2023 Theme Overview
2023 iLeadership Virtual Summit
The State of Diversity,
This year, American businesses are facing political pressure to ignore the benefits that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belong (DEIB) can bring to their organizations. However, the business case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is compelling.
There is solid evidence that DEIB can boost innovation and employee engagement. Numerous surveys have shown that companies with more gender and racial diversity outperform their peers financially. Companies with greater gender and racial diversity consistently rate among the best companies to work for in America. Yet, there is continued resistance to DEIB. Progress in hiring and promoting women and minorities has slowed. There is still a lack of women and minorities in leadership positions. Industries such as technology and finance maintain a historical lack diversity at all levels.
At RMG’s 6th Annual iLeadership Summit – The State of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, leaders will examine how DEIB must evolve in the aftermath of the police-involved death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. What have we learned about DEIB over the last two years? What are the new markets – domestic and abroad – that will be created by an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion over the next 10 years? How can strengthening DEIB efforts increase productivity in the workplace? Which companies have implemented proven DEIB business strategies that have resulted in long-term financial growth? And what impact will DEIB advocacy have on America’s C-suite in the future?
All these issues and more are important for business leaders to discuss and debate. RMG’s 6th Annual iLeadership Summit provides the forum for entrepreneurs, professionals and political leaders to share information, insights and perspectives on the business case for diversity. We welcome your participation in what we are sure will be a high-powered conversation.
Keynote Speakers
JEAN C. ACCIUS, PHD
President & CEO,
(CHC) Creating Healthier Communities
DR. RANDAL PINKETT
Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO
BCT Partners
JEAN C. ACCIUS, PHD
President & CEO,
(CHC) Creating Healthier Communities
DR. RANDAL PINKETT
Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO
BCT Partners
Agenda
Day 1: September 20th
Noon — 2:30 P.M.
Welcome Remarks:
Host: Fred Smith, CEO Global Ascent Consulting Corp.
Co-Host: Vonetta Hawkins, President & CEO, Vonetta Hawkins Consulting Firm
Opening Remarks:
Speaker: Audria Pendergrass Lee, Vice President of Talent Acquisition
and Chief Diversity Officer, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
In Conversation with…
Speaker: Jean C. Accius, PhD, President & CEO, (CHC) Creating Healthier Communities
Moderator: Alexandra “Alex” Garza, Founder, AGG Consulting
The State of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
Speaker: Christian Baldia, President, Constellation Strategy & Analytical Services
Speaker: Kelvin Goss, Sr. Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Sr. Director, Delek US Holdings, Inc.
Moderator: Andrea Grant,, Human Capital Consultant, FutureSense, an Alliant Company
Break: Hosted by (CHC) Creating Healthier Communities
Panel: How to Push Back When Facing DEIB Denial, Disengagement, Derailment Tactics”
Speaker: Shawna Dressler, Head of People, The & Partnership, Canada, North America
Speaker: LaSonya Berry, CEO, SPHR, McPherson, Berry & Associates, Inc.
Moderator: Fred Smith, CEO, Global Ascent Consulting
Topic: Evolving DEI Over Time
Speaker: Audria Pendergrass Lee, Vice President of Talent Acquisition
and Chief Diversity Officer, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Interviewer: Fred Smith,, CEO, Global Ascent Consulting Corp.
Day 2: September 21th
Noon — 2:30 P.M.
iLeadership Luncheon Keynote Via Fireside Chat
Speaker: Rhonda Joy McLean, President and CEO, RJMLEADS LLC
Moderator: Vonetta Hawkins, President & CEO Vonetta Hawkins Consulting Firm
Fireside: Disrupting Aging in the Workplace Hosted by AARP
Speaker: Paolo Narciso, Vice President – Products, Program Development and Business Optimization, AARP
Moderator: Martin Booker, Program Manager, AARP
HR Roundtable: The Future of Work
Speaker: Erin Miller, Board Advisor, Vityl
Speaker: Tedd Simmons, PhD, Human Resources Executive, National Beverage Corp
Moderator: Knickeita Vassell Bullock, Public Sector Principle, UKG
Break: Hosted by (CHC) Creating Healthier Communities
Panel: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) on DEIB
Speaker: David Garcia, Data & AI Specialist, US Health and Life Sciences, Microsoft
Speaker: Christian Baldia, President, Constellation Strategy & Analytical Services
Moderator: Nicole Flower, Managing Director, Accenture
Keynote: Data-Driven DEI: The Tools and Metrics You Need
to Measure, Analyze, and Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Speaker: Dr. Randal Pinkett, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of BCT Partners
Closing Remarks
Speaker: Danielle Robinson, PhD, Head of Community Engagement and Partnerships, Diageo
Speaker: Fred Smith, CEO, Global Ascent Consulting Corp.
Key Learning Objectives:
I. To share insights that help individuals and organizations build, cultivate, and embed accountability for DEIB into the fabric of teams and organizational wide culture.
II. To explore why Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging must become the non-negotiable pillars on which sustainable organizational cultures must be built on.
III. To examine one’s “Worldviews” which are often defined as sets of beliefs and assumptions that express how cultures interpret and explain their experience. Although essential for humans to make sense of their life, worldviews can nevertheless give rise to bias, stereotypes, prejudice, and exclusionary behaviors toward differences.
III. To examine one’s “Worldviews” which are often defined as sets of beliefs and assumptions that express how cultures interpret and explain their experience. Although essential for humans to make sense of their life, worldviews can nevertheless give rise to bias, stereotypes, prejudice, and exclusionary behaviors toward differences.
IV. To expand one’s understanding of what and how inclusive leadership is role modeled.
(a) They don’t push someone away who genuinely wants to advance change because they look different than them. “Questions are better than assumptions”
(b) They are committed to identifying where others are and create safe spaces for dialogue and engagement. “They have the courage to have uncomfortable conversations and aren’t afraid to raise challenging questions in a respective manner”
(c) Continuous learning is required no matter who we are or where we come from. This work is complex and multifaceted. “There is no way to address everything overnight, and certainly not without mistakes along the way”
Speakers
Sponsors
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HRCI CREDITS: “This Program has been approved for 1.50 Workshop recertification credit hours toward a PHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). “