Day One | Tuesday, June 4, 2019
8:45 – 9:10 am
General Session A
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Eric L. Adams, Borough President, Brooklyn
John Brewer, Program Director, The Conference Board
9:10-10:00 am
General Session B
From Diversity & Inclusion to Belonging
Our 2017 D&I Conference began by asking the question “where are you from?” intending to spark a conversation of how each of us views our origins and demonstrate the complexity of each of our stories. This opening session reconnects with that conversation as it explores whether D&I practitioners and all leaders need to focus on creating cultures where everyone feels they belong.
Through the personal stories and organizational practice we will explore questions such as - What does “belonging” mean? How is it different from inclusion? What role do leaders play in creating belonging? How is it possible to weave everyone’s unique story into a culture where everyone belongs?
George Walker, Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Planned Parenthood
10:00 am – 11:00 am
General Session C
What’s so Funny About Being a Woman of Color at Work?
Comedy. Humor. Storytelling. These aren’t necessarily the first words that come to mind when we think of Diversity & Inclusion training programs. Yet humor can be leveraged to convey challenging messages, increase interpersonal understanding, and bring diverse people together. In this session, our facilitators will use comedy and humor to guide learners on an exploration of their reactions, perceptions, and assumptions, giving them insight into others’ perspectives. Learners will leave with simple, practical plans for how to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion and how to be an ally in their organization.
Tissa Hami, Senior Consultant, IBIS Consulting Group
Shilpa Pherwani, Principal/CEO, IBIS Consulting Group
11:00 - 11:30 am
Refreshment Break
11:30 – 12:15 pm
Concurrent Session D-1
Disability in the Workplace
Through the experiences of the US Department of Labor and the National Organization on Disability this session will explore how employers can better integrate people with disabilities into the workplace and create cultures where they feel they belong.
Topics for discussion will include:
- Return to work
- Addressing the skills gap
- Keeping connected during long- and short-term absences
- Workplace accommodations
- Recruitment
Renee K. Tajudeen, Director, Policy Communication and Outreach, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
Jesse Fryburg, Associate Director, Marketing and Communications, National Organization on Disability
Concurrent Session D-2
Building Cultural Competence
Frederick County Public Schools has 68 schools with 43,000 students and over 5000 employees. Like many school systems across the country it faces an achievement gap. Improved instruction is not enough to eliminate the gap; the school system needs to address cultural proficiency.
So they created a Department of Accelerated Achievement and Equity, which included a team focused on cultural proficiency training. Beginning with a 3-year plan focused on system leaders, this team led the transformational conversations. Through strategic activities, leaders across FCPS have demonstrated personal growth that has impacted hiring practices, communications, and policy development. These leaders are now working with teachers and support employees on this initiative and activities with students to empower their voices have begun.
During the session you will hear about the organizational plan and model some of the most effective activities, testimonials of success and the hurdles that still need to be overcome.
Theresa R. Alban, Ph.D., Superintendent, Frederick County Public Schools
12:15 – 1:15 pm
Lunch
1:15 – 2:00 pm
Concurrent Session E-1
Not Just "Being Asked to Dance": How Companies Can Define and Measure Inclusion
Some companies still wrestle with how to define inclusion. Many more are just beginning to measure it. New research from The Conference Board will help your organization clear these hurdles and focus on what really matters: changing behaviors.
Mary B. Young, Principal Researcher, The Conference Board
Concurrent Session E2
Bias and beyond: How Neuroscience Can Inform and Improve Your Diversity and Inclusion Practice
Unconscious bias remains one of the biggest and most intractable obstacles to effective D&I. It is pervasive, persistent and left unchallenged it becomes pernicious. For too long efforts have been focussed on “overcoming” bias or hoping that somehow becoming aware of its existence was enough. Because the simple truth is that where there’s a brain there’s a bias.
In this session David Rock will outline an approach to bias utilizing a game-changing framework that mitigates bias by removing it from the process, not people. He will build on this to illustrate how neuroscience provides insights into growth mindset and workplace culture and how the approach can enrich your practice of D&I
David Rock, Director and CEO, The Neuroleadership Institute
2:00– 2:45 pm
Concurrent Session F1
Moving from the Business Case for Inclusion to Seeing Results Across Your Organization
So, your organization is ready to invest in D&I, what’s next?
This session will detail what comes after the business case is made and it’s time to start driving action across the organization. Through original research and evidence-based approaches, this session will equip you with the tools and tactics you need to increase overall inclusion in your organization by building inclusive habits at all levels.
You’ll learn about your role in building the foundation of an inclusive workplace, how you can mobilize your organization to adopt and maintain inclusive habits and provide you with ideas you can implement today.
Lauren Ferguson, Inclusion Brand Manager, Limeade
Concurrent Session F2
Faith at Work
This session on new areas for ERGs focusses on faith in the workplace. This can be a difficult issue to navigate but as faith plays such an important role in many people’s identity it is an issue that organizations have to engage.
In this session you will have the opportunity to discuss your organization’s approach to faith and explore ways of addressing it in the workplace.
The issue of new areas for ERGs will be revisited in the afternoon through the example of J&J’s recent launch of a mental health ERG
Paul W. Lambert, Assistant Dean, Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business
Farah Siddiqui, Trailhead Operations Manager and Faithforce Global President, Salesforce
2:45 – 3:00 pm
Refreshment Break
3:00 – 3:45 pm
General Session G
Let’s Talk about Age: Including Age as Part of Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
As people are living longer, many are working longer. Today, it is common to see five generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Surprisingly, few companies include age as part of their diversity and inclusion strategy. But there are companies that recognize the opportunity that a multigenerational workforce provides. This session will take an in-depth look at how age is viewed in America, promising practices to leverage the value of the multigenerational workforce, and resources for employers that want to address age in their benefits programs. Let’s discuss how we can disrupt aging in the workplace.
Lori Trawinski, Age Diversity Thought Leader, AARP Public Policy Institute
3:45 – 4:30 pm
General Session H
Including Mental Health in Your D&I Initiatives
In 2018 Johnson and Johnson became the first US employer to launch an ERG thus identifying and organizing a new group of employees not widely considered part of D&I.
In this session Craig Kramer will outline why J&J made this move – why is mental health so important for employers and the connections with D&I.
Craig Kramer, Mental Health Ambassador, Johnson and Johnson
4:30 – 5:15 pm
General Session I
Panel – From Bonds to Bridges – ERGs, Allies and Culture
Following on from the previous sessions on new ERGs this panel session will discuss the broader context of the organizational culture and how to create connections through allies and other methods.
Denzel Singletary, Manager, Global Government Relations, eBay
Amelia Ransom, Senior Director, Engagement and Diversity, Avalara
Denise Reed Lamoreaux, Global Chief Diversity Officer, Atos
Moderated by: Liz Brooks, Director of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity, National Security Agency
5:15 – 5:30 pm
Closing Remarks
5:30 – 6:30 pm
Networking Reception
Day Two | Wednesday, June 5, 2019
8:30 – 8:35 am
General Session J
Welcome and Chair’s Recap of Day One
John Brewer, Program Director, The Conference Board
8:35 – 9:05 am
General Session K
Creating a Trans Inclusive Environment
This session will explore the issue of belonging through the experiences of one of the most marginalized groups in our society. Discussion will include the language we use, respecting privacy, and how to respond when you hear anti-trans remarks.
Alexander Roberts, Workplace Inclusion Manager, National Center for Transgender Equality
9:05 – 9:45 am
General Session L
From #MeToo to Time's Up: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Addressing Workplace Harassment and Inappropriate Speech and Behaviour
As work environments become more casual, harassment cases tend to increase. HR practitioners are responding by requiring harassment/employment law training for management. But is that an effective approach or just a box to check? Hear the case study of how one of Silicon Valley’s hottest companies is teaching executives how to prevent, not just handle workplace harassment. Attendees will be taken through a simple exercise, demonstrating how they can engage managers while teaching them to spot and stop borderline behavior before it becomes bad.
Attendees will learn to:
- Develop day-to-day management practices that promote a casual workplace that is free from workplace discrimination and harassment.
- Dispel common myths about how a typical harassment/employment law class must be conducted.
- Understand why it is important for everyone to have this type of training.
Elizabeth Brown, Chief People Officer, Unity Technologies
9:45 – 10:00 am
Refreshment Break
10:00 – 10:30 am
General Session M
What are the Key Traits and Characteristics of an Inclusive Leader?
Distinction between measuring diversity and inclusivity and the behaviours, positive and negative this can drive
- Social identify theory, belonginess and uniqueness theory
- Characteristics of an inclusive leader – with a number of stories
- Key take away: as humans we all have a need to feel unique, and a sense of belonging. Inclusive leaders act in a way that allows us to feel both
Johanna Beresford, Chief Executive Officer, In Diverse Company
10:30 – 11:10 am
General Session N
Building Bridges – Launching A Global Allyship Program at Expedia
In this session you will hear how Expedia Group went about establishing an allyship program in various locations around the world.
Having identified allyship as a critical component of inclusion that was missing in their current strategy, they set about swiftly rolling out a program globally. In this session you will learn how this leading organization implemented its strategy based on the need for greater understanding of:
- Defining and exploring identity
- Using inclusive language
- Creating a respectful workplace
- Key behaviors of allies
- The role of privilege and how to use it to support others
Kristen Weber, Principal Program Developer, Brand Expedia Group, Diversity and Inclusion, Expedia Group
Zack Rubinstein, Program Manager, Brand Expedia Group, Diversity and Inclusion, Expedia Group
11:10 -- 11:50 am
General Session O
Building A Culture of Belonging Through Conversation
As NYC’s largest hospital, Presbyterian serves a diverse community and employs a diverse workforce. And while it has a culture based on recognition leadership realized more work was necessary to create a greater sense of inclusion and belonging.
In this session you will hear about how Andrea has led a culture change focused on these two things. Her efforts have included Dialogues in Diversity- regular town hall type meetings now streamed to all employees as well as other initiatives.
Andrea Procaccino, Chief Learning Officer, New York Presbyterian
11:50 am -- 12:45 pm
General Session P
Concluding Panel – Building Bridges Between People and to the Future
This concluding panel will bring together some of the issues discussed during the conference and return to the idea of belonging explored in the opening but with an eye to the future of D&I.
What challenges can D&I practitioners expect to face in the coming year and how can D&I become the bridge to the future?
Moderator: Mari Grace Sacro, Supervising Attorney, Law Enforcement Bureau, New York City Commission on Human Rights
Panelists: Liji Thomas, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Southern California Edison
Sheryl Battles, VP Diversity and Engagement, Pitney Bowes
Amy Philbrook, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Fidelity Investments
