ERG SUMMIT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Senior Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion Executive, Bank of America
Alex Rhodes serves as an executive in the global diversity and inclusion organization for Bank of America. In this role, he leads all enterprise external diversity and inclusion partnerships, including research and outreach programs that enhance brand awareness, talent development and business integration for diverse segments of our workplace.
Alex currently serves as the enterprise co-lead for the Bank of America LGBT employee network with more than 21,000 members around the globe, and as co-lead for the bank's Central Los Angeles Market President Council.
Alex has served in various roles across the bank since joining in 2006. Most recently, he served as a transformation executive with the Consumer, Small Business and Wealth Management team. Alex was responsible for conducting people, process and technology assessments to design and enable strategic transformational change. Prior to joining Bank of America, Alex was a senior manager in the financial services practice at Accenture, a global management consulting company.
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Alex graduated from DePauw University, in Greencastle, Indiana with a degree in Economics and Management. Leveraging his degree in economics, Alex proudly served in the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Alex resides in Los Angeles, California with his partner of 20 years. In Hollywood, Alex has served on Business Improvement District committees and is an active volunteer tutoring students at the Boys and Girls Club.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director
- Senior Director - Talent Management, Diversity and Organization Effectiveness, DCS Americas HR
Alfredo Mendez is the Senior Director, Talent Management, Diversity & Inclusion and Organization Effectiveness for AECOM's (NYSE: ACM) largest business, Design and Consulting Services (DCS) Americas. AECOM is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
In this newly created role, Mendez provides leadership to build a new capability around talent management, organization assessment and design, employee engagement, team development, change leadership, and diversity & inclusion for the DCS Americas business. He also partners with the AECOM Executive team to drive large-scale transformation initiatives that impact all 90,000 employees around the world. By creating best in class frameworks and programs, Mendez and his team collaborate with key business leaders and HR partners to optimize the way the organization works.
Prior to joining AECOM, Mendez was a Senior Manager, OE Enterprise Initiatives at Raytheon. His responsibilities included leading key enterprise initiatives, building organizational effectiveness and change leadership capability across the organization, and forming a best practice research repository of human performance and business excellence initiatives. Prior to his role at Corporate, he was a Program Manager, OE for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) business in El Segundo, CA. His responsibilities included leading organizational assessment/design interventions across SAS' functions and programs, driving strategic change management initiatives in support of business growth goals and enabling business, leader, team, and individual performance
Before joining Raytheon, Mendez was a Manager of People and Change Solutions at KPMG, with expertise in organizational design, organizational assessments, change management, strategic communications, and talent development. In addition to client work, Mendez was responsible for building out KPMG's People and Change practice on the West Coast.
Prior to KPMG, Mendez held global leadership positions in the Organizational Readiness and Talent Management arenas at Warner Bros. Entertainment and Levi Strauss & Co. Over the course of seven years, he led projects and employees across 20 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Mendez has extensive knowledge in shared service center migrations, cultural adaptations of organizational effectiveness and change management strategies, and European Labor Laws.
Mendez holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA.
Job Titles:
- Director of Diversity and Inclusion, United States Office of Personnel Management
- the Diversity and Inclusion Program Director
Allison Wise is the Diversity and Inclusion Program Director in the Outreach, Diversity and Inclusion Center at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In this capacity, Ms. Wise leads OPM's effort to develop government-wide policies and guidance to assist Federal agencies in building diverse, inclusive and engaged workforces and organizational cultures.
Before joining OPM, she was the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for six years and served as a senior advisor to the NARA executive leadership. Ms. Wise was instrumental in establishing NARA's inaugural D&I Office where she developed the agency's first diversity and inclusion strategic plan and established a comprehensive agency-wide D&I education program that positioned D&I as a mission-critical imperative. While there, Allison was recognized with The Archivist's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Promoting Diversity for leading efforts to improve organizational performance.
Ms. Wise also spent twelve years with the Department of Navy serving as an EEO Specialist by providing direction to the Agency's Affirmative Employment and Special Emphasis Programs as well as serving as an EEO complaint's program manager in the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity.
Allison's commitment and passion toward building effective D&I programs over the past 25 years are evident in her active participation in the Federal community. She currently facilitates the Diversity & Inclusion Government-wide (DIG) Council and the Hispanic Council on Federal Employment (HCFE) with a focus on developing government-wide policies and practices related to recruiting, hiring, promoting, and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. She is also the co-founder of the Federal Interagency Diversity Partnership established in 2007 as a forum to promote increased awareness and collective commitment to D&I through the sharing of best practices among practitioners across the D&I federal community-at-large.
Allison holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and Finance from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and an Executive Certification in Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management from the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor
- Senior Advisor, Diversity & Inclusion, Chevron
Andraya Martin is Senior Advisor for Diversity & Inclusion in the Office of Global Diversity, Ombuds and University Partnerships & Association Relations for Chevron, a position she has held since February 2017.
Andraya is responsible for the strategic direction of Chevron's 12 Employee Networks with more than 20,000 members worldwide. In her role, she manages the networks' leadership, advises Executive Sponsors, and oversees all aspects of the function to ensure the Employee Networks drive business value for the company.
Andraya also manages strategic partnerships and serves as liaison with high-profile associations and organizations that align with Chevron's strategy in attracting, developing and promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce including Catalyst, UnidosUS, Human Rights Campaign, Executive Leadership Council, and the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR).
Previously, from 2014-2017, Andraya was Diversity & Inclusion Programs Coordinator where she oversaw the administration of Chevron's Diversity & Inclusion and University Partnerships & Association Relations $19 million social investment portfolio. She developed and implemented organizational policies and processes that streamlined operational efficiencies in budget management, costs controls, and portfolio analysis. Andraya also provided support on Employee Network initiatives, diversity, and inclusion training programs, and diversity recruitment programs.
Prior to joining Chevron, Andraya worked in management positions in the home design industry overseeing sales operations, marketing communications and customer relations for various firms in the western region of the U.S. She also served as a consultant specializing in the planning and management of international conferences and professional societies for several of the world's largest medical associations.
Andraya earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Mary's College of California.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin
Andres Gonzalez has worked in the non-profit sector for over 20 years. He has been instrumental in creating culturally and linguistically competent programs. He serves as the Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin located in Milwaukee, WI. He provides direction to the Office of Diversity & Inclusion where he leads Diversity & Inclusion strategic initiatives that include: Business Resource Groups (BRGs), Community Engagement, Diversity Action Teams (DATs), Diversity & Cultural Competence Education, Emerging Markets Initiative, Health Equity, Language Services, Leadership Development, Supplier Diversity and Talent Acquisition.
In his previous role, Mr. Gonzalez served as the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Baystate Health in Springfield, MA from November 2012 to June 2015. He provided direction to the Office of Diversity & Inclusion where he led the strategic initiatives system wide that included: Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), Diversity Council, Leadership Development Initiative, Diversity & Cultural Competence Education, Supplier Diversity and New England's premier Diversity Conference.
Mr. Gonzalez served as the Director, Diversity & Community Outreach and Interim Supplier Diversity Director at Cleveland Clinic Health System from February 2007 to October 2012. He provided direction to the Office of Diversity & Inclusion where he led the strategic initiatives system wide that included: Employee Resource Groups, Diversity Councils, Language Enrichment and Supplier Diversity Programs and Community Outreach initiatives.
Mr. Gonzalez has worked in the community based sector providing leadership as Executive Director for Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP), a chemical dependency prevention, intervention and treatment agency from October 1994 to December 2004. He also led efforts as the Executive Director of El Barrio, a workforce development agency that serves the Hispanic/Latino community in the Near West Side of Cleveland from January 2005 to February 2007.
Mr. Gonzalez holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Cleveland State University and a Master's Degree in Education with a concentration on Community Agency Counseling from Cleveland State University. He also completed the certification program at Cornell University's Industrial and Labor Relations Department and earned a Cornell Certified Diversity Practitioner/Advanced Practitioner (CCDP/AP) certification. Mr. Gonzalez is a member of the Faculty at Elevate, a Partnership with UC San Diego's Rady School of Management, UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton and the UC Office of the President-MESA.
Mr. Gonzalez serves on the national boards of the following organizations: American Heart/Stroke Association's Diversity Leadership Committee and Health Equity Taskforce, American Leadership Council for Diversity in Healthcare (ALCDH), The Institute for Diversity and Health Equity, and a member of the National Association for Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE). He also serves on the following local boards: Employ Milwaukee-the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB), La Causa, Inc., Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Nativity Jesuit Academy, Sixteenth Street Health Center and Waukesha County Land Conservancy.
Mr. Gonzalez is a graduate of Cleveland Public Schools, a 2004 German Marshall Fund Fellow, an alumnus of: Esperanza (Cleveland, OH), Cleveland Bridge Builder's Flagship Program, Leadership Cleveland and Next Generation Executive Leadership Program (The Partnership, Inc. based in Boston, MA).
Job Titles:
- Director of Software Engineering for Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Angela Li is the Director of Software Engineering for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Named to this role in March of 2024, she is responsible for the development, integration, and certification for all software on Boeing Commercial Airplanes. This includes technical oversight of both internal and external software development.
Prior to her current role, Angela served as the Director of 737 MAX Development Airplane Systems. Before joining the 737 MAX program, she held several engineering and leadership roles within the Electronic Systems Design Center. She spent much of her time leading the Boeing Flight Management Systems Integration leader as well as Avionics leader for 747, VC-25B, 767, KC-46, and 787 programs.
Angela is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, where she received her B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering. She holds the role of Boeing Executive Focal for the University of Washington Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and is a member of their Advisory Board. In addition, Angela is currently the Enterprise President of the Boeing Asian and Pacific Association (BAPA).
In her spare time, Angela enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, playing competitive tennis, and is currently making a solid attempt to pick up golf.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Head of Talent Development for the Americas, and HR Business Partner Manager, MUFG Union Bank, N.a.
Anjana Berde is currently Managing Director, Head of Talent Development for the Americas, and HR Business Partner Manager with MUFG Union Bank, N.A. As Head of Talent Development, Berde is responsible for all talent, organizational development, learning, and inclusion, diversity & culture across the enterprise. As the HR Business Partner Manager for Corporate Functions, Berde and her team are responsible for developing and delivering human capital strategies in support of business objectives, and acting as trusted advisors to the corporate functions' C-level executives and senior managers.
Berde's 25 years of HR experience includes lead HR Director roles in banking and construction. Her HR career also includes 10 years with technology firms such as Intel Corporation.
Berde holds a BBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has held a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. Her community service has included Director positions with non-profit agencies specializing in family services and blood services. She lives with her family in Northern California.
Job Titles:
- Board CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER
- Vice President, Financial Advisor, Pacific Capital Resource Group, Inc.
Personal
April Wilson is a board CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, senior team leader, and public speaker. After watching how personal financial decisions affected her family as a child, she became obsessed with understanding the powers of money and finance.
She has been in the financial services industry since 1994, and during that time has had the opportunity to work in two northwest financial advisory practices. In 2006 she started her own financial services practice in Bellevue with Pacific Capital Resource Group, a holistic financial services firm*.
Currently, April is a Vice President at Pacific Capital Resource Group, Inc., an agency of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. She is a Certified Financial Planner, a designation only 20% of advisors have earned.
She is the expert eyes for her clients and an advocate for empowerment through education. She heads a Women's Resource Group that reaches the community through educational seminars and speaking events, educating women on making better financial decisions and understanding areas of financial planning that are relevant to their everyday lives.
April resides in Kirkland with her husband Jason, daughter Zoe and son Jack. When April isn't working she enjoys snow skiing, golfing, boating, and biking.
April meets with clients to review their finances and discuss both their short and long term goals. She will analyze a client's financial situation and determine which strategies could work best to meet their objectives. After tailoring a specific plan to help meet these needs and goals, April will meet with the client on a regular basis to stay updated on their portfolio and address any new goals the client wishes to create.
Job Titles:
- Director, Office of Diversity & Equal Opportunity, NASA - Ames Research Center ( ARC )
Barbara joined NASA in January 2004 and has worked tirelessly in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) since her arrival and now is its Director. She came to NASA with notable experience in various leadership and administrative capacities and a wealth of experience in the field of equal employment opportunity (EEO). She was appointed Director-ODEO after 8 years and is responsible for providing EEO counseling services processes, guidance on problem resolution and program administration for over 2500 civil servants and eligible contractors. Barbara is responsible for managing and monitoring approximately a $1 million budget for ODEO.
Barbara Miller provides mental health counseling in her private psychotherapy practice. She performs various therapeutic modalities and interventions to include individual, family, and couples, crisis intervention, grief counseling, and employee assistance program. Her therapeutic modality is CBT through low intensive outpatient psychotherapy services (long and short term).
Barbara completed a Doctor of Education degree (Ed. D.) in Counseling Psychology, a Master's degree in Social Work, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Barbara has one adult son and two grandchildren who reside in Escondido CA.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Huntington Ingalls Industries
- Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Huntington Ingalls Industries
Bharat Amin is executive vice president and chief information officer for Huntington Ingalls Industries, America's largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of manufacturing, engineering and management services to the nuclear energy, oil and gas markets. Named to this position in January of 2020, he is responsible for establishing the company's IT and Digital strategic direction with a focus on Cyber security capabilities maturity through effective engagement with HII's executive and sector leadership teams. In support of this goal, he will lead our corporate governance & functional oversight, key digital technology partnerships, the development of digital innovation & data analytics and risk assessment capabilities of all information systems across HII.
Amin joined Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries in December 2014. During Bharat's tenure with the shipyard, he led the Information Technology division through a digital revolution, redefining how we build ships today and for future generations through transformation initiatives such as Integrated Digital Shipbuilding, Digital Innovation Lab and Data Analytics. Prior to that he held various leadership positions at BAE Systems Inc., including Business Technology Officer, Vice President and CIO for BAE Systems' Inc's largest sector. His responsibilities included the strategic development, use, and support of information management and technology function; management of the sector's IT budget for its U.S. product lines; and functional oversight of the sector's operations in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and South Africa. He was instrumental in leading various information technology infrastructure and business transformation programs across the operating group globally.
Amin has held various IT leadership positions, formulating and implementing enterprise IT strategy, architecture, policy, and cyber security. He has sponsored and led number of global and U.S.-wide IT initiatives, to integrate businesses in defense and commercial industries. Amin also held leadership positions in industrial engineering and IT at Electrolux Group North America, a global consumer goods manufacturing company.
Amin holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Maharaja Sayajirao University, as well as a master's degree in industrial engineering and an Executive MBA in International Business and Finance from Rutgers University. He is Executive Director Technology Business Management Council Board, Chair Global SAP Aerospace & Defense Industry Advisory Council, Board of American Heart Association Eastern States Region & Hampton Roads, Verizon manufacturing & Industrial Customer Advisory Board, the Forrester Leadership Board - CIO Group, and the Society of Information Management (SIM).
Job Titles:
- Interim General Manager, Global Diversity, Chevron
- Regional Manager of ChevronTexaco Lubricants
Brian S. Chase is the Interim General Manager, Global Diversity, Chevron Corporation, a position he has held since April 2018. He oversees Chevron's Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and Ombuds functions and manages the company's strategic partnerships with universities and professional societies.
From 2013 - 2018, Brian previously served as Manager of Strategy, Planning, Communications and Analytics for Chevron Global Diversity and Ombuds where he transformed the organization into a data and analytics-driven function tightly aligned with business unit and enterprise objectives.
In 2010, Brian was named Senior Advisor, Chevron Corporation, in representing Chevron on the National Petroleum Council (NPC) Future Transportation Fuels Study for the U.S. Department of Energy. He served as Co-Chair of the Heavy Duty Engines & Vehicles group and Co-Chair of the Natural Gas Infrastructure team working with more than 100 leading companies developing future technology options for transportation fuels.
Prior to this role, from 2007-2010, Brian was General Manager, Global Marketing Services, where he led the company's fuels technology strategy and worldwide marketing efforts for Chevron, Texaco and Caltex-branded fuels.
In 2006, he was appointed Vice President of Marketing & Technology for Global Lubricants where he directed marketing efforts for a $3B business with 400 employees. Before this position, Brian was Vice President of Global Lubricants overseeing Chevron's lubricants businesses in Asia Pacific valued at $100M business and supervising a team of 1,200 employees. Brian also served as Vice President, Global Base Oil for Chevron Manufacturing from 2004-2006, where he ran a $500M operation with 200 employees.
Brian joined Chevron in 2001 as Regional Manager of ChevronTexaco Lubricants responsible for managing the manufacturing, distribution and sales of products in the southern United States.
Prior to his work at Chevron, Brian held positions of increasing responsibility at the Pennzoil Quaker State Company before being named Vice-President, Commercial and Industrial Lubricants Key Accounts in 1999. Brian began his career in oil and gas in 1991 with Dryden Oil (now part of BP/Castrol Lubricants) where he rose to the position of Southeast Region Fleet Sales Manager.
Brian served in the U.S. Navy as an Antisubmarine Warfare Officer and Auxiliaries and Electrical Officer. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1986 and in 2000 earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Southern California Edison
Caroline Choi is senior vice president of Regulatory Affairs for Southern California Edison (SCE). In this role, she is responsible for the Company's regulatory strategy and policy at the national and state levels, including regulatory affairs, regulatory operations, and environmental affairs.
Choi previously served as vice president of Energy and Environmental Policy, where she oversaw the analysis of energy and environmental policies; development of a long-term environmental, energy and technology strategy for SCE; and management of regulatory efforts at the California Public Utilities Commission and other state energy and environmental agencies.
Prior to joining SCE in 2012, Choi was executive director of Environmental Services & Strategy at Progress Energy, where she was responsible for leading environmental permitting, compliance and policy. She served the company in various roles, including director, Energy Policy & Strategy, and manager, Federal Public Affairs.
Choi is active in national policy and community engagement, where she serves as Chairman of the Board of the Smart Electric Power Alliance, a nationwide organization that supports utilities in the implementation and deployment of clean energy and distributed resources. She also serves as a board member of the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund and the National Forest Foundation. Choi holds a bachelor's degree in government from Dartmouth College.
Job Titles:
- Head of Global Employee Engagement
Ceah Justice, a dynamic force in the realm of social change, is reshaping the narrative of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is a DEI executive committed to challenging, changing and shaping the mindset of others to create a culture of intentional inclusionist. Serving as the Head of Global Employee Engagement at RTX she plays a pivotal role in enhancing the employee experience through the company's Employee Resource Groups. Inspired by her personal experiences, Ceah Justice has dedicated herself to challenging the status quo to create an environment where inclusion and equity are intentional. Her work doesn't just advocate for a seat at the table; it ensures every voice at that table feels valued, heard, safe and protected.
Drawn from personal journeys, Ceah's mission goes beyond the corporate sphere. Globally, she empowers women, champions authenticity, and creates transformative spaces where individuals aren't just seen, but truly recognized. Her service to women across the globe, serving as a board member and faculty advisor to the Executive Institute on Inclusion, O.W.E and Life Renewed as well as leadership roles with institutions like Ignite Worldwide and Lesbians Who Tech, reflect her commitment to real, tangible change.
She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and founder of Journey, a women empowerment platform where her goal is to help women find their voice, step into their power, and create change in themselves and those around them. She holds a bachelor's in liberal arts and organizational Leadership and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management.
As a public speaker, she raises awareness of pressing societal issues, encourages people to take personal responsibility for their own lives, and motivates them to develop creative solutions focused on people. The heart of Ceah's work centers around creating transformative environments where people feel safe to use their voices , purpose and power to walk in their fullest potential and authenticity.
Job Titles:
- Director, Global Diversity and Inclusion, Lockheed Martin Corporation
As a leader on Lockheed Martin's Global Diversity & Inclusion team, Kern engages with the organization to advance diversity and inclusion in alignment with powering innovative solutions for Lockheed's customers and driving business success.
Kern has extensive experience in the manufacturing, distribution and consumer packaged goods industries. Prior to her D&I roles, Cheryl held roles of increasing responsibility in sales, general management, supplier diversity and employee engagement for Xerox, International Paper, Amway and Johnson Controls. Her professional experience includes leadership responsibility for customers such as GM, Eaton, Dow Chemical and Ford. Kern has experience in launching new start-up facilities and led minority business development joint venture strategies.
A native of Michigan, Kern has been recognized as a Top Diversity Executive in Corporate America by Black Enterprise, is a Champion of Diversity Award recipient, has been honored with the Diversity Salute Award and was named one of 10 Top Global Leaders in Diversity and Inclusion by Diversity Global Magazine. Kern is a published thought leader and has spoken on regional diversity issues in the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
Kern earned a BBA in Marketing from Western Michigan University and has participated in executive leadership programs at Tuck's School of Business and Cornell University. She is married and has two daughters.
Job Titles:
- Leader of the Autonomous Design Center of Excellence
- Vice President of Global Operations and Leader of the San Diego Autonomous Design Center of Excellence
- Vice President, Global Operations, San Diego Autonomous Design Center of Excellence, Northrop Grumman Company
Christine McGlade is the vice president of Global Operations and leader of the San Diego Autonomous Design Center of Excellence. Northrop Grumman is a premier provider of military aircraft, autonomous and space systems and next-generation solutions critical to preserving freedom and advancing human discovery for customers around the world.
As the leader of the Autonomous Design Center of Excellence, McGlade is responsible for advancing and shaping a dynamic workplace where employees are enabled to break new ground in the development of autonomous technologies. In addition, McGlade is responsible for Global Supply Chain Program Management and is also the focal point for Global Operations within the Autonomous Systems division.
Prior to this role, McGlade was vice president of Global Manufacturing and the Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence leader in St. Augustine, Fla. McGlade joined the company in 1986 and has experience in manufacturing, logistics and program management roles at multiple sites across the corporation.
McGlade earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University and a master's degree in business administration from Adelphi University in New York.
Job Titles:
- Director of Talent Acquisition and Diversity, Tennessee Valley Authority
Based in Chattanooga, Christopher is the Director of Talent Acquisition and Diversity for the Tennessee Valley Authority since May 2015. He leads a team of professionals focused on delivering best-in-class recruitment and diversity solutions. He has established a sustainable D&I infrastructure, transformed the talent acquisition program and processes, and led the launch of nine ERGs.
Prior to TVA, he was Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for Booz Allen Hamilton where for over ten years he oversaw a variety of talent acquisition programs including university, diversity, military, employee referral programs. He led efforts in employment marketing and social recruiting. He obtained his Change Management Advanced Practitioner Certification through Georgetown University.
He serves as a Board Member of the Chattanooga Area Urban League. He is active with the National Association of Colleges and Employers serving as the President-Elect (2018-2019), Vice President, Employer (2016-2018), NACE Board of Directors (2012-2014), co-chairing committees including the Career Readiness committee in 2014-2015 and has presented at a variety of conference workshops on both university and diversity topics. He has also served on the USBLN Industry Advisory Board, numerous university advisory boards including two advisory boards at Gallaudet University and was co-chair of Booz Allen's Diverse Abilities forum.
Christopher has held a number of recruiting and consulting roles within the consulting, entertainment, and non-for-profit industries. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Job Titles:
- Global Diversity Officer, People & Culture, Global Human Resources, ManpowerGroup
- ManpowerGroup 's Global Diversity Officer
Christopher Rowland was appointed ManpowerGroup's Global Diversity Officer in June 2016. As Global Diversity Officer, Rowland oversees the advancement of ManpowerGroup's long-term D&I strategy and execution. Rowland has been with the company since 2007, previously serving as Managing Director for ManpowerGroup Solutions.
Connie McFarland serves as a Senior Strategist Leader at Edward Jones. She creates strategies related to cross cultural agility for both Home Office and Branch Teams. Specifically, Connie leads the firm's Business Resource Group and DEI 365 strategies, focusing on learning opportunities, programs and experiences to strengthen the culture of inclusion and to foster the growth mindset, cultural awareness and empathy of all associates and leaders, in order to better serve the Edward Jones' clients.
Connie joined the Edward Jones Research Department in 1994, serving as a Team Leader. In 2004, she was promoted to Department Leader, assuming responsibility for the newly reorganized Equity Service department. In 2012, Connie was asked to lead the Fixed Income Service department, in conjunction with her leadership of Equity Service. Her passion for diversity, equity and inclusion led Connie to her current role in 2014.
During her 29-year career, Connie has been involved in numerous firm-wide efforts at Edward Jones. She led the Edward Jones Service Division's inclusion and diversity efforts, creating a program, hiring diverse talent ahead of need. She also served as a National Speaker for the firm's Women Helping Other Women and Diversity Summits. In addition, Connie delivered the firm's market update on several U.S. radio stations and served on the firm's Inclusion Council prior to joining DEI.
A native of St. Louis, Connie holds the Series 7 and 63 licenses. She received her bachelor's degree in business administration with a marketing emphasis from Fontbonne University and earned an MBA from Webster University. Connie and her husband, Kurt, enjoy spending time with their adult children and infant granddaughter, fishing and birdwatching.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, TIAA
A leader at TIAA for 12 years, Corie Pauling became the organization's Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer in July 2018. Corie was instrumental in the launch of the D&I function at TIAA over ten years ago and served as a primary legal and business advisor and thought leader in this area since that time. In her prior role, Corie held the position of Senior Director, Associate General Counsel in the Employment, Benefits & Labor Law Group, in which she provided counseling, training, risk assessment, and other support to TIAA's executives, its prior CDIOs and other Human Resources leaders and also business managers on a broad range of workforce issues, and she also managed employment litigation nationally. In the D&I space, she has extensive experience in strategy development, board interface, equal employment opportunity best practices, policy development, training/learning, metrics, data analysis, and reporting, external partnerships and sourcing, pay equity, global workforce compliance, talent acquisition, workforce development, employee resource groups, culture surveys, federal contractor compliance, and workplace investigations. Having partnered with nearly every area in the TIAA organization over her tenure, she has also led the Culture Action Team for TIAA's Advocacy & Oversight area since 2016.
A former shareholder with the international employment law firm Littler Mendelson, P.C. and also Ferguson Stein Chambers in Charlotte, Corie's experience includes counseling financial services institutions and other Fortune 500 companies as well as representing individual employees in employment and civil rights litigation. She has significant trial and appellate experience on civil rights matters. Having presented before the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association, the Practising Law Institute, the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Society of Human Resources Management and other organizations, Corie frequently speaks at legal education programs on emerging employment law topics and D&I strategies.
A competitive marathoner and civic leader, Corie was incredibly honored to be named TIAA's 2012 Working Mother of the Year in conjunction with the national magazine Working Mother. She is currently serving a second appointment by the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners to the Arts and Science Council, and she is the recipient of the 2011 Young Civic Leader Award by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and a graduate of Charlotte's groundbreaking Leadership Development Institute. Corie has served on the Board of Governors of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) and as chairperson of the NCBA's 500-attorney Labor and Employment Law Section. Among other leadership posts, she has also served as a committee chair of the Board of Directors for the Levine Museum of the New South and co-chair of the Mecklenburg County Bar's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Regional General Manager for the MidAtlantic Region of TIAA 's Institutional Retirement Business
- Managing Director, Regional General Manager for the MidAtlantic Region, TIAA
Craig Parkin is Managing Director, Regional General Manager for the MidAtlantic Region of TIAA's Institutional Retirement Business. In this role, Craig's team is responsible for all aspects of client relationships in the higher education segment with his client's retirement assets exceeding $80B for more than 650,000 participants.
Prior to this role, Craig was the Head of Business Effectiveness for TIAA's Retail Financial Services business, Chief Operating Officer for the Retail Products & Services unit and Head of Relationship Management for the company's 529 college savings business. Before TIAA, he spent ten years at Bank of America, where he held a variety of leadership positions.
He is a member of TIAA's Charlotte Leadership Council and is the executive sponsor of the Empowered (African American & Caribbean) Employee Resource Group.
Craig holds a B.A. in economics from Colgate University and was a Hugh McColl Sr. Fellow at the McColl School of Business at Queens University, where he received his MBA and executive coaching certification and as a FINRA registered representative, he holds his Series 7 & 24 licenses.
Craig serves on the Board of Advisors of the UNC Charlotte Belk College of Business and recently completed a six-year term on the board of directors for the Alexander Youth Network.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President
- Global Commercial Banking Market Executive
- Senior Vice President and Global Commercial Banking Market Executive, Southern California, Bank of America
Dana Alligood is a Senior Vice President and the Global Commercial Banking Market Executive for Southern California. She leads a team of financial professionals in San Diego, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. In this role, she is responsible for helping middle-market companies achieve their financial goals by delivering the full breadth of Bank of America Merrill Lynch capabilities to middle-market companies.
Before becoming the Market Executive for Southern California, Dana was the Enterprise Compliance Executive and Chief Operating Officer for Global Compliance for Bank of America. Additionally, Alligood served as Credit and Treasury Products manager for North Carolina in the Global Commercial Bank. In this role, she led the Credit and Treasury Sales officers for Middle Market and Business Banking. She was also a Sales Performance Manager and Client Manager in the Global Commercial Bank covering General Industries and Government clients.
Alligood joined the company in 1993 in Washington, D.C. in the Management Associate Program. She returned to the company after business school in 1997 as an Associate Relationship Manager in the Global Commercial Bank.
In 1998, she worked in the Office of the CEO during the Bank of America acquisition and she worked as a Vice President in Middle Market Investment Banking. She returned to the Global Commercial Bank as a Client Manager in 2002.
Alligood is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Economics and holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from Wake Forest University with a concentration in Finance. She is a graduate of LEAD San Diego. Dana is serving on the Board for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of San Diego County and the Board for the San Diego Food Bank. She is a FINRA registered Principal with Series 7, 63 and 24 securities licenses. Alligood is married and has three sons.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager, Boeing Development Program Excellence, the Boeing Company
Daniel (Dan) Carroll manages Development Program Excellence initiatives in The Boeing Company, the world's largest aerospace company with over $90B annual revenue. He advises organizations and teaches methods which will transform how the company develops new products to break the decade's long upward trend in development costs and schedules seen in our industry and others. Recently, Dan Carroll led several business development campaigns within Boeing's Space and Intelligence Systems (S&IS) division. Previously, Dan was Executive Director of the S&IS Ground and Software Shared IPT (G&S SIPT) with a several $100M annual budget. He managed 300+ employees whose activities encompassed Ground Systems tasking, collecting, processing, exploiting, and disseminating, Boeing-resident Mission Control Center facilities, and customer deliverable software for spacecraft bus software and simulators. In these assignments, he managed project execution and developed the long term strategies that guided new business pursuits, make/buy decisions, workforce development, and internal R&D and capital technology investment.
In his early career (1984 to 2002), Dan held technical and management positions in Hughes Space and Communications (HSC) developing and producing electronic equipment and test systems for satellite systems. He received several HSC technical achievement awards for advancements in satellite digital communications. He also contributed strategic and tactical content to numerous winning proposals. His leadership style emphasizes strategy, innovation, organization, collaboration, and team play.
Dan has a passionate interest in attracting, developing and retaining Boeing employees. He was a founder and longtime supporter of the S&IS High Potential Employee and Mentoring programs, and a Diversity Council. He has led S&IS wide People projects including workforce planning, accelerated college hiring, creating and deploying technical training, workforce redeployments and contributed to the Department of Defense and General Accounting Office studies. Dan received a 2011 Individual Change Agent award from Boeing Global Diversity & Employee Relations organization.
Dan has a Bachelors of Electrical Engineering degree from Villanova University. He earned his Masters degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He enjoys artistic, musical and literary areas of interest, and is an American Youth Soccer Organization referee and avid soccer fan.
Job Titles:
- Chief Learning Officer / Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
- Chief Learning Officer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Daniel Arnall is Chief Learning Officer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. He is responsible for Command University and the commands System of Development.
Daniel has been a part of the Navy team for over 20 years. Joining the Navy as a Gas Turbine Mechanic in 1993, he served aboard the USS ARLEIGH BURKE with deployments to Bosnia and the North Atlantic. Upon leaving active duty, he continued service in the Naval Reserves, serving in the SWCC Special Boats Unit for a few years.
In 1999, Daniel began his apprenticeship at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard with the Marine Machinery group (Shop 38). Primary focus was on aircraft carrier propulsion plant repair, maintenance, and testing, until being promoted to foreman, where he supervised submarine ordinance and shafting / steering and diving work. After fulfilling these duties for a few years, Daniel was promoted to aircraft carrier zone manager, focusing in propulsion plants and shafting / rudder repair and maintenance. After completing multiple projects, he eventually moved to the Propulsion and Auxiliary product family, managing the shafting, steering and diving cell. This lead to an interest in LEAN and Six Sigma principles, theory of constraints and change management theory. While advancing knowledge in these interests, Daniel became the Process Improvement Manager for the Inside Shop Product Line (C1060). During this time he completed NAVSEA Six Sigma Black Belt College and obtained the practitioners certificate for the PROCI Change Management Model. Daniel went back to Shop 38 as the shops Work Force Development Director, where he developed the current processes for the shop's workforce and leadership development, as well as hiring and promotion management. In 2020, Daniel was selected as the Machine Shop (Shop 31) Trade Superintendent. During this time, he assisted in leading corporate efforts to improve machine shop capacity and capabilities throughout the organization via Naval Systems Sustainment-Shipyard (NSSSY).
Daniel currently sits on the Diversity Leadership Council. He is also a member Federal Managers Association local chapter and sits on the Executive Board of the National Association of Superintendents as the chapter treasurer, as well as the Diversity committee.
Married and a father of three adult daughters, Daniel enjoys traveling to Hawaii to visit his wife's family and enjoy the "Island Life". He is an elder in his church, and leads the bible studies for his area. His hobbies include home improvements, building model cars and boats, and watching, coaching and playing sports.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Director of Inclusion, Engagement, & Change, Associated Bank
Darcy Pierson joined Associated in January 1994 and is currently working in the position of senior vice president, director of inclusion, engagement & change management leadership in human resources. In her role, she is responsible for diversity & inclusion, colleague engagement, and change management.
Pierson brings more than 26 years of banking experience to Associated. In her current role, she guides the organization towards its objective of mirroring the diversity of the communities in which it serves by establishing strategies to broadening colleague representation across the bank and advancing a culture of inclusion. Before that, she served as Senior Vice President, Director Development & Change Leadership 2012- 2014; Senior Vice President, Director of Learning & Development, 2008 - 2012; and Vice President, Senior Organizational Development Consultant, 2004 -2008
Pierson holds a Masters of Business Administration - Organization Development and a Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing and Management. She serves on the board of the Northeast Wisconsin Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, member of Associated Bank's Diversity & Inclusion Council, and leader with Associated Women's Network.
Job Titles:
- Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Dr. Jenise M. Carroll serves as the Chief Diversity Officer, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Federal Bureau of Investigation. In this role, she is responsible for the integration and implementation of strategic diversity and inclusion initiatives into the Federal Bureau of Investigation culture, policies, programs, and core functions. Prior to her appointment, she served as the deputy director of diversity and inclusion for the Department of the Air Force and responsible for advancing the diversity and inclusion to attract, recruit, develop and retain a high quality total force, ensuring a culture of inclusion for over 697,000 personnel.
Dr. Carroll has served a wide range of government experience as a strategic leader with proven experience in navigating and leading teams through complex policy problems, designing and implementing strategy and policy, formulating, and conducting international dialogue, and directing large-scale analytic efforts. She is a transformational leader across multiple domains including human capital organizations, military operations, Congressional/joint planning efforts resulting in interagency policy development.
Dr. Carroll holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration from Trident University International, Master of Science in National Security Strategy from National Defense University, Master of Business Administration from Troy State University, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern Colorado.
Dr. Carroll is a U.S. Air Force veteran with multiple combat tours in Iraq and overseas tours in Korea and Italy.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor
- Director of the Office of Diversity
Dr. Theresa Horne is currently on Joint Duty Assignment as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, Intelligence and Security. In this capacity, she advises Human Capital leaders on culture, engagement, and talent management. In her official role as Director of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Dr. Horne exercises leadership of the culture, inclusion training, compliance and equal employment opportunity divisions supporting approximately 14,000 federal employees and contractors. She is responsible for interpreting EEO policy and regulations to implement higher level actions that directly shape the culture and improve operations throughout the agency.
Her culture work has been recognized by federal and private industry earning her many awards like the Meritorious Service Award as well as being recognized as one of Mogul's Top 100 DEI Leaders in 2021 and Washington Exec's 2022 DEI Executive to Watch due to her extensive inclusion work for women and people of color across the federal government. Dr. Horne is a sought after speaker and trusted thought leader on the intersection of DEIA, leadership development and human capital.
Dr. Theresa R. Horne is the Director of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).
In this capacity, Dr. Horne exercises leadership of the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) and equal employment opportunity (EEO) teams supporting approximately 14,000 federal employees and contractors. Dr. Horne manages, directs, and coordinates the day-to-day operations and strategic vision of the office. She is responsible for interpreting EEO policy and regulations to implement higher level actions that directly shape the culture at DCSA and improve operations throughout the agency.
Prior to this role, Dr. Horne served as the Chief Diversity Officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) where she created and managed the implementation of the DEIA Strategic Plan, advised the Executive Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council on key opportunities to bolster women and underserved groups through sourcing, recruitment, retention and upward mobility for a 21,000+ employee organization. Dr. Horne successfully led the reasonable accommodations team, Anti-Harassment program, organizational climate assessments team, special emphasis programming team, diversity training, and the agency-wide vaccine exemption planning process, building policy and processes that were utilized across the Department of Homeland Security.
Additionally, Dr. Horne led award-winning culture efforts internationally in Yokosuka, Japan with Defense Logistics Agency before returning to Washington, DC to continue her work as a Senior Program Manager at the National Labor Relations Board. Her culture work has been recognized by federal and private industry earning her many awards like the Meritorious Service Award as well as being recognized as one of Mogul's Top 100 DEI Leaders in 2021 and Washington Exec's 2022 DEI Executive to Watch due to her extensive inclusion work for women and people of color across the federal government. Dr. Horne is a sought after speaker and trusted thought leader on the intersection of DEIA, leadership development and human capital.
Dr. Horne earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Masters of Education, emphasis in Assessment, Testing and Measurement from Ashford University (now University of Arizona Global Campus) and a Doctorate of Education Leadership and Learning, emphasis in Education Administration from Aspen University. She is a proud Army war veteran and stalwart advocate for civil, human, and veteran rights.
Job Titles:
- Senior DEI Strategist Leader
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer and Director, Office of Human Capital / U.S. Department of the Interior
Jennifer Ackerman joined the Department of the Interior on May 26, 2019 as the Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer and the Director, Office of Human Capital for 70,000 employees serving in over 350 occupations and 2,000 locations. Jennifer's portfolio includes policy guidance, execution and oversight with respect to recruitment, staffing, executive placement, performance management, employee engagement, workforce planning, data analytics, compliance and analytics. Before joining DOI, Jennifer served as the DCHCO at the Peace Corps, a Senior Manager at Deloitte managing a variety of projects including the Transportation Security Administration Personnel, Payroll and Benefits Shared Service Center. Prior to Deloitte, Jennifer was the Director of Human Capital Policy at the Department of Energy and served as the Project Manager facilitating the transition of 18 independent human resources offices to four Shared Service Centers. The majority of her time prior to DOE was spent in the Department of Defense as a Human Resources Director at a Field Activity and other civilian positions after leaving the military.
In the military, Jennifer served as an enlisted Army flight medic during college in the Reserves and then she was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps Officer stationed in the 3 rd infantry division and 147 th medlog battalion in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. She was also the executive officer for the Institute for Surgical Research at Brooke Army Medical Center. Upon transition from Active Duty as a Captain, Jennifer served in the Army Reserves. Jennifer grew up in Dacula, Georgia, attending Georgia State University and has a Bachelor's and a Master's of Business Administration from Webster University. She attended the University of Virginia's Navy's Corporate Business School and the Office of Personnel Management's Federal Executive Institute's Leadership for a Democratic Society and the Center for Creative leadership.
Job Titles:
- Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer ( CDO ) for American Electric Power
- Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, American Electric Power
- Chief Diversity Officer for Providence
- Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer / Providence
As Chief Diversity Officer for Providence, Karen is responsible for developing and leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategic initiatives that advance Providence's vision of Health for a Better World.
Prior to joining Providence, Karen was the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for American Electric Power (AEP) based in Columbus, Ohio. She served as advisor to the CEO, senior leadership team, and business leaders across AEP's eleven state territory. She led the enterprise Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) vision and strategy as well as overseeing compliance with Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity regulations.
With over 20 years of Diversity and Human Resources experience in the health, energy, construction, and retail industries, Karen has held positions of influence in the following companies: Georgia Power, Ashland Paving and Construction, San Antonio Water System, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas Med Clinic, and QVC.
Karen is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She received a Master of Arts degree from Webster University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Texas.
Karen was named one of twenty Trailblazing Women in Healthcare by Reuters in 2024. The 2024 awardees are women who have shown remarkable influence, impact, and leadership in the healthcare sector, and who inspire others with their work. Karen received the National Black MBA Association - Columbus Chapter Diversity & Inclusion Person of the Year Race for Excellence Award. The National Diversity Council named Karen one of the Top 50 CDOs for leadership and personal accomplishments. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and enjoys spending time with her family, mentoring, cycling, traveling, golfing, and shopping at local boutiques. She has been the guest on podcasts to include: CMO Podcast DEI mini-series; MDRG Healthcare Podcast: What Consumers Want; and StoryCorps Podcast with Mike Drummond. Karen is currently authoring a book that will chronicle her life's journey.
Karen Ashley is the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDO) for American Electric Power (AEP). She is responsible for leading the enterprises' Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) vision and strategy. She has more than 20 years of experience leading high performing teams in the energy, utility, construction, health, and retail industries. Before taking on her current role, Karen worked as a Human Resources and D&I leader in several organizations, including Georgia Power, Southern Company, Ashland, San Antonio Water System, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas Med Clinic, and QVC.
Karen is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She received a Master of Arts degree from Webster University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Texas.
Karen received the National Black MBA Association - Columbus Chapter 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Person of the Year Race for Excellence Award. The National Diversity Council named Karen on the Top 50 CDOs for leadership and personal accomplishments.
She is an author, speaker, currently serves on the United Negro College Fund Leadership Council's Columbus Chapter, and is a member of the Women's Fund of Central Ohio's Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Karen has served in leadership roles and on the boards of several prominent organizations, including the Atlanta Management Advocacy Group and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Karen enjoys traveling, golf, and exercising.
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President & General Manager of GE Healthcare
- Regional Vice President & General Manager, Southwest Region, GE Healthcare
Labu Sharma is the Regional Vice President & General Manager of GE Healthcare's $450 million Southwest region. With responsibilities spanning GE Healthcare's imaging, ultrasound, life care solutions, IT, consulting, service and life science offerings, Labu leverages the capabilities across GE Healthcare in partnering with customers to improve healthcare quality, access, and affordability.
Labu joined GE in 2003. Prior to his current role, Labu was an Executive Director managing key customers and leading commercial teams in the region/country. His past roles within GE include Commercial Transformation Leader, Team Leader - ITO showcase and an Account Manager.
Originally from Nepal, Labu is passionate about driving a culture of Diversity & Inclusion. He leads several D&I initiatives across GE Healthcare and is a frequent speaker/panelists at various events.
Labu holds a Bachelor degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Master's degree from Northwestern University. He is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt and graduate of the GEHC's Americas Sales Training and Leadership Program.
Ms. Amoa is a certified coach with advanced degrees in Intercultural Communication and Communication Studies from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and University of Ghana. She also holds certificates in Public Performance Measurement and Strategic Management from Rutgers University and Georgetown University.
Job Titles:
- BRG Leader
- Director of National Equity, Inclusion
- Director, National Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
Michelle Linares is the Director of National Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity at Kaiser Permanente with nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She leads and manages national level strategic projects and consultations to improve workplace fairness, empowerment, and belonging to deliver value-based care. Additionally, Michelle leads the Business Resource Group (BRG) program strategy, activating thousands of employees and clinicians to serve as cultural influencers and multipliers across all Kaiser Permanente markets. Michelle's combined experience in the healthcare industry includes serving as a bilingual health educator, program manager, and implementing various strategic initiatives in health promotion, digital health, quality improvement, culturally responsive care, and workplace development and engagement. She is passionate about empowering people and redesigning systems to achieve optimal health outcomes for all.
She re-engineered patient resources to increase digital and health literacy for 4.1 million patients, with a focus on the Hispanic and Latino community. By designing and implementing over three hundred health education resources rooted in equity-centered design, she ensured that patients, clinical staff, physicians, and community partners were all involved in the process. Michelle's commitment to bilingual-Spanish text message campaigns for diabetes, mental health, and healthy living engaged over 10,000 patients and community members within the first year of its launch. Her work also supported over 1,000 physicians in sharing culturally responsive care resources with their monolingual and bilingual-Spanish patients. In 2020, Michelle's expertise became an integral part of Kaiser Permanente's COVID-19 response, resulting in the COVID-19 Social Health Playbook and an internal Equitable Care Toolkit.
Michelle knows firsthand the importance of valuing and respecting our healthcare workforce. It is no secret that when they feel appreciated, it translates to better care. Through their diverse lived experiences, skill sets, and commitment to fairness and accessibility, our healthcare workforce is equipped to deliver value-based care. During her time at Kaiser Permanente, Michelle participated in multiple BRGs and co-led the Latinx BRG. Her leadership helped the Latinx BRG become recognized as Latina Style's Top 15 ERG for three consecutive years.
As a BRG Leader, Michelle's biggest accomplishment was co-leading the first-ever Latinx Mental Health Summit. The summit aimed to elevate culturally responsive care effective practices to advance health equity for BIPOC communities accessing mental health services. The event reached 1,000 participants and provided access to Kaiser Permanente's top leaders in equity, inclusion, and diversity, marketing, and mental health. Now, Michelle ensures that BRGs serve as cultural advisors to leaders and partners to transform workplace inclusion and culturally responsive care.
With an undergraduate degree in health sciences and a minor in Spanish from San José State University, followed by a master's in business administration from National University, Michelle has made great strides in both her education and career. Michelle's dedication to promoting learning culture has not gone unnoticed - she was awarded Kaiser Permanente's 2024 Apple Award for Best Learning Culture Influencer for impact in leading the Business Resource Group (BRG) program. Additionally, she was recognized as a Rising Star from Latino Leaders Magazine in 2023 and received Silicon Valley Latino's Creo En Ti Champion in 2019 for her impact at Kaiser Permanente.
As a first-generation Salvadorian American, college graduate, and healthcare professional, Michelle has been committed to the Latino Community Foundation's philanthropy movement as a founder, member, and advisor to Latinos in Healthcare giving circle for the past five years.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Executive
- Deputy Purpose & DEI Officer
Nhu Fabros is a passionate and experienced corporate executive with over 25 years of global experience in talent, business transformation, leadership and organizational strategy, and communications. She regularly works with C-Suite executives to advise on strategic initiatives and business decisions related to people and talent, organizational culture, future of work, sustainability, and purpose, Nhu brings a wealth of experience that spans across a range of industries, businesses and geographies to advance business priorities.
Nhu currently serves as the Deputy Purpose & DEI Officer for Deloitte Tax where her role is to lead the organization's efforts to a purpose-driven organization that creates value for clients, opportunities for people, and positive impact for society
Prior to this, Nhu was the Managing Director of Deloitte Global's diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) team where she was responsible for developing an driving Deloitte's global DEI strategy. In her role, she oversaw the development of global programs and interventions designed to advance inclusion and equity across Deloitte. This included learning and development programs and offerings, data insights and metrics, and external eminence campaigns, research and thought leadership. Nhu furthermore was a strategic advisor on DEI and succession planning for Deloitte's Global Clients & Industries group, and regularly advised Deloitte firms on DEI and talent matters spanning across all 150+ countries where Deloitte operates.
She served as the Talent and Communications leader for Deloitte Private globally, the Chair of Deloitte Global's Asian + Allies community group, the Executive Sponsor of the Greater Washington Global Neighborhood for Deloitte Global, the Strategic Priorities Leader and Talent Executive Sponsor for Deloitte Canada's Tax Practice, and the Chief of Staff and leader of the Office of Deloitte US Tax CEO.
Job Titles:
- Business Leader
- Chief Inclusion & Engagement Officer / Charles River Associates
- Officer at Charles River Associates
Raquel Tamez is a visionary business leader, characterized by her extensive experience as a C-level executive and independent board director. Her transformative approach has significantly influenced public, private, and non-profit organizations across diverse sectors including technology, EdTech, economic/financial/management consulting, engineering, and social impact.
As the Chief Inclusion & Engagement Officer at Charles River Associates, Tamez is known for her adept leadership in fostering inclusive work environments and driving strategic initiatives. Her tenure as CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) is a testament to her exceptional leadership, where she propelled the organization to new heights, expanding its membership, influence, and corporate partnerships.
Her tenure as Chief Legal Officer at SourceAmerica further showcases her ability to drive organizational excellence and legal strategy in complex environments. Tamez's accomplishments have been widely recognized, including awards like the Hispanic Corporate Achiever Award, the 2020 Ohtli Award (bestowed by Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs), and listings among the most influential Hispanic lawyers.
Tamez's board experience, spanning organizations like DeVry University, Melwood, Girls in Tech, and Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility (HACR) reflects her deep commitment to governance excellence and strategic oversight. This breadth of experience demonstrates her versatility and commitment to a range of causes, from education to technology, workforce development and social empowerment.
A prominent brand ambassador, Tamez frequently appears in the media, enhancing the credibility and competitive edge of the organizations she represents. Her ability to drive forward-thinking initiatives has established her as a catalyst for progressive change and sustainable innovation, particularly in complex corporate environments.
Raquel Tamez holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and St. Mary's University School of Law. Her career is a testament to her leadership in diversity, legal expertise, and dedication to community empowerment. As a board member, she brings a wealth of knowledge, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to inclusive excellence.
Job Titles:
- Chief
- Vice President
- VP & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer / Elevance Health Inc.
Ruchi Jalla is Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer at Elevance Health, Inc., a Fortune 25 company and lifetime, trusted health partner fueled by its purpose to improve the health of humanity. Elevance Health's companies serve more than 115 million people through a diverse portfolio of industry-leading medical, digital, pharmacy, behavioral, clinical, and complex care solutions.
Ruchi joined Elevance Health in 2021 to lead Elevance Health's DEI Strategic Framework, fostering partnerships with Elevance Health's DEI Council and Senior Leadership team to develop DEI strategies and enterprise initiatives that advance Elevance Health's overall diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts internally and externally. Prior to Elevance Health, Ruchi was Vice President & Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer with BAE Systems Inc., a subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, security, and aerospace company.
Ruchi is an experienced, award-winning DEI leader known for building top-performing teams, fostering strong collaboration between DEI and business functions, and is a frequent contributor to publications, panels, keynotes, and other events. Ruchi currently serves as a Board Trustee for The Langley School and previously served as President of the Northern Virginia SHRM Board of Directors.
In addition to earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Western Ontario, Ruchi has earned certifications as a Qualified Administrator, Intercultural Development Inventory, Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR), HR Certification Institute, SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) for Human Resource Management, and Certificate in Human Resources Management [High Honors], Seneca College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and three children.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer ( CDO
- Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer / the Walt Disney Company
Tinisha Agramonte is Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) of The Walt
Disney Company. Agramonte leads Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy,
Job Titles:
- Director, Strategic and Community Engagements, Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, U.S. Department of Defense
Colonel (Air Force retired) Victoria Bowens is the Director of Strategic and Community Engagements under the Office of Force Resiliency for the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Victoria has over 30 years of experience in the Human Resources domain, spanning a myriad of human resources and manpower management programs in the areas of strategic planning, training and development, and program and project management for joint military and civilian personnel programs. Ms. Bowens is an accomplished diversity and inclusion renowned Thought Leader with over 12 years of advising senior leaders, academia, and industry partners on diversity matters affecting DoD. She published the DoD's first Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan in 2012 and the Department of Navy's Diversity Roadmap in 2017.
Previously, Ms. Bowens served as the Associate Director, Diversity and Inclusion Directorate for the Diversity Management Operations Center, Defense Human Resources Center, responsible for providing strategic and operational direction and support to the military services and Department of Defense (DoD) Components on a number of initiatives to attract, develop, and retain a diverse workforce with the unique skills affecting 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel and 950,000 DoD civilians. She also served as the Director, Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Navy, where she was responsible for providing advice and counsel to the Assistant Secretary to the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Civilian Human Resources on strategies to address the Navy and Marine Corps military and civilian diversity and inclusion challenges for a workforce of over 900,000.
Ms. Bowens graduated from the University of Akron, Ohio, and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer's Training Corps as a distinguished graduate, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Management; a Master of Arts Degree in Administration from Central Michigan University; and a Master's degree in Military Operational Art/Science from the Air Force's Air University. She is a graduate of several Air Force-level schools and held a variety of positions at the squadron, wing, and staff, in joint level organizations across a spectrum of 16 positions at 10 locations in and outside the continental United States.
Ms. Bowens is a Certified Diversity Professional, a New Inclusion Quotient Certified Game Changer, and a certified Coach from the John Maxwell Program. She is also a recognized Air Force Human Resources expert, having received two Air Force-level honors as the Senior Personnel Manager of the Year in 2002 and Junior Personnel Manager of the Year in 1997.
Ms. Bowens' awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. In 2018, she was recognized by Wonder Woman Tech as a Black Innovator in STEM + Arts; in 2013, she was selected by the National Association of Professional Women as "Professional Woman of the Year;" recognized as "Worldwide Who's Who" in the Registry of Executives, Professionals, and Entrepreneurs for 2012-2013; and honored as one of the Most Influential in the 2nd Edition of "Who's Who" Black in Washington, D.C, in 2010.