Inclusive HEROES

We are closing the first season of the Inclusive HEROES Podcast with a powerhouse of an episode. Living Beyond Limits with Dr. Shirley Davis. Dr. Shirley Davis is a sought-after global workforce expert, and is president and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, a strategic development solutions firm that specializes in human resources strategy; talent management; leadership effectiveness; culture transformation; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Davis has over twenty years of experience in a variety of senior executive leadership roles in Fortune 100 & 50 corporations and in her last role, served as vice president of global diversity and inclusion and workforce strategies for the world's largest human resources association, the Society for Human Resource Management. Her work has been featured by the Wall Street Journal, NBC's Today Show, USA Today, NPR, CBS News, Fox News, CNN.com, ABC News, Fast Company, HR Magazine, and many others. As a result of her contributions and expertise in the HR and DEI fields, she was inducted into Inclusion Magazine's Hall of Fame for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in November 2022. Additionally, she was nominated for Forbes 2021 Women 50 Over 50 list. She has worked in more than 30 countries on 5 continents and delivers more than 100 speeches a year to a wide range of industries, sectors, and sizes, including Fortune 10s-500s corporations, large membership associations and non-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local government agencies. She continues to consult, coach, and train leaders at all levels, including corporate boards of directors. She served on the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board for the National Speakers Association (2017-2021) and held the title of Treasurer on their Executive Committee, was a member of the CEO Selection Committee and the New Board Member Selection Committee and led the first-ever NSA DEI Task Force. She also served on the Washington DC Chapter and Central Florida Chapter Boards and is a member of the Global Speakers Federation. In 2021, she was named to the national board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She earned a Bachelor's in Pre-Law, a Master's in Adult Education; a second Master's in Human Resource Management, and a Ph.D. in Business and Organizational Leadership. Dr. Shirley Davis is the author of two recently released best-selling books Living Beyond “What If?” Release the Limits and Realize Your Dreams” (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, August 10, 2021 #7 Best Seller by Hudson Booksellers) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Dummies (John Wiley & Sons Publishers, January 12, 2022 released #1 on Amazon). She's also the author of the books Reinvent Yourself: Strategies for Achieving Success in Every Area of Your Life and The Seat: How to Get Invited to the Table When You're Over-Performing but Undervalued. Additionally, she is a popular author for five LinkedIn Learning courses on Leadership and DEI and was inducted into Inclusion Magazine's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Hall of Fame in 2021. She is a former Miss District of Columbia National Teenager, Mrs. Oklahoma-America, Ms. Richmond Virginia, Ms. Virginia, and in 2000 she won the national title of Ms. American United States. But among her many accomplishments and titles, the one she holds dearest is “mom” to her daughter, Gabrielle Victoria.    LI profile: linkedin.com/in/drshirleydavis LinkedIn Learning courses: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/search?keywords=dr.%20Shirley%20davis DEI for Dummies book: https://www.amazon.com/Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-Dummies-Business/dp/1119824753/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AK4LB9T5V9P9&keywords=dei+for+dummies&qid=1652232085&sprefix=dei+for+%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-1 DEI Certificate of Mastery:  https://drshirleydavis.com/store/#!/Virtual-Certificate-of-Mastery-for-D-E-&-I-Leaders/p/135397106/category=37192024  

SPECIAL EDITION: #AAPIHERITAGEMONTH - WHY DOES IT MATTER?     In this Inclusive HEROES podcast episode we talked about going deep*    How do you authentically celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month?  Go beyond FOOD & MUSIC (Insert Dancing Emoji).   How can you dismantle institutionalized bias?  Hold your leaders accountable and DARE to ask if they are perpetuating or dismantling.    How do you sustain your passion in DEI work without burning out? Cultivate Resilience and Renewal through a personal practice we discuss in the podcast.  Sonia Aranza is a 25 year veteran in the field of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  Her clients include giants such as Boeing, the CIA, Coca-Cola, McDonald's and many more.  She is on the Faculty of Howard University's Executive Diversity Program.  Sonia was honored “Outstanding Woman of the Year” by the National Association of Professional Asian American Women and honored “100 Most Influential Filipina-Americans in the United States.  It's so relevant that we have Sonia as our guest as we celebrate ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH!  Sonia! Welcome to the Inclusive Heroes Podcast   Connect with our Guest:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniaaranza/  http://www.soniaaranza.com/ 

We can't afford forgettable moments - not anymore.  Creating intentional moments of renewal, and reinvigoration are more important now than ever, as talent is facing #burnout at record levels.  We only have 3 episodes left on the first season of the Inclusive HEROES Podcast. So the final countdown has officially started.  You can't miss the episode Creating Memorable Moments with Jennifer Vasquez. VP, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Golden State Warriors.  I met Jennifer Vazques when both of us were featured as Top 15 Champions of Diversity by Global Diversity Magazine. Then we both participated at the IPMI Corporate Wellness Institute.  Jennifer has been named as one of LinkedIn's Top Women Creators, and early this year she became the first-ever Golden State Warriors Vice President Of Diversity, Equity And Inclusion. In addition, Jennifer also led Amgen's Global Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging efforts.  I am thrilled to launch the Inclusive HEROES Episode - Creating Memorable Moments.  This was an authentic and vulnerable conversation - we talked about:  The importance of creating moments (experiences) for our employees, customers and overall community Moments of truth: Being a leader in the DEIB space is tough - DEIB isn't rocket science, it's harder. What are we NOT saying about being a DEIB leader?  Moments of Courage: Last November Jennifer wrote an article for Hispanic Executive about the stigma around mental health. Should people of color stay silent and face mental health challenges without support because of the stigma, or should they speak out on the support they so badly need? Moments of Insight: As DEIB practitioners we face successes and wins, but more often than not we face moments of "we are NOT doing enough," what insights have you gained from moments that feel like you are a failure, not doing enough, not having the impact you want to have? DEIB Moments: What are some of the new DEIB initiatives you are leading? Moments of inspiration: What quote inspires you to keep moving forward?  NextGen Collective: The Silent Dilemma https://hispanicexecutive.com/nextgen-collective-the-silent-dilemma/     Connect with Jennifer:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennvasquez/

Authentic Relationships: The New Currency I've been waiting to release this podcast episode for over two months. Have you ever experienced the blessing of meeting someone for the first time and feel you have known each other for a long time?  That's exactly what I experienced with Adriana. We were friends without knowing each other.  To me that's the meaning behind the new currency —> Authentic Relationships. Adriana Dawson (she, her, hers, ella) is a nationally recognized leader with over 20 years of demonstrated impact at the intersection of community and business development. She leads the Verizon Foundation and social impact programming efforts in her markets. Adriana is also the Partnerships and Volunteer Global Committee Lead for SOMOS, an enterprise-wide Employee Resource Group (ERG) giving voice to Verizon's 4K+ Hispanic/Latinx employees. We discussed two main subjects:  How we can develop true relationships with the community when performative diversity, performative allyship is rampant across industries The importance of cultural intelligence when building authentic relationships https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianadawson/ 

Unlikely Partnerships About our Guest:  Jeff Marshall - Chief Diversity Officer, Head of Diversity, Equity and Belonging at UM Worldwide. A 21-year advertising and marketing veteran, Jeff Marshall leads Universal McCann Worldwide's diversity efforts as the Chief Diversity Officer, Head of Diversity, Equity & Belonging. In this role, he develops and leads the agency's diversity strategy, directs a 90+ person Council, and acts as the accountability partner to agency leaders as they push towards the future. Prior to assuming the mantel on all things diversity, Marshall was a VP, Group Partner overseeing the water, teas and coffees portfolio on Coca-Cola for UM. In previous agency stints, Jeff has provided advertising expertise for a host of brands ranging from Anheuser-Busch to Las Vegas Hilton Hotel/Casino to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of America. Jeff currently sits on the Board of Trustees for Delaware Valley University, the 4A's Diversity Steering Committee, She Runs It's DEI Advisory Council, as well as the Marketing Council of the African-American Museum of Philadelphia. He has been an Adjunct Professor at Temple University's School of Media & Communications; has been certified as an NBPA Player Agent; owned a small commercial cleaning business; and moonlights as a motivational speaker. Jeff holds a Bachelor's Degree from Delaware Valley University, as well as a Juris Doctorate from Temple University's Beasley School of Law.   Connect with Jeff:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmarshalljd/    Additional Info about Breaking Media  

Don't Let Your Story Go Untold The stories of success and struggle from historically excluded groups matter, yet many of them never see the light of day. Kamilah A'Vant is the Director of Diversity Programs at COLOR and she shared powerful wisdom on Episode # 5 of the Inclusive HEROES Podcast - Untold Stories: Your Voice Matters. We discussed:   What can senior leaders do to recognize and show appreciation to historically excluded talent What can Corporate America do to change the narrative of the stories of success reflecting a singular American experience.   What can we do to make our voice count amidst so much noise? About our Guest: ​​Kamilah A'Vant is a professional who builds connections, an ambassador who champions inclusion and a human who pays it forward.  She uses her voice to ensure that others are seen and heard.  As a seasoned media leader and JEDI champion, her purpose is to expand recognition and inclusion opportunities in professional and personal spaces.  She focuses on growing inclusion by amplifying diverse voices, advocating for women in business, addressing racial equity, empowering diverse communities and fostering connections.   In her role as Director of Diversity Programs at Color Magazine, she ideates, executes and manages logistics for the brand's DE&I live and virtual programming, webinars, workshops and thought leadership as presented in Color's events and its online publication.  Kamilah graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor's degree in Economics, received her Master's degree in Management and a graduate certificate in Leadership from the University of Maryland University College.  She is an adjunct professor at Bay Path University and a member of a number of professional associations including: the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) along with the Greater Providence Chapter of The Links Incorporated. Additionally, Kamilah serves on a number of boards including The Rhode Island PBS Foundation and Children's Friend.  Connect:  https://colormagazine.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamilahavant/ 

Stacey A. Gordon and I had a heart-to-heart conversation in episode 4 of the Inclusive HEROES Podcast: What We Don't Say About Bias. We laughed, shared stories, had a few on fire exchanges and answered the following questions:  Are  workplace cultures improving? What actions can we take to identify and address bias in the workplace? How can we be more intentional and courageous when having tough conversations? What's the top behavior managers can adopt to increase inclusion and a sense of belonging in the workplace? How can we embed accountability on organizational policies that allow biased behavior? About our Guest:  Stacey A. Gordon is an Executive Advisor and Diversity Strategist who works to reduce bias in recruiting and barriers to hiring. Leading at the intersection of recruiting, career development, diversity and workplace culture, Stacey has delivered keynote speeches globally and developed educational content that has engaged professionals both in-person and in a virtual environment. She focuses on reworking how companies work. That includes how they recruit, hire and engage women and BIPOC professionals. Stacey is the creator of a course on unconscious bias, which is the most popular course on the LinkedIn Learning platform. It has also been translated into several languages for consumption globally. She is the author of Unbias: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work, a book that reached #1 on several Amazon New Release lists. She has been recognized by Pepperdine University as a Top 40 Over 40 Leader, by the Los Angeles Business Journal for her work in Diversity and by Forbes as a Top 3 Business Leader Who Spoke Out About Diversity & Inclusion. An appointee to the Board of the Center for Women in Leadership at Pepperdine University, Stacey has served as on the Alumni Leadership Committee of the University for three years and is a facilitator of diversity & inclusion related content as part of their Leadership & Development program. She served as adjunct faculty teaching Diversity in Organizations and Cultural Intelligence at Phillips Graduate University and as the Director of Education for Professionals In Human Resources Association, the largest affiliate of SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) in the country. She is also an Advisory Board Member to two career and technology related companies. In addition to the unconscious bias course, Stacey is the content creator and facilitator of three additional LinkedIn e-learning courses which collectively have been viewed by more than one million individual learners. As a globally recognized keynote speaker, leadership consultant and DEI strategist, Stacey has provided subject matter expertise to SHRM, Fast Company, Skillsoft, Forbes, NPR Radio, BBC Radio, the Association for Talent Development and Fox Business. Stacey Gordon holds a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Studies from Pepperdine University's Business School in Malibu, California and earned a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from St. John's University in Queens, New York.  She earned both her Inclusive Workplace Culture credential and her SHRM-Senior Certified Professional certification from SHRM and pledges to help make all the difference in the world. Connect with Stacy on LinkedIn   LinkedIn Learning: Diversity Recruiting    https://www.linkedin.com/learning/diversity-recruiting-2    Book: UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work

Two months ago Melody went viral on LinkedIn with a post about her resemblance to Mirabel from the movie Encanto. She wrote, “Even as an adult, being affirmed by someone who looks like me on tv/in movies makes me so happy.” The post had garnered over 60K+ reactions.  From the stigma about Fatness in the workplace to green eyeglasses Melody and I discuss the Power of Representation in Corporate America in episode # 3 of the Inclusive HEROES Podcast. This episode is powerful, and you don't want to miss it.  Melody Abedinejad is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Leader in the Fortune 500 (107).  Her journey in diversity and inclusion began upon birth to a family of Iranian immigrants. Growing up in a predominantly white suburb of Boston, Melody often didn't look, feel, talk, act, or share the same belief systems or reference points as her peers. Rather than retreat, she welcomed all into her circle, creating a mindset that continued on into her career where she was awarded for community building, advocacy, and allyship. Social Media: Melody Abedinejad | LinkedIn              #Inclusiveheroes #Disney #DiversityEquityInclusion #representation 

How do you define the art of speaking up?  I had the opportunity to sit down with Natasha Miller, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Ferrara, to have a heart to heart conversation about the importance of speaking up in today's world.  Natasha has been recognized as one of Crain's Notable DE&I Executives, DiversityMBA Magazine's Top 100 Executive Leaders and Top 100 Women of Influence. You can watch to the entire conversation on Youtube: https://youtu.be/O-QWP2fao3I.  About Natasha: Natasha Miller Williams is the Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Ferrara. Her career has spanned many aspects of business, but what matters the most to her is finding ways to improve how we all relate to each other and the opportunities we can create for everyone. She has been a guest speaker for The Conference Board, Society for Human Resource Management, DiversityInc, DiversityMBA, Human Capital Institute, and many talent, inclusion and performance conferences. Recognized as one of Crain's Notable DE&I Executives, DiversityMBA Magazine's Top 100 Executive Leaders and Top 100 Women of Influence. In addition, she brings her love of mentorship and writing into commentary on career planning and guidance as a contributing writer. She has been featured in several career and lifestyle magazines including Black Enterprise and SharpHeels.  Website: www.natashamillerwilliams.com Natasha Miller Williams | LinkedIn

Inclusive HEROES in the Real Estate Industry - From Redlining to More Inclusion. About our Guest:  Cesar A. Lostaunau, MBA, PMP Growth Markets Leader Diversity & Inclusion Strategist Program Builder http://www.cesarlostaunau.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cesarlostaunau/  Cesar Lostaunau is the Director of Growth Markets/Diversity & Inclusion at CENTURY 21 Real Estate LLC. In this role, Cesar is accountable for leading strategic objectives that attract diverse real estate entrepreneurs and drive engagement with growth markets inclusive of the Hispanic/Latino, African American/Black, Asian American, LGBTQ+, and Veteran communities to the global and iconic CENTURY 21 brand. Prior to his current role, Cesar was a sales diversity strategy manager and an IT Project Manager managing large scale projects with global technical teams for Allstate Insurance. Cesar is past President of Allstate's Latinx Employee Resource Group, the Professional Latino Allstate Network (PLAN). As President, Cesar led efforts to earn the Latina Style magazine Top 10 Hispanic Employee Resource Groups in the nation award. Cesar is also a recipient of the DiversityMBA Magazine Diverse Top 100 under 50 Leader Award. As a community leader, Cesar is an active capital campaign committee leader at PODER – a workforce development immigrant integration center in Chicago's southwest side community. Cesar earned a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an MBA from Keller Graduate School, a graduate certificate in Emotional Intelligence for Leadership and Coaching from Wright Graduate University, and a certificate in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University. Cesar is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Prosci® certified Change Management Practitioner. Resources: Link to Empowering Latinas program.  http://c21empoweringlatinas.com/   Link for 3/9 IMPARABLES https://century21empoweringlatinas.splashthat.com/ Check out great stats on Latino homeownership here: https://nahrep.org/downloads/2020-state-of-hispanic-homeownership-report.pdf Here are some of the more telling infographics from the NAHREP report: