8:15 – 10:00 am
Emcee - Nina Vaca
Chairman & CEO, Pinnacle Group
Nina Vaca personifies the American Dream as a trailblazing Latina entrepreneur, a world-changing philanthropist, and a dynamic global leader. As Chairman and CEO of Pinnacle Group, she has led the firm into a global workforce solutions powerhouse that is continually recognized for its growth and commitment to diversity. She is a strong advocate of STEM education for women and minorities. As one of the few Latinas on the boards of publicly traded companies, she has dedicated much of her time to empowering women and minorities and expanding their opportunities.
Remarks: Nolan N. Atkinson, Jr., Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Office of Philadelphia Mayor James F. Kenney
Sponsor Remarks: Ericka L. White, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Pennsylvania Convention Center
Remarks: Michael Days, Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Welcome: Karen Dougherty Buchholz, Chief Diversity Officer and Senior VP, Administration,
Comcast NBCUniversal
8:45 – 9:15 am
Keynote - Howard Ross
Principal Consultant
Howard Ross is a lifelong social justice advocate, Founder of Cook Ross, and Principal of Udarta Consulting. He is considered one of the world’s seminal thought leaders on identifying and addressing Unconscious Bias. Howard authored the Washington Post best seller, Everyday Bias: Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Judgments in Our Daily Lives (published by Rowman and Littlefield in 2014) and ReInventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose and Performance, (published by Rowman and Littlefield in conjunction with SHRM in 2011).
His current book, Our Search for Belonging: How the Need for Connection is Tearing Our Culture Apart, was published by Berrett-Koehler in 2018, and will be available for purchase and signing at the conference.
9:15 – 10:00 am
CEO Roundtable
Rapidly shifting local and national demographics, as well as continued globalization, requires organizations to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion not only as a means to enhance business performance but also as an enabler of innovation and collaboration. Businesses must make diversity a priority in practice, not just a promise. While there has been significant progress, organizations must do more to ensure everyone is able to achieve their dreams and potential.
Hear from national business leaders, from the private and public sectors, fostering a positive and productive workplace. Although advancement has been achieved, as leaders it is imperative that diversity, equity and inclusion are more than goals to strive for – it’s smart business.
Hosted by: CEO Action
The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ aims to rally the business community to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace by working collectively across organizations and sectors. It outlines a specific set of actions the undersigned companies will take to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcomed and employees feel comfortable and empowered to discuss diversity and inclusion.
Moderated by: Deanna Byrne, Managing Partner, PriceWaterhouseCoopers Philadelphia Practice
Panelists: