Tinisha Agramonte, the Architect of the First Generation Professionals Initiative, a first of its kind Federal government diversity and inclusion program, is a highly regarded Civil Rights and Diversity Champion whose personal and professional mission is to advance equitable opportunities for all. She has 25 years of experience in the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), diversity, civil rights, and human relations arenas as a civil servant, consultant, university instructor, and trainer/facilitator. Throughout her 23-year federal career, Agramonte held leadership positions with various Federal agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, Veterans Affairs, Army, and Air Force, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. As a principal advisor, she provided executive leadership, strategic direction and guidance, leading agencies through transformation efforts, strategically embedding and integrating innovative and forward thinking EEO, civil rights, and diversity programs into day-to-day agency operations. She led and implemented policies and programs that impacted workforces up to 300,000 employees and were recognized as best practices in the federal government. Agramonte was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES) in 2013 and served in SES capacities for seven years before resigning in 2020 to accept a position as the Chief Diversity Officer for Motorola Solutions, Inc. Early in her life, Agramonte was identified as an at-risk youth. With the help of mentors and educators who saw potential in her, she was able to overcome significant challenges. Because of their guidance, she realized the potential they saw in her and was encouraged to reach unimaginable heights. For this reason, and as a First Generation Professional, Tinisha is compelled to “pay it forward” by ensuring ALL people have the access, opportunities, encouragement and support needed to realize their fullest potential.Agramonte was an adjunct instructor for Chapman University, teaching senior-level Diversity Management courses. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from California State University, Hayward and her Master’s degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Featured in both Forbes & Fortune Magazine in 2021 as a “Leading Woman in Business,” Johnte’ Archer, JD is a powerhouse entrepreneur and community leader. She is the CEO of J. Archer Insurance Group/Archer Commercial Insurance Group, a multi-national independent insurance brokerage. Founded in 2009, the affluent firm, is a sought-after diverse solutions partner, a certified M/WBE firm selected based on their proven capabilities and their track record of exceptional performance. The firm has experience serving the risk management insurance needs of clients ranging from high-net-worth individuals to multi-national publicand private organizations. She also the Broker/CEO of luxury real estate firm, J. Archer Properties. And in 2020 she co-founded, InnoQuad Global, a tech start-up & incubator for small businesses to scale and a pipeline for corporations seeking diversity and data to support diversity efforts and outcomes. Johnte’ is a proud graduate of the University of Houston and Pepperdine School of Law in Malibu, CA where she earned her law degree. She 1998 she has been a member of the illustrious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She has a distinguished background as a participant in the Texas Legislative Internship Program (TLIP), The Mickey Leland Congressional Internship Program, and as a Legislative Aide for the US House of Representatives. She is a champion for girls and children evidenced by her early service as a law clerk with the Children’s Law Center in Los Angeles, CA and as a Guardian Ad Litem advocating for children in foster care. Johnte’ Archer is also the Founder/CEO of The SHE IS A CEO Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded to encourage entrepreneurship, enrich character and develop a love for charity among girls. Through its programs, the foundation strives to create entrepreneurs one little girl at a time and support other organizations that educate and enrich the lives of girls. Johnte’ is proud to say that the organization will have served over thousands of middle school girls through its Entrepreneurship Academy, Conference and Pitch competition since its inception in 2015. The organization has received numerous awards for its advocacy and impact on the community. Supporting her community, girls and other women in business is Johnte’s passion. Besides teaching complimentary insurance, financial literacy and wealth building workshops, she also hosts quarterly private events with women entrepreneurs to discuss everything from personal investments to building capacity through strategic partnerships. She is a current board member of Temenos CDC, a community housing development corporation, and is a supporter of such charities as Houston Furniture Bank, The Bread of Life, Inc., Yellowstone Academy, & St. Jude’s. Johnte’ has received numerous recognitions including the Houston Business Journal’s 2021 Women Who Mean Business Award, Business Insurance Magazine’s 2020 Women to Watch, a 2020 Pinnacle Award, Top 30 Most Influential Women of Houston, The Vanguard Award during Houston’s Iconic fashion week, and was recognized as a Top 10 Women In Business by the Women’s Diversity Council. But above all, her proudest accomplishment is her family, spiritually led by her husband, Ike and grounded by the daily adventures of their son, John Christopher.
Anthony has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Augusta University and completed executive programs at Harvard Business School’s Program on Negotiation, University of Toronto-Rotman School of Management’s Governance Leadership Institute, and Santa Clara University’s Black Corporate Board Readiness Program. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at Credit Union of Texas. He formerly served on the boards of INROADs, eQubed, Orlando Magic Community, the Wesley Matthews Foundation, and the DeMarco Murray Foundation. Through his BOD experience, he’s served on several audit, nominating, governance, and advisory committees. Frequently recognized for his outstanding community work, Anthony was honored by INROADS with the Business Mentor of the Year Award, and by Texas Diversity Council, where he won the Business Leadership Award. He volunteers his time to many worthy organizations such as United Way, Junior Achievement, and Boys and Girls Clubs.
Jason Barrett is the Senior Vice President of Renewable Energy Sales at GAF Energy, with direct responsibility for residential and commercial markets. He also served as the Vice President of Structured Finance and Investments originating and deploying tax equity in solar rooftop transactions. In 2020, Jason and his team received the Los Angeles Business Council’s Renewable Energy Award for creating innovative financial tools for solar rooftop development. Jason leads a sales team that is currently reshaping the roofing industry with the award-winning Timberline Solar product that protects like a roof, installs like a roof, and produces clean energy, from the world’s first nailable solar shingle. Jason has an extensive background in structured finance and asset management with prior positions at Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Fannie Mae, and Morgan Stanley. He has a BBA in Finance / International Business from Howard University, where he was an ITT Hartford Scholar. Jason has an MBA from Cornell University, and received the Robert Toigo Fellowship, later becoming an award recipient in 2007. Jason is a Board Member of the USATF Foundation, which provides opportunities to youth and elite athletes in track and field. He is also a Board Member of Renewables Forward, which focuses on increasing diversity in the renewable and clean energy industry.
Arthur Benjamin is an experienced Talent Acquisition, Diversity and Inclusion leader with 19 years of demonstrated history in strategic thought, leadership and planning around the complexities of talent engagement, culture, diversity, and inclusion. Skilled in Technical and Corporate Recruiting, Screening, Strategic HR Leadership, Management, and Diversity & Inclusion strategy. Mr. Benjamin holds a BS in Social Psychology and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and a Doctorate in Transformational Leadership while serving as Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Tinuiti. Prior to joining Tinuiti, Art was the Global Head of Inclusion & Belonging for Varian Medical Systems headquartered in Palo Alto, California where he oversaw inclusion and belonging strategic initiatives for over 11 thousand employees across 47 countries. Under his leadership and influence, Varian increased it’s female representation and gender diversity by 50% in all levels of leadership. Art also created a minority-based mentorship and sponsorship program that increased visibility for underrepresented communities of color to have equitable opportunities for promotion and advancement. The Inclusion and Belonging team lead multiple campaigns for equality and mental health awareness. Arthur spent almost three and a half years at California Coast Credit Union and eight years at SONY Electronics leading innovative and transformational diversity programs and initiatives that are still in play today. While at SONY, he oversaw a global inclusion effort that impacted nine thousand employees. His equity work around creating equitable experiences for people of color with less than perfect background checks won SONY Electronics an award for Best Places To Work for Diversity and was widely praised in the industry. Arthur’s influence at SONY allowed them to increase minority representation in senior levels of leadership by 40% and created a 63% leadership pipeline of developed BIPOC talent. Mr. Benjamin chairs the San Diego Diversity Inclusion & Belonging Network, a monthly gathering of the top Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging thought leaders. Arthur has won or been recognized for more awards that we can name but here are some of the more recent: 2022 Top DEI Influencer Award, 2021 DEI Champion Award, 2021 Racial Equity Award, and Tinuiti has won the 2022 Diversity Excellence Award. Mr. Benjamin partners with Center for Executive Excellence (CEE) to design, develop and facilitate a series of panel discussions with DEI practitioners, thought leaders, and executives from diverse organizations to share best practices in this rapidly developing field. Their most recent panel discussion entitled Championing Diversity: CEO Straight Talk included CEOs from various industries and sizes of organization. Mr. Benjamin also serves as an Executive Board Advisor for CADIA (Center for Automotive Diversity Inclusion and Advancement), an organization committed to championing diverse talent, driving systemic change, creating inclusive cultures, and supporting leadership commitment and on the Athena Male Allyship Committee. Arthur Benjamin is also a family man and loves his wife, Violet and daughter Psalm.
Bill Borden is responsible for leading the development and execution of Microsoft’s global financial services strategy, supporting its FSI customers in their digital transformation journeys. As Microsoft’s thought leader in financial services, Bill came to the company with a distinguished, 20-plus year career in the industry holding various senior leadership positions at some of the largest banking institutions in the United States including Bank of America and Citigroup. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management. Bill is a member of The Executive Leadership Council, the preeminent membership organization for the development of global black leaders. He is committed to helping the communities in which he lives and works through board membership, volunteering and mentoring. He and his wife reside in New Jersey and are the proud parents of two children. Follow Bill at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-borden
India Boulton is Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs at T-Mobile. India provides legal counsel to senior executive management and others on nearly all customer facing matters. India leads a mighty team with responsibility for providing legal guidance on advertising, strategic marketing, communications, consumer and business sales, care, finance, and operational issues. India also serves on the Diversity Advisory Board to senior leadership, as the Executive Sponsor for the Black Empowerment Network and Mckinsey Black Leadership Program at T-Mobile. Prior to her current role at T-Mobile, India spent over 16 years at Sprint, where she rose from counsel to Vice-President-Law/Marketing Practices. She also served as Executive Sponsor for Diamond Network, the Black Employee Resource Group. Before going in-house, India practiced commercial real estate law at the Katz Law Firm and represented one of the largest national retailers. India began her law career as an attorney at Rider Bennett in Minnesota, a large multi-disciplinary law firm, where she practiced general business and real estate law. India received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas prior to attending Washburn University School of Law where she received her Juris Doctor Degree in 1999. India has been actively involved in many legal and community organizations. Among a few, she served as the first President for the Kansas Bar Association Corporate Counsel Section from 2005-2007. She has also served on the Executive Board and Bylaws committee for the Johnson County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc, and on the Board for the Linwood YMCA. She currently serves on the board of the Greater Kansas City Urban League. She also has two sons who keep her very busy.
With 17 years of media experience, Obele Brown-West currently serves as the Chief Solutions Officer for Tinuiti, a digital marketing agency that manages over $3B in media spend for clients such as e.l.f. Cosmetics, Revlon, and Etsy. She is responsible for developing new go-to-market strategies, creating new service lines and reorganizing the client strategy department, all while implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion philosophies along the way. Fingerprints of her energy, drive and dedication to the growth of DEI have been all over the marketing industry for years—long-before 2020 threw a spotlight on the issue. Obele previously launched the Chicago chapter as co-chair of IPG's Black Employee Network and sat on Weber Shandwick's North America DEI leadership team. Her passion for social change has been tapped for interviews in “LeanIn” (a global community dedicated to helping women achieve their ambitions), and McKinsey’s “State of Black Women in Corporate America.” After the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others, Obele was instrumental in guiding Tinuiti’s response through candid conversations with the CEO, successfully urging him not to be silent on the issue. This included the creation of roles 100% dedicated to DEI (including a Sr. Director of Diversity and Inclusion), a pledge to address our hiring efforts in order to increase diversity and a DEI Committee of paid volunteers where she would serve as Executive Sponsor to help build initiatives informed by her experience as a black female executive in the marketing world. Tinuiti’s pledge is to double the percentage of Black talent from 4% to 8% between 2020 - 2023, and to increase its non-white population from 27 - 30% in the same time span. In just one year since the pledge, the agency currently sits at 5% Black employees and 29.7% non-white and a big part of that growing diversity comes from Obele. The impact on Tinuiti’s workforce and clients is award-worthy alone, but Obele also rises up and reaches back to impact as many people as possible through co-hosting the agency’s ‘Off Mute’ podcast where the biggest names in Martech and Media offer unfiltered, bold predictions. She prides herself on having a diverse guest list and often hones in on the topic of DEI in the workplace—and the industry. Prominent figures such as Veronica Marshall, founder of The Humanity Lab, Rochelle Hinds, VP of Social Media for OneUnited Bank and Elizabeth Morrison, the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for Levi Strauss and Co. have joined Obele to discuss intersectionality, the future of workplace diversity and how brands can take meaningful and measurable actions to address social issues. Obele Brown-West’s shining presence is immediately recognized when she enters a room (or Zoom), but what makes her a Rockstar is how she takes that spotlight and shines it on social and corporate change.
Michelle Carter Pierce is General Counsel for Centria Healthcare, LLC. Headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Centria is one of the largest providers of home and center based ABA therapy nationally. Michelle joined Centria in 2016 as the company’s first chief legal officer, building its Legal Department from the ground up. Michelle is responsible for leading the company’s legal functions and initiatives, and counsels the Executive Team on legal strategies, contractual agreements, and business objectives. She also advises operational leadership in areas of risk mitigation, employee relations, regulatory compliance, commercial contracts and litigation. Michelle also served as the organization’s Chief Compliance Officer for more than two years, during which time she developed, implemented and managed the company’s initial corporate compliance program. Additionally, Michelle was instrumental in launching the company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and serves as its Executive Sponsor. She also serves as Secretary and Board Member for the company’s Charitable Foundation. Prior to Centria, Michelle was the General Counsel and Director of Human Resources for a Michigan healthcare management consulting company for adult foster care agencies and adult day programs nationwide. Michelle was also a Partner at a large Detroit-based law firm, Bodman PLC, where she practiced complex commercial litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and employment litigation. She was also a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and the Diversity Committee. She began her legal career working for a reputable business law firm based in New Jersey. Michelle earned her BA from University of Michigan, and her JD from Rutgers School of Law. In addition to the State of Michigan, she is licensed to practice law in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In 2020, Michelle was featured in Vanguard Law Magazine as a leading attorney in the healthcare industry. She was also a recipient of Michigan Lawyers Weekly Magazine’s “Women in the Law in 2020” award. Michelle has been recognized by dBusiness Magazine as “Top Corporate Counsel”, and “30 in their Thirties.” She was also recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Rising Star.” Michelle received the State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Division’s “Outstanding Lawyer of the Year” award, and the Legal Aid and Defender Association’s “Pro Bono Attorney of The Year” award. Michelle has been actively involved in many organizations over the years as a member of the legal community. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Wolverine Bar Association (Past President), the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Volunteers of America (Secretary). She was previously appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court’s former Task Force for Solutions on Self-help. Outside of work, Michelle enjoys spending time with her husband Brian, and their two young sons, Brice (age 7) and Brian Jr. (age 12).
Chalon Clark is an award-winning attorney and partner at Husch Blackwell, LLP practicing commercial litigation. She has received numerous accolades and honors including the Women in Business Award (Dallas Business Journal), Texas 100 Most Influential in the State (Dallas Business Journal), Minority Business Leader Award (Dallas Business Journal), Top Forty Under Forty (D Magazine), Texas Super Lawyer, Top Women Attorneys in Texas, and many others. In addition to her thriving area of practice, Chalon is the proud founder and owner of Design Redefined — a contemporary interior design business where Chalon redefines customers’ reality into beautiful, inspiring decorated spaces. Chalon and her husband also own the Jamaican restaurant chain, The Island Spot, with three locations in Dallas and the Island Spot Villa in Jamaica focused on sharing the Jamaican culture through Rich Food, Reggae, and Rum. With a thriving law practice, loving husband and three beautiful daughters under the age of 5, Chalon Clark is a true “mompreneur” who is representing not only in the community as an attorney, but also as a highly sought after interior designer — on an international level. Just as Chalon delivers closing arguments in the courtroom, she also brings the story of her client’s lives together, demonstrated through the design of their home or business.
With over 25 years’ experience in sales, business development, and marketing for the Channel, Lori has developed as a passionate, results-oriented executive. Over the years, she’s honed several specialties that include recruitment, development, and management for the Channel, the strategizing and execution of business development, and her ability to craft strategic partnerships and alliances. Her commitment and contribution to her work lead to her being named as a CRN Channel Chief for the past 5 years and the coveted spot of Power 100 list in 2009, 2014 - 2021. She has received recognition by CRN Magazine as a Top Woman in the Channel each year from 2009-2021. In 2011 Lori was awarded with the title of 2011 Women Worth Watching, and in June of 2014, Lori Cornmesser was the proud recipient of the Diversity First Leadership Award. Lori has been honored with Top 50 Women in Technology Award in 2019 -2021. Lori continues to be honored for her work in Diversity Equity and Inclusion receiving the Leadership Excellence Award in 2021 as well as Inclusince Leadership Award from the Diversity Council and the Racial Justice Champion by Diversity First Organization. While she is dedicated to her career and no doubt works extremely hard in order to contribute greatly to the growth and success of her company, as well as the growth and success of herself within her field, Lori Cornmesser served as a the President of the Silicon Valley branch of the larger umbrella organization, the California Diversity Council and was recently named President of the Board for the Women’s Global Leadership Initiative (WGLI), As Lori Cornmesser is of African American and German descent, she relates to issues of diversity and understands the importance of not only celebrating diversity, but also in spreading an understanding of diverse backgrounds and cultivating diverse work environments. As a highly influential and established woman in the business world, Lori Cornmesser sought to make a positive impact on diversity within the corporate world. From the eyes of a business, she worked to, “employ the market,” in order to serve them in the best possible manner. That is to say, companies need to select individuals with the utmost levels of expertise and keep them working within their company. To do this, companies must draw from an applicant pool from a gender-equal standpoint as well as from a standpoint of offering equal opportunities for people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. To use her own words, Lori Cornmesser stated that businesses must, “acknowledge and leverage similarities and differences.” Lori Cornmesser is highly attuned to the changing climate of the business world and the success of businesses on a global platform. In order to keep up with the rapidly growing business world, leaders in their industry can no longer sustain a pool of employees all of the same make and mold. Acknowledging and welcoming diversity is the key to business growth and success in this time. Lori Cornmesser accurately describes the possibility that a diverse company holds in saying, “From this dynamic diversity come the next great idea, the breakthrough innovation, the community cohesiveness, and the commitment that can make us extraordinary rather than merely ordinary.” Lori is married and a loving mother of two children. Lori holds a MBA from Columbus University.
Ms. Darno joined UC Health in January 2020 as the health system’s first Chief Diversity Officer. She leads efforts to advance the health system’s culture of inclusion, the development of behaviors that embrace diversity and inclusion at all levels, and the promotion of the system’s external reputation as a great place to work. Darno brings more than 20 years of experience in leading diversity, inclusion and human resources, most recently serving as vice president and global chief diversity and inclusion officer for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Since 2000, she has also held director-level and above positions with Huntington National Bank, Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Health, Stanley Works and H-E-B Grocery Co. Additionally, in 2004 she founded Strategic HR Advisors, a management consulting and executive coaching organization she still leads. A globally recognized thought leader and speaker on diversity and inclusion, Darno has a proven track record in developing and implementing organizational change to drive diversity and talent management initiatives designed to support strategic business goals. In 2015, Jeanetta received the Ohio Diversity Council Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award. Darno is also a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, having served as a captain in the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1993. She received numerous awards and accommodations for outstanding performance and service, including for leading logistics movement control teams during Operation Desert Storm. Darno holds a bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University, a master’s degree in human resources from the University of Central Texas, a Master of Business Administration from The Ohio State University and recently completed Harvard’s Strategies for Building and Leading Diverse Organizations program. She also serves on the national board of directors of Camp Fire and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council.
Michael’s career began at General Electric (NYSE:GE), where he served for 17 years in multiple financial roles. His service to GE included five years with GE Capital. During his tenure, he earned the GE Black Achiever in Industry Award and the GE Capital Pinnacle Award. Michael was chief financial officer for five different public and privately held companies, including Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE:ITGR), from which he retired in 2017. He is the past member of the board of directors of three publicly traded companies, and the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). Michael currently serves on the board of Community Health Systems (NYSE:CYH), Crane Co. (NYSE:CR) and The Shyft Group (NASDAQ:SHYF). Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Michigan State University and graduated with honors from GE’s renowned Financial Management Program, and was an instructor for five years. He also obtained CPA and CMA certifications. Michael is an elder and Sunday school teacher at Church LYFE in Allen, Texas and past board member of Feed the Children, The Boys and Girls Club of Collin County and the People of the Way Prison Ministries.
Robert serves as Chief Operating Officer at Priority Power Management, Inc (PPM). Robert is responsible for, managing all operations, developing and implementing growth strategies and oversight over a client base of 7,000 in the lower 48 states, and a number of energy assets. Robert has been instrumental in the development and oversight of PPM’s state of the art 24x7 Network Operating Center, and has been responsible for building and managing one of the most respected teams in the sector. PPM is a leader in clean energy technology (Entech.) PPM combines energy optimization and infrastructure expertise, with a proprietary software platform, PriorityView. This one-of-a-kind technology empowered platform allows large scale commercial/industrial businesses to maximize decarbonization while also maximizing savings and efficiency. PPM manages over $2.7 billion in energy spend and over $230 million in energy infrastructure projects. Prior to joining Priority Power, in 2020, Robert served as Executive Vice President of Operations at MP2 Energy (MP2). MP2, an industry leading electricity and services platform company, sold to Shell Energy North America in 2017. Robert had direct oversight across MP2’s value-chain which consisted of Power Plant Management, Demand Response, and serving as a Retail Electric Supplier throughout the US, and managing a team of 25. Robert began his energy career in Silicon Valley at APX, Inc. At APX, Inc., Robert was responsible for the delivery of wholesale scheduling, settlement, and SCADA solutions to a diverse customer base. Passionate about developing young talent, Robert serves as a mentor to several young professionals both within PPM and other organizations in the energy sector. Robert attended Morehouse College, where he received a BA Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Robert, his wife and his four children reside in The Woodlands, Texas.
Linda Gadsby is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at NBME - National Board of Medical Examiners in Philadelphia, PA. She is responsible for the organization’s legal affairs; advises senior management and the Board of Directors; is a member of the Executive Team; and is General Counsel of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. She leads the Office of the General Counsel and Organizational Affairs unit, which includes Legal Services, Disability Services, Volunteer and Governance Services, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Philanthropy. Prior to NBME, Linda spent 22 years as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Scholastic Inc., in New York City, where she was the Divisional General Counsel for its Education, Book Fairs, and National Service Organization and led its Labor and Employment Law functions. Linda has also worked as a labor and employment attorney for AlliedSignal (now Honeywell) and Kaye Scholer LLP (now Arnold & Porter). Linda received her B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and her J.D. from New York University School of Law. Giving back to her community, especially in support of youth, education and women, is extremely important to Linda and she’s a mentor to several youth and young professionals. At Cornell, she serves on the Board of Trustees, the ILR Dean’s Advisory Council, Cornell Mosaic (an umbrella diversity organization), is an Emerita member of the President’s Council of Cornell Women (which she previously co-chaired) and a lifetime member of the Cornell Black Alumni Association (which she previously chaired). Linda is also on the Board of NYU’s Law Alumni Association and an Advisory Board Member of the Law Alumni of Color Association. She’s a member of the North Manhattan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Essex County (NJ) Chapter of The Links, Inc., an Associate member of the Essex Hudson Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and recently concluded her term as a Board member of PENCIL Inc., an educational non-profit in New York City. She’s also a founding member of the Stuyvesant High School Black Alumni Diversity Initiative. Linda speaks regularly on a variety of legal topics, including labor and employment, career management, diversity in the legal profession, and mentoring. She has been widely recognized for her professional and community achievements, including being named one of the Nation’s Best Lawyers of Color in 2019, one of the Most Influential Black Lawyers in 2015 and 2018 by Savoy Magazine, a Distinguished Alumni by NYU School of Law, and an outstanding leader in the field of Education by The Consulate General of Barbados at New York.
Damon Hart is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Liberty Mutual Insurance, a diversified global insurer and the sixth-largest global property and casualty insurer employing over 45,000 people worldwide. Liberty’s global legal team operates in 19 countries and includes all traditional insurance regulatory and corporate law practices, an insurance defense organization, Public Affairs team and Global Compliance & Ethics organization. The team’s executive responsibilities include legal counsel and strategic advice to the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, President and the senior management team of Liberty Mutual. During his career at Liberty Mutual, which began in 2014, Mr. Hart has served as Chief Employment, Compensation and Benefits Counsel and in 2019 was promoted to Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Litigation & Coverage. He oversaw various regulatory investigations, provided enterprise-wide coverage advice and opinions, managed electronic discovery services in support of litigation and all third-party subpoenas for the company. In 2020, he was named Deputy Chief Legal Officer and focused on a transition process towards his appointment to the Chief Legal Officer role on January 1, 2022. Prior to joining Liberty Mutual, Mr. Hart was a partner at three national law firms – Littler Mendelson, Ogletree Deakins and Holland & Knight. While in private practice, he focused on litigation and employment matters. In addition to his litigation work, he has also provided business advice on contracts, benefits and real estate development matters. Mr. Hart is a passionate advocate in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion across Liberty Mutual, the legal community and society. He is currently a member of the boards of The Home for Little Wanderers and New England Legal Foundation and is a founding member of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund. He is also actively involved in his community as a youth sports coach and mentor. Mr. Hart received his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School and a B.A. from College of the Holy Cross, studying Political Science.
Steven is responsible for leading global technology strategy and initiatives for alliantgroup and its growing portfolio of brands to include alliantNational, alliant Cybersecurity and ForrestBrown. He is tasked with delivering technology solutions that will continue to drive innovation and operational excellence throughout the Firm. Steven brings over 20 years of expertise in planning, developing, and implementing cutting edge solutions for Fortune 1000 companies Best Buy, Kmart, Belk and Stage Stores. His most recent work has focused on technology transformation, operational efficiencies and omni-channel integration. Most recently, Steven was Chief Information Officer and Chief Operations Officer for Stage Stores, a national 750 Department Store and Off-Price Chain.
Vernon Irvin serves as Co-CEO and Chief Revenue Officer at Everbridge, the global leader in Critical Event Management (CEM), with the mission of keeping people safe and organizations running faster. He leads the global go-to-market and services organization responsible for driving the company’s enterprise transition with its market-leading CEM product suite, as well as global adoption for Everbridge’s countrywide Population Alerting solutions. Over 6,000 global customers rely on Everbridge to keep their people safe and organizations running in anticipation of, or amid, critical events. CEM helps organizations, such as Goldman Sachs, Lowe’s, Dow and Walgreens identify and assess the severity of events; determine their relevance to an organization’s people, assets, and supply chains; automate action to mitigate threats and track progress; and analyze performance to improve future response. Everbridge’s solution leverages tens of thousands of continually updated risk data elements -- all curated through a “single pane of glass” visualization, combined with machine learning and automation. With industry-leading redundancy, scalability, and uptime, the Everbridge platform reaches over 2 billion people in more than 200 countries and territories. Vernon brings over 30 years of enterprise and SaaS sales leadership experience across direct and channel organizations serving both public and private sectors at multi-billion-dollar scale. He has led enterprise sales organizations covering 60 countries, leveraging indirect channels, partners, and alliances to grow deal flow and book orders. Prior to Everbridge, Vernon served as EVP and President at Lumen, where he was responsible for leading a $3.5 billion business operation with more than 2,000 employees. He was charged with successfully growing profitable revenue through a deep portfolio of partner relationships, communication solutions, security, hosting, cloud computing, managed services, and SaaS-based solutions. Before Lumen, Vernon held executive roles at Charter Communications and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He served as EVP and GM at VeriSign, as well as having worked abroad for British Telecommunications as President, Content Hosting and Media Services. In addition, he serves as a board member on Tessco Technologies, Inc., (TESS), Mile High United Way in Colorado, Colorado Technology Association, and Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll). He has also served as a Board member of the Wireless Association industry group (formerly the Cellular Telephone Industry Association).
As TDECU’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Isaac leads a team of nearly 900 employees who provide financial solutions and education to more than 350,000 member-owners. In addition to his pivotal role in driving growth and strategy for Houston’s largest credit union at over $4 billion in assets, Johnson is personally invested in the credit union’s Purpose of helping people navigate their financial journeys. Leading up to his appointment as President and CEO in 2021, Johnson held the position of SVP, Chief Administrative, Legal and Diversity Officer. Johnson’s impressive resume prior to joining TDECU includes leadership roles at USAA, Wells Fargo, and Trustmark National Bank. A Brigadier General for the US Army Reserves 351st Civil Affairs Command, Johnson is a decorated leader earning the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Merit Cheonsu Medal from the President of the Republic of Korea’s Order of National Security. The third generation to serve his country in the U.S. Army, Johnson enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1986 before being commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduating from the ARMY ROTC program and earning a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mississippi State University in 1992. He went on to receive a Master of Business Administration from Jackson State University, a Juris Doctorate from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and a Master of Strategic Studies at U.S. Army War College. Additional accomplishments include the completion of executive programs at Cornell University and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
James Johnson, II joined James Hardie as Vice President, Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) in December 2021. Mr. Johnson is responsible for all aspects of information technology and cyber security globally. James and his team will drive a focused Information Technology vision and strategy which integrates with, and helps enable, the JHX global strategic plan. James brings over 25 years of relevant and progressive IT experience, including 15 years as CIO for businesses in a variety of industries, including the chemicals and metals industries. Most recently James held the role of CIO at Carpenter Technology since 2013. Prior to joining Carpenter Technology, he held previous IT roles with Honeywell International, Performance Fibers, and Trinseo. James has a proven track record of developing effective, leading-edge technology solutions that create business value. Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Marketing and Strategic Management from the University of Maryland. A native of New Jersey, Johnson sits on the Board of Directors of the Americas’ SAP Users’ Group (ASUG) and Tech Impact and resides in the Philadelphia area.
Shaka Johnson currently leads the legal department at Sony Electronics Inc. as Vice President & Associate General Counsel, and Secretary. As head of the department, Shaka and his team are responsible for corporate security, as well as traditional legal affairs for the business in North America – striving to advance the business while protecting the company. Shaka was previously with Sony Electronics (2011 – 2015), and led a variety of corporate, sales, post-sales, and ecommerce related legal matters. Immediately prior to his current role at Sony, Shaka spent 3 years as an Associate General Counsel leading the global Sales and Marketing legal team for Facebook’s AR/VR group, including Oculus VR. Prior to his first stint at Sony in 2011, Shaka spent time at SANYO North America Corporation, Gateway, Inc., and Higgs, Fletcher & Mack. He currently serves as a member of the Sony Electronics Executive Management Committee and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Committee, the Association of Corporate Counsel – San Diego board, the USD Law School Board of Visitors, and the San Diego History Center board. Shaka was named one of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Top-10 30 Somethings in 2014, participated as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow in 2018, and was recognized as a “Leader in Law” by the San Diego Business Journal in 2020. In 2019, he had the humbling honor of delivering the commencement address at his alma mater, USD School of Law, and the National Diversity Counsel recognized him as one of the most influential African Americans in Business in 2021. Shaka has been married to his wife, Kandus, since 2011, and they have two beautiful daughters – Jaelah (7 yrs.) and Maya (5 yrs.).
Armond Kinsey is the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Atlantic Health System, where he’s charged with leading a transformational agenda to infuse diversity and inclusion throughout the organization. In addition to diversity and inclusion, Mr. Kinsey oversees corporate social responsibility and learning and development for 18,000+ team members across 400+ sites of care. In this role Mr. Kinsey guides, integrates and evaluates diversity and inclusion efforts across Atlantic Health System to ensure they are in alignment with the mission and priorities of the organization. In partnership with leaders across AHS, he works on efforts such as strategy, diversity recruitment and retention, BRGs, supplier diversity, health equity, learning and education as well as a myriad of other initiatives aimed at reducing healthcare disparities, impacting communities and upskilling the workforce. These efforts have led to Atlantic Health System being named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For as well as being honored as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity. Mr. Kinsey has also spearheaded efforts that has led Atlantic Health System’s six hospitals to receive the top score of 100 on the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation thus classifying them as a leader in LGBTQ+ healthcare. Prior to joining Atlantic Health System, Mr. Kinsey served as the Chief Diversity Officer at Kaiser Permanente, Mid-Atlantic States, where he oversaw equity, inclusion, and diversity efforts for the region. His vast experience also includes having worked at Korn Ferry International, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and The Vanguard Group of Investment Companies. Over his career, Armond has produced several policies, practices and programs that aided in those companies being listed as premier organizations for diversity an inclusion, including being listed in the DiversityInc. Hall of Fame. Mr. Kinsey has led panels and/or keynotes at numerous organizations and conferences including National Black MBA, Linkage Inc., National Black Nurses Association, University of Pennsylvania, Hult International Business School and The Society for Human Resource Management. Originating from Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Kinsey received his education from Millersville University and Villanova University. He’s a member of The National Association of Health Services Executives, Society for Human Resource Management and is a board member for Nourish.NJ. When not working Mr. Kinsey enjoys traveling, photography and spending time with his family.
Femi Ladega is the Global Chief Digital Officer at Dedalus - a Global European Health Software Company and one of the largest in the world. At Dedalus, Femi drives the organization’s digital transformation and innovation strategy, and execution across the globe. Prior to Dedalus, Femi was DXC Technology’s Vice President, Fellow and Global Chief Technology Officer for Healthcare & Life Sciences. He was responsible for defining and driving the innovation strategy and growth for the company’s solutions and technology excellence and advocating that vision with customers. Femi is a result-oriented and successful business & technology leader with over 30years experience gained through various multi-million dollar global consulting and business transformation engagements across many industries including Health Services, Telecommunications, Supply Chain, Government, Defense, Financial Services and Leisure Services; from the definition of business strategy and business enterprise models through business transformation to application and infrastructure transformation. He has proven track record working with governments at ministerial level, board-level executives and organization leaders to provide business vision and strategic direction across industry sectors. Femi is a regular speaker at major global industry conferences and holds a B.Sc in Computer Sciences & Statistics and an MBA.
LaTanya Langley serves as Chief Legal Officer at Edgewell Personal Care. Previously, she was Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at BIC®, one of the best known international brands in writing instruments, lighters, shavers and other promotional products based in the Greater New York area. Ms. Langley has global responsibility for compliance and manages all legal matters for BIC’s largest business unit, Supply Chain. She is also responsible for legal matters in North America and Latin America and was previously responsible for legal matters in Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Prior to joining BIC® in October 2015, Ms. Langley held several positions at Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol with iconic brands in spirits, beer and wine, including Director and Senior Counsel of Diageo North America, General Counsel of Diageo Guinness USA and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd. based in Accra, Ghana. Ms. Langley joined Diageo in 2008 following positions as an Associate at Shipman & Goodwin’s Corporate Department, Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ Business Finance and Restructuring department and Paul Hastings’ Corporate department. Ms. Langley is a member of the New York and Connecticut Bars and the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Ms. Langley received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and doctor of laws, honoris causa from Trinity College, where she serves on the Board of Trustees and received her juris doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law where she serves as an adjunct professor.
Jen Mahone-Rightler leads Epsilon’s D&I efforts by championing, developing and executing programs that enhance a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging within the company. She is responsible for implementing sustainable programs to help shape the organization’s training, hiring practices, leadership development and broader corporate social responsibility efforts. Jen is also focused on integrating and aligning the company’s commitment to D&I with the clients and communities Epsilon serves. Jen brings more than 20 years of experience across diversity & inclusion, talent integration, recruiting, employee engagement and leadership development to Epsilon. Prior to joining Epsilon, Jen led Diversity & Inclusion efforts for Boeing South Carolina where she developed and executed an integrated D&I strategy for 60,000 employees and oversaw 9 business resource groups. Jen is a visiting facilitator in partnership with the University of South Carolina and a facilitator for Cornell University’s eCornell Certificate Program. She is also a principal partner and consultant with Elements2Inclusion, a boutique firm that provides diversity and inclusion services. Jen has held board positions with the Illinois Diversity Council (President) and with the Kenosha Community Foundation as the scholarship chairwoman for the MaryLou & Arthur F. Mahone CEO Youth Scholars Award. Jen currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband Kirk.
Kevin J. Martin is a strategic minded business leader committed to improving lives through financial inclusion and empowerment. He believes families and communities thrive when everyone has a strong financial foundation. As the Senior Vice President of Organizational Performance and Strategic Planning at the largest credit union in California, Kevin is devoted to improving the future of consumer banking and leading the change needed to ensure each of the credit union’s 1.2 million Members have the access, services and financial advice needed to prosper. His responsibilities include developing the organization’s operating strategies, implementing strategic initiatives, monitoring and improving overall performance, and facilitating innovation. As an active advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, Kevin is regularly sought out to speak with and advise boards, consult with executives and present at conferences about the importance of integrating inclusion into every aspect of their organizations and cultures. Making use of his authentic communication style, he helps leaders to understand that “inclusion is a verb,” requiring intentional action and commitment, and is a key ingredient to strategy, innovation and financial performance. Kevin volunteers on two boards, Stone Soup Child Care Programs, an after school program for disadvantaged youth, a personal cause, that shares his philosophy that anyone can excel if given the opportunity, and CURQL Collective, a financial technology investment fund dedicated to strengthening the partnership and collaboration between credit unions and fintechs. His recent leadership awards include: recognition from the African-American Credit Union Coalition and our own National Diversity Council’s Leadership Excellence award. Prior to financial services, he studied strategy at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, and had a career in consulting and entrepreneurship.
Michele C. Meyer-Shipp was announced as CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide, the leading global nonprofit employment resource for women, on January 12, 2022. Michele will lead the organization's 145 affiliates in 23 countries as it continues its mission to help women achieve economic independence through a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to thrive in work and life. She will begin her new role on February 16th. Michele joins Dress for Success from Major League Baseball, where she served as Chief People & Culture Officer. While at MLB, Michele led the human resources, diversity and inclusion, and office operations functions for the League Office with an emphasis on launching new programs and policies to recruit and develop talent, advancing diversity and inclusion efforts, and enhancing workplace culture. She also served as a senior advisor to the Commissioner as well as leaders across 30 major league baseball teams and multiple Minor League teams. Prior to MLB, Michele served as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at KPMG LLP, where she led initiatives relating to talent recruitment, development and retention, supported the efforts of leaders across KPMG's 85+ national offices, and managed a portfolio of external strategic partnerships. Previously, she served as Global Chief Diversity Officer for both Prudential Financial and the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Michele spent the first decade of her career practicing employment law in both the private and public sectors, where she advised clients on optimizing talent and implementing equitable workplace initiatives. Meyer-Shipp is a graduate of Rutgers University and Seton Hall University School of Law. Michele is a sought-after speaker and has served as a Yahoo! Finance News Contributor and been featured in top media outlets including the New York Times, USA Today, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, Savoy Magazine, Black Enterprise, CORE Magazine, Working Mother Magazine, Diversity Woman Magazine, Quartz, Inc., and more. She is also the recipient of numerous awards, including The Network Journal's “25 Influential Black Women in Business” (2021), Core Magazine's “100 Most Influential Blacks Today” (2021), Black Enterprise's “Portraits of Power” (2020) and Business Insider's “38 Power Players of Consulting” (2020). She is a member of the Boards of the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) and the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation.
Reggie Perry currently serves as Vice President of Sales for General Motors at Oracle. In this role, Reggie is responsible for managing GM's global business and ensuring the success of both GM's and Oracle's financial corporate priorities. Prior to Oracle, Reggie held several key leadership positions including Vice President of Sales Regional Service Providers at Nokia, and Executive Director and Account General Manager of AT&T at HP. Within these assignments, he was responsible for overall Strategic Sales and Marketing leadership for the South US Region, Caribbean, and North America Channel Sales. His responsibilities included coordination of strategic planning across markets, oversight, and execution of initiatives in the field including budgeting and measurement of results across all aspects of the P&L. Within the role of VP of Sales at Nokia, he was recognized as Sales Leader of the Year and voted by his peers to receive the People’s Choice Award highlighting his ability to exhibit and demonstrate the company’s core corporate values and behavioral attributes. Outside of his corporate assignments, Reggie is passionate about developing and supporting underprivileged at-risk youth. Through his company, The Perry Group, he supports The Promise House Teen Shelter in Dallas and has done so for 14 consecutive years. With the focus on helping teens get back on track after stumbling or falling, Promise House Teen Shelter provides services to help transition at-risk youth back to the path of success. In addition to these efforts, he serves on the Board of Trustees of The Warren Center. The Warren Center is a nonprofit agency that advocates, serves, and empowers the children and families impacted by developmental delays and disabilities. Helping a child with his/her first steps or the annunciation of their first words, like “I love you.”, is monumental to families who dreamed that day would never come. Reggie lives in the Dallas metroplex area and enjoys traveling and learning of new cultures.
Bethny Ricks is an executive business leader with more than 19 years of progressive leadership experience, most recently holding the position of Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources. She has worked for several major brands across multiple industries. Bethny is known for her leadership, ability to set a clear roadmap for transformation, and clarifying a strategic focus on talent and diversity across the company. She was responsible for helping lead the successful acquisition of more than $1 billion of business, including the full integration of Human Resources information systems, developing and implementing people strategies, and aided in the creation of a company now valued at over $1 billion. Given this depth of experience and expertise, in 2021, Bethny shifted her focus to coaching and people strategy. She travels the country, helping leaders transform their teams and develop long-term people strategies. Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards and recognition, including being recognized as one of Savoy Magazine's Most Influential African American Women in the U.S. and named one of Ohio’s Most Influential and Powerful Women. Bethny is respected and trusted by operators, associates, executives, and influencers across the globe. She is a sought-after conference speaker, advisor, and published author.
Brian Tippens, VP, Chief Sustainability Officer, oversees a global team focused on driving measurable and transparent Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategies that benefit our customers, investors, employees and the communities in which we work. Brian ensures the full integration of ESG into the company’s strategy to deliver business results that benefit people and planet. Brian is the President and Executive Director of the HPE Foundation and serves on the board of the HPE Political Action Committee. In his prior role, Brian was responsible for fostering an innovative and inclusive culture as Chief Diversity Officer at HPE. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from the University of San Francisco, and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California.