Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit

Tuesday, June 4, 2024
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Turner Hall Ballroom | 1040 N. Vel R Phillips Avenue | Milwaukee, WI 53203

Fireproofing DEI: Strategies for Creating Lasting Workplace Inclusion

If your house were on fire, what valuable information or items would you hope are safely stowed away in a fireproof box?

Beth Ridley, Founder and CEO of Ridley Consulting Group, drew this compelling analogy to emphasize...

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The Bottom Line on Belonging

Did you know that feelings of belonging can boost job performance by 56%, and there is five times more human potential when a workplace fosters feelings of inclusion?

Carolina Cardoso, Accenture’s North America Inclusion & Diversity Leader, shared these...

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The Region of Choice DEI Summit is back for its third year, convening more than 200 of the Milwaukee region's:

CEOs
Top executives

DEI practitioners
Employee engagement professionals

This half-day event will showcase the latest research on workplace inclusion and provide actionable insights into DEI practices. You’ll get expertise from national and local leaders, as well as tangible examples to help your company drive success in DEI and community impact efforts.

Prepare for a morning filled with networking opportunities and valuable learning experiences, surrounded by a community of like-minded professionals dedicated to fostering inclusive cultures

Presenting Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors:

Baird
Children's Wisconsin
Godfrey & Kahn S.C.
Komatsu Mining Corp.
MATC
MWH Law Group
UW Credit Union

AGENDA

8 AM - Welcome, registration & networking

Corry Joe Biddle
Vice President of Community Affairs, MMAC & Executive Director, FUEL Milwaukee

Andres Gonzales
Vice President, Community Engagement & Chief Diversity Officer, Froedtert Health

8:45 AM - KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Inclusion Starts with I

Accenture's employer brand was solidified by its #InclusionStartsWithI initiative, sparking a global conversation on workplace acceptance through a video featuring diverse employee experiences with bias. This impactful campaign garnered millions of views, inspiring remakes and conversations worldwide. Accenture will delve into its effects on talent engagement, client satisfaction and fostering a culture of inclusion, while offering insights for supporting DEI efforts in your own company.

Carolina Cardoso will share the story behind this influential campaign and its effects on Accenture’s talent engagement, client satisfaction, and culture of inclusion. Learn how Accenture developed and tracked the success of this initiative and how you might do something similar to support your company’s DEI efforts.

Carolina Cardoso
Accenture, North America I&D Leader

9:30 AM

Milwaukee’s Prosperity & Belonging Dashboard

Taking a transparent approach, we'll examine the well-being of Milwaukeeans across diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds - Black, Brown, AAPI, Native American, and White. By exploring data on financial prosperity, education, and workplace inclusivity, we aim to understand how economic prosperity and workplace belonging are distributed among residents, potentially offering valuable insights for designing more informed DEI programming.

Marc Levine
Professor Emeritus of History, Economic Development, and Urban Studies Founding Director, Center for Economic Development, UWM

10:30 AM - PANEL DISCUSSION

Overcoming DEI Resistance

Addressing resistance is crucial for successfully implementing DEI initiatives within any organization. Stubborn opposition or hesitation towards these efforts can significantly impede progress and deflate morale among those dedicated to this work. In our session, we'll address common Anti-DEI sentiments, discuss underlying factors, and provide practical strategies to put out the fires threatening your progress. Together, we'll craft a playbook for handling pushback and leveraging your expertise to gain nay-sayer support.

Geraud Blanks
Managing Partner & Creative Director, Culture X Design (Facilitator)

Samantha Maldonado Strategy Consultant, Spectrum Nonprofit Services

Denise Domian
Chief Human Resource Officer, Johnson Financial Group

Jen Dirks
President & CEO, TEMPO

Aaron Krueger
VP of Strategic Growth, Newance

LaNelle Ramey
Executive Director, Mentor Greater Milwaukee

11:30 AM

Fireproofing Your DEI Strategies to Drive Sustainable Change

In this session, we'll focus on providing leaders with clear insights into the success factors crucial for driving significant, quantifiable, scalable, and sustainable impact in DEI initiatives. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of what works—and what doesn't—in creating sustainable change. Our panel of experts will share examples and models, offering practical guidance on how to chart success for DEI initiatives.