NABLAP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion / Worthington Industries / Columbus, Ohio
Adrian is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Worthington Industries, a leading global manufacturing company. His key responsibilities include the education and expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion best practices throughout Worthington Industries and its joint ventures.
Adrian works in concert with business segments on strategic programs and systems related to attracting, retaining and promoting a diverse workforce, while establishing an inclusive work environment in support of Worthington Industries' corporate philosophy, values and practices. Adrian is also focused on creating a path forward for Business Resource Groups in multiple regions and locations for the organization. Adrian volunteers his time by serving as President of the Central Ohio Diversity Consortium and through his ministry with his local congregation. In addition to diversity and inclusion work, Adrian has a background in Affirmative Action Compliance and EEOC Governance as well as Supplier Diversity.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Vice President
Hailing from across the pond, Andrea Govan is from Great Britain and has worked in the legal industry for over 30 years. She has served at law firms in England, New York and Ohio. Currently, Andrea is a Legal Assistant with Bricker & Eckler. Outside of her work, Andrea enjoys knitting, yoga, dancing, jigsaw puzzles and traveling. Her favorite travel destination is Barbados. She has volunteered with the Columbus Literacy Council and is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Columbus.
Job Titles:
- Partner / Bricker & Eckler / Cincinnati, Ohio
- Partner at Bricker & Eckler
A partner at Bricker & Eckler, Jason advises a multitude of public sector clients with a focus on school districts and higher education institutions. He advises clients on compliance with a wide array of issues including but not limited to federal and state labor and employment issues, employee disciplinary concerns, contract issues, licensure issues, FERPA issues, ethics issues, the Ohio Open Meetings Act, student-related disciplinary matters, residency and custody disputes, and the drafting and implementation of policies. Jason also has extensive experience leading collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, and employee grievances. Jason is a seasoned litigator representing clients in state and federal courts. He also routinely represents clients before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Prior to joining Bricker, Jason served as the Assistant General Counsel to the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority, where he advised on labor and employment matters, counseled on housing and insurance matters, managed litigation and facilitated public records requests. He began his legal career at the Ohio Attorney General's office as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Section, where he led a team of investigators at the OCRC on charges of discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Title VII, conducted trainings, and handled litigation on various employment and fair housing issues.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Executive
- VP of Human Resources / Worthington Armstrong Venture
Kimberly is an experienced Human Resources executive with over 20 years in human resources. She is currently serving as Vice President of Human Resources for Worthington Armstrong Venture (WAVE), a leading manufacturing company that designs and manufactures the most innovative portfolio for ceiling solutions in the market. As a member of the executive team, she is responsible for leading a team that is responsible for defining and leading WAVE's long-term mission and goals while developing and implementing a strategic plan with a focus on organizational development, talent acquisition, compensation, and succession planning.
Kimberly has been recognized for her leadership skills and is committed to the development of people. She has a history of developing a strategic approach to leadership and development programs that supports creating pipelines for underrepresented groups. In addition, having worked for global companies, she has served on DEI committees in Florida and Ohio and understands the importance of a personalized approach to support leadership and development. She is sought after for her ability to develop successful leadership and development conferences.
Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bennett College and Master's degree in Business Administration. She is a member of the National Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and has served on boards for United Way, FL and Urban League, Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- EVP, Chief Operating Officer / the Executive Leadership Council / Washington, DC
- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Executive Leadership Council
Lori is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for The Executive Leadership Council. Responsible for day-to-day operations of the organization, she implements best demonstrated practices in management systems that will ensure strong organizational performance to meet and exceed The ELC's ambitious goals. Lori manages three programmatic departments: Corporate Partnerships, Member Services and Events and The Institute for Leadership Development and Research. She also supports the President and CEO in addressing a range of strategic opportunities including enhancing organizational effectiveness and overall strategic planning.
Lori is a chief executive level general manager and operational excellence leader. She is a natural problem solver with more than twenty years of experience in finance, accounting, information technology and business/customer integrations who has led multi-disciplinary teams to build solutions that integrate diverse perspectives. She has been routinely tapped to stabilize and manage large-scale transformations, guide complex restructurings and lead teams through change.
Before joining The ELC, Lori served as the Chief Operating Officer/VP, Operations for Cigna's CuraScript Specialty Distribution business. She was responsible for the day-to-day operations including the supply chain, procurements and regulatory and compliance functions. Prior to Cigna, she spent 18 years in progressive leadership roles for Cardinal Health, where she served as the first Chief of Staff to the CEO of the Medical segment.
Lori holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance and a Master's degree from Benedictine College.
Job Titles:
- Retired Bank Executive & Current DEI Consultant
Lynne achieved success in high-level P&L leadership roles at top tier financial services companies. As a corporate executive, Lynne developed a unique inclusion vision which incorporated a focus on women with wealth (yielding over $240M in closed business), increasing the number of people of color in P&L roles, strategically engaging with multicultural customers to support strategy enhancements and generate revenue, improving vendor diversity from 11% in 2015 to 15% in 2017 and increasing the number of white females and people of color in top salary levels from 36% to 48% in three years. Prior to leading DEI strategy, Lynne had an extensive career leading major P&L's in corporate, commercial and treasury banking as well as leading a strategy to increase access to capital and business acumen for women, minority, and small businesses.
Lynne has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including the Annual Diversity Leader Award and Annual Women Worth Watching awards from Diversity Journal; an international Gold and Silver Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year Consumer Services and Female Executive of the Year Business Services, respectively; the SBA's Financial Services Advocate of the Year; Fortune's Great Place to Work for All Leadership Award; and, Top 100 most influential women in corporate America by Savoy Magazine, to name a few.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- President
Michele started her legal career as a Legal Administrator for Weston Hurd LLP. She has been in the legal profession for the past 10 years. Prior to that, she brings 30 years management experience, from Medical to Marketing, from Transportation to Insurance, she has done a little bit of everything. During her tenure as Legal Administrator, she served on the Board for ALA (Association for Legal Administrators), and chaired the Membership and Diversity/Inclusion Committees in Columbus, Ohio. Currently, she is a Legal Assistant for a small family firm in Pickerington, Ohio. Michele spends most of her free time with her grandchildren, she has 9! She is very involved in their soccer and basketball activities. Michele loves spending time with her family, cooking (especially baking), making jewelry, and listening to good Jazz music! Michele will bring experience from being an Administrator, Board Member, Paralegal, and Legal Assistant to NABLAP. She is looking forward to helping gear up the membership, and getting out meeting the members!
Job Titles:
- Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer / Bricker & Eckler / Columbus, Ohio
Serving as Bricker & Eckler's first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Rhonda uses a business lens, grounded in diversity, inclusion, equity and advocacy to drive systemic change. Rhonda is pleased to serve as the inaugural Board President for the National Association of Black Legal Assistants and Paralegals (NABLAP). She is a servant leader who utilizes leading practices and personal relationships to develop diverse teams. Rhonda is also known for her disciplined approach to executing complex tasks to completion.
A trailblazer in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, Rhonda is highly experienced in developing strategic initiatives, implementing aggressive action plans and measuring outcomes. She has assisted organizations in establishing recruitment and retention goals that align with their core values, and she works with leadership teams, boards, human resources personnel, employees and clients to ensure goals are clearly communicated and adopted.
With past experience in corporate banking, Rhonda understands and applies best practices, relevant market trends and human capital research within the service industry. Additionally, for more than two decades, Rhonda has served as the founder and CEO of The Knight Consulting Group, a diversity and inclusion resource to organizations of all sizes and industries.
Rhonda earned her doctorate degree from The Ohio State University. A spokesperson for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Rhonda is frequently involved in planning and presenting at workshops, conferences and webinars, both nationally and internationally.
Ros Parks has served in the legal profession for 24 years as a Paralegal and Legal Assistant in the workers' compensation and litigation space. She is currently a Workers' Compensation Legal Assistant and Administrative Assistant at Bricker & Eckler LLP. One of her goals in being part of the inaugural NABLP Officer team is to share her experiences and benefits of working as a legal assistant within a law firm. When not enjoying her legal support work, Ros loves playing video games, shopping, traveling and volunteering at Mid-Ohio Food Initiative.
Ros Parks has served in the legal profession for 24 years as a Paralegal and Legal Assistant in the workers' compensation and litigation space. She is currently a Workers' Compensation Legal Assistant and Administrative Assistant at Bricker & Eckler LLP. One of her goals in being part of the inaugural NABLP Officer team is to share her experiences and benefits of working as a legal assistant within a law firm. When not enjoying her legal support work, Ros loves playing video games, shopping, traveling and volunteering at Mid-Ohio Food Initiative.