and serve their community, employers must create environments that are welcoming. This session will enable attendees to realize the best practices for working with and for the LGBTQIA community.
Unfortunately, today not all are treated equally. This is especially true in the field of healthcare. From physicians, to healthcare providers, to actual patient care, disparity is rampant. This roundtable is intended to explain what disparities exist, why they exist, and how they can be mitigated.
With increased reliance on technology in today’s society, the tech industry is of course booming. However, one area in which the tech industry struggles is diversity. Despite being a major employer and industry in the United States, the tech industry has not fully embraced diversity. This session is designed to discuss the many shades of prejudice that are present in the tech industry as well as how we can attempt to mitigate them.
Cesar Chavez once said that, “Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.” In a world that is increasingly connected, many groups are finding that the introduction of their culture leads to its disrespect. This is particularly true for the Latinx community in the workforce. This session is crafted to discuss trends and challenges faced specifically by the Latinx workforce as well as how the Latinx community can advocate for itself in the office.
Concurrent Session II — 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
There is no mistaking that racism is still rampant in today’s society, and organizations are not immune to that disease. This then creates in the workplace places of privilege and places of racism. This session is geared toward discussing race and racism in the workplace and how to navigate it. This session will also incorporate talks around what privilege is and how it plays into structural racism.
Emotional intelligence involves a person’s awareness of his/her/their own emotions. Further, it includes the ability to handle relationships wisely and with empathy. Emotional intelligence is an immense asset for leaders as it allows them to maintain and control their own emotions while calmly addressing the needs of others. This session will discuss how emotional intelligence can enhance leadership.
It is often said that for an organization to succeed, then all must work for that success. Therefore, leaders in all groups should seek to serve, guide, and assist others in the organization to assure overall success for all. This session will help attendees to meet that goal. Specifically crafted for leaders and aspiring leaders, this session will discuss how to serve others in order to serve the whole and ultimately succeed.
Everyone has a skillset. However, not all skillsets are beneficial for leadership. This session is designed to help leaders and emerging leaders assess what skills are practical for roles of leadership. This session will also give examples on what skills have helped its panelists reach their positions of leadership.
Though veterans are often given a lot of praise throughout the United States, they are often underutilized in the workplace. Veterans hold a wide variety of skills as well as a unique perspective. This session is designed to discuss how veterans can be leveraged in the workforce. This session is also intended to help employers learn how to recruit and retain veterans.
This interactive workshop will focus on how employee resource groups, which include affinity groups, business resource groups, and other employee networks, can be structured in such a way that enables group members to develop professionally and to contribute to their respective organization’s mission or business strategy. Participants will engage in a facilitated discussion to identify the critical components of such employee groups that are required to demonstrate their value as a “resource” to the organization. By sharing successes and potential missteps as a group, participants will glean best practices that can be used to develop and/or enhance their own networks. Get ready to learn together!
Being a woman in any space comes with its challenges. This is especially true in the field of technology. This session is both to praise and learn from women who have made a name for themselves in technology. These women will discuss the struggles and triumphs they’ve experienced in this prestigious and difficult field.
In the U.S., one in three adults has a criminal record. This is about as many as those with college degrees. And each year, nearly 700,000 are released from prison to find themselves often locked out of the job market. At the same time, there are 7 million job openings in the U.S. right now as businesses fiercely compete for talent. This session will explore how hiring people who want a chance to work is a win-win-win: It helps keep families together by decreasing the chance of recidivism, it supports a valuable talent pool of willing and trainable workers, and it gives people who have made mistakes the dignity of work.
April 11
Concurrent Session I — 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
The glass ceiling, unfortunately and historically, has stopped many women from rising to their capability. The women of this panel, however, have cracked and passed through the ceiling to be some of the most powerful and influential women in their respective fields. In this session, these female leaders will share their experience and expertise. This session intends to inspire emerging female leaders and empower emerging male leaders to be advocates for their female colleagues.
Chief Diversity Officers are the driving force for diversity in the workplace. This makes them a key player in the push for diversity and inclusion in business. This session includes Chief Diversity Officers who have gathered to share their knowledge and best practices. These CDOs will also discuss how they rose to their positions.
In this era, millennials have joined the work force in increasingly large numbers. This group brings with it a modern and unique perspective. When effectively leveraged, the skills of millennials can be highly beneficial to organizations. This session will focus on how to leverage millennials in the workplace as well as create a culture that is welcoming to them.
Most people aspire for some degree of upward mobility in their career. This is accessible to all people who seek it. However, first one must seize control of their career to actualize their goals. This session is crafted to discuss how attendees can discern their goals and take control of their career’s trajectory.
Teamwork is essential to achieving any goal. Few to no organizations have succeeded through the efforts of a person. Therefore, it is imperative that teams within an organization work together cohesively and effectively. This session is designed to discuss best practices for building and managing effective teams.
Issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability are evident in most environments. This makes the need to speak up about discrimination ever more pressing. However, it is often difficult to open the floor for an educational, respectful, and illuminating conversation on these matters. This session will focus on finding the courage to have these tough discussions as well as best practices for how to facilitate the conversation.
The Latinx community contains a multitude of people with diverse and unique ideas. These people can greatly benefit any work place. The members of this session are evidence of this as Latinx executives discuss their experience in leadership. The session will also focus on the intersection of a Latinx identity and leadership.
In the era of #MeToo and #TimesUp, the discussion on sex discrimination and sexual harassment is at the forefront. However, many people do not understand the full implications of Title IX. This session is designed to better explain what Title IX is and how it affects sex discrimination. This session will also discuss how attendees can be advocates for all genders in the work place.
Leadership is a position that comes with many responsibilities. This entails the need to seek continual growth and improvement. Though a person must be outstanding in their own right to reach a position of leadership, he/she/they must continue to develop and better their leadership. This session will focus on methods to better attendees’ leadership and ultimately become better leaders.
In order for an organization to succeed, all involve must share the same vision for the whole. Further, all must be held accountable for their own portion. And finally, all members must transparently, effectively, and punctually communicate. It is the job of the leader to ensure that this vision, accountability, and degree of communication is upheld. This session will discuss how a strong leader can craft and manage these three aspects.
The United Nations developed the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals were set in order to achieve future that is sustainable and beneficial for all. The goals include items such as poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, peace, and justice. This session will analyze the progress made toward reaching these ambitious but necessary goals.
Concurrent Session II — 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Employment discrimination, whether it is on the base of ability, gender, race, or sexual orientation, is rampant. However, as of late there has been a movement to combat employment discrimination. This session will discuss the current state of employment discrimination. Further, this session will open the dialogue on how individuals can advocate for inclusive hiring practices.
In this era, millennials have joined the work force in increasingly large numbers. This group brings with it a modern and unique perspective. When effectively leveraged, the skills of millennials can be highly beneficial to organizations. This session will focus on how to leverage millennials in the workplace as well as create a culture that is welcoming to them.
Most people aspire to climb the ladder in their organization. For some, that means aiming for the prestigious C-Suite. This session will discuss how to accelerate attendees’ careers to reach the C-Suite. This session will include members of the C-Suite who will share their experiences.
Emotional intelligence involves a person’s awareness of his/her/their own emotions. Further, it includes the ability to handle relationships wisely and with empathy. Emotional intelligence is an immense asset for leaders as it allows them to maintain and control their own emotions while calmly addressing the needs of others. This session will discuss how emotional intelligence can enhance leadership.
Just as the human body requires a certain degree of health to perform, organizations must meet standards of health in order to perform. As organizations seek and achieve higher degrees of health, their performance will subsequently be bolstered. This session will discuss the importance of organizational health for organizational performance. This session will also focus on how organizations have improved their overall health to maximize performance.
Impactful leadership starts with discerning your own cognitive and emotional composition which informs your capacity to relate to and inspire others. In this session, we will explore the introspective process, learn how to bolster your professional confidence and practice unpretentious self-advocacy while minimizing competitive dynamics and maximizing your strategic differentiators.
Concurrent Session III — 2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Chief Diversity Officers are the driving force for diversity in the workplace. This makes them a key player in the push for diversity and inclusion in business. This session includes Chief Diversity Officers who have gathered to share their knowledge and best practices. These CDOs will also discuss how they rose to their positions.
Leaning in is often a phrase used to discuss how women should assert and immerse themselves in the work place. While it is important to put a significant amount of effort into one’s work, it is equally important to maintain a healthy work life balance. This session will discuss the importance of leaning in while leaving space for self-care. This session will also feature advice from leaders based on their personal experience with leaning in.
Emotional intelligence involves a person’s awareness of his/her/their own emotions. Further, it includes the ability to handle relationships wisely and with empathy. Emotional intelligence is an immense asset for leaders as it allows them to maintain and control their own emotions while calmly addressing the needs of others. This session will discuss how emotional intelligence can enhance leadership.
Imposter syndrome posits that individuals doubt their success and accomplishments due to a fear of being shown to be false or fraudulent. While this is not an uncommon fear, it often undercuts an individual’s achievements and hard work. This session will discuss how to utilize praise to overcome the feeling of imposter syndrome. This session will also discuss how perfectionism and the struggle of initial failure play into one’s feelings of professional inadequacy.
Education should be something that is accessible for all groups. Further, all groups should see reflections of their own faces in the faculty and staff they interact with in higher education. However, this unfortunately is not the case. This session will discuss the need for diversity in higher education and what steps can be made toward diversifying higher education.
Learn how RPA can perform highly transactional processes, freeing up employees to focus more on the strategic elements of their work while increasing morale and engagement.
Corporate responsibility is the way in which companies and organizations hold themselves accountable for their own actions. This includes the impact that they have on internal members, stakeholders, and the community as a whole. This session will discuss what corporate responsibility is, why it is a necessity, and best practices. This session will also discuss the importance of corporate responsibility.
April 12
Concurrent Session I — 8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
Full diversity and inclusion can only be reached through the utilization of all resources and willing advocates. This often includes white males. White males, through their positions of power, can often be strong and compassionate allies for diversity and inclusion. This session will discuss how to better include and leverage white males in discussion on diversity.
LGBTQIA community makes up a notable portion of the population. Accordingly, they should be represented and leveraged in organizations. This session will present the compelling strategic rationale and business case for fully embracing LGBTQIA inclusion, and introduce the wide range of programs and tactics to implement greater LGBTQIA diversity in the work place.
In a world where organizations often do not reflect the diversity of the world at large, diversity initiatives are crucial. Thus, every new diversity initiative is welcome if not necessary. However, often creating a new diversity initiative from scratch can be daunting. This session is intended to discuss what attendees should know when seeking to develop a diversity initiative from scratch.
Globalization refers to organizations that intend to operate on an international scale or have some influence internationally. With the increasing ease of communication, it is now easier than ever for companies to have global reach. This session will discuss the impacts of globalization of diversity and inclusion. This session will also focus on how diversity and inclusion can benefit an organization’s international reach.
The ability to negotiate – to advocate and compromise in order to seek a goal – is crucial for all members of an organization. This is particularly true for leaders as they seek to achieve goals and advocate for their organization. This session will discuss the importance of negotiation for leaders. This session will also discuss how to bolster attendees’ negotiation skills.
Communication is essential to all aspects of life. However, it is especially important in crafting a strong leadership presence. Therefore, one must hone his/her/their communication strategies. This session will discuss how to develop a leadership presence through creating communication strategies.
Learn innovative ways to engage internal and external partners to drive diverse talent to your organization. This session will discuss various case studies including neurodiversity, socioeconomic diversity, veterans and more.
Concurrent Session II — 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Full diversity and inclusion can only be reached through the utilization of all resources and willing advocates. This often includes white males. White males, through their positions of power, can often be strong and compassionate allies for diversity and inclusion. This session will discuss how to better include and leverage white males in discussion on diversity.
The LGBTQIA community has historically been underserved and underrepresented in most areas of life, particularly in businesses and oganizations. This follow-on session to LGBTQIA 101 will quickly review the compelling business rationale before digging deep into how to execute a wide range of programs that will completely include the LGBTQIA community,including how to scale for size and best practices.
America grows more diverse with each passing day. The demographics of America are continually changing and evolving. Thus, companies must grow and evolve with America. This session will discuss the impact of America’s changing demographics on organizations.
The ability to negotiate – to advocate and compromise in order to seek a goal – is crucial for all members of an organization. This is particularly true for leaders as they seek to achieve goals and advocate for their organization. This session will discuss the importance of negotiation for leaders. This session will also discuss how to bolster attendees’ negotiation skills.
Communication is essential to all aspects of life. However, it is especially important in crafting a strong leadership presence. Therefore, one must hone his/her/their communication strategies. This session will discuss how to develop a leadership presence through creating communication strategies.
In the world of business, it is easy to get caught up in projects and processes causing us to blow past the people around us. Of course we physically see those who work for and with us; but do we really SEE them? Do we SEE and VALUE their unique strengths and abilities? Do we know what environment motivates them? Do we give them the opportunity to truly MAXIMIZE their talent? In this workshop, we will discuss the benefits of making people a priority and provide application tools that will help you initiate the crucial conversations which will lead you to SEE People, VALUE their uniqueness and MAXIMIZE their talent.