Ayumi Fukuda Bennett
Information Illustration
Ayumi is an information illustrator who turns knowledge into art on the spot. Formerly a business journalist, her visual work has been part of conferences, both in-person and virtual, strategy workshops, to international news publications. Ayumi, a Japan native who grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, is a 2003 graduate of Vanderbilt University. Connect with her on social media: Instagram/Twitter: @ayumibennett or visit her website at ayumibennett.com
https://ayumibennett.carrd.co/
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Information Illustration
Matthew Brogdon
Panelist
Managing Partner, Pathfinder Consulting - Talent Acquisition, Diversity and Inclusion, and HR Consulting
Matthew Brogdon founded Pathfinder Consulting in 2009 to serve an unmet need in the Talent Acquisition and Human Resources arena. Pathfinder Consulting specializes in talent strategy and human capital management solutions with branding, marketing, recruiting, and retention services for corporate, academic, non-profit, and government clients.? His clients include Accenture, Bank of the West, the University of Southern California, and Stepstone Global LP, among others.
Matt served his country as an officer in the US Army after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1994. Commissioned as an Armor officer, his five years in the Army were spent in the cavalry. He joined Bradley-Morris (BMI) as an agency recruiter in 1999 in San Diego, creating the first enlisted recruiting program on the West Coast for BMI and was recognized as the top company recruiter in 2000. He managed the West Coast Region for BMI for 10 years.
Matt went on to work for Life Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Microsoft as a veteran, university, and diversity recruiting manager and engagement manager in the tech and biotech industries.
Matt is passionate about diversity recruiting and veteran employment and educational opportunities for all of those who have served, and he specializes in coaching companies on how to profile, brand, market, recruit, and retain military talent in the military recruiting space. He currently serves on the advisory board for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and is the Executive Director of Hesperus, a non-profit focused on education, employment, and technology for Native Americans, including veterans. Matt was selected as a George W. Bush Institute Stand-To Veteran Leadership Scholar in 2019.
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Panelist
Managing Partner, Pathfinder Consulting - Talent Acquisition, Diversity and Inclusion, and HR Consulting
André L. Churchwell, MD
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Vanderbilt University
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Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer Vanderbilt University
Kelley Gober
Panelist
Recruiting Business Partner, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Kelley Gober has worked in the Human Resources field for nine years, with experiences in the retail and Higher Education industries. Currently, Kelley is a Recruitment Business Partner in the Recruitment Office at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In her role, Kelley partners with departments across campus to help guide them in the recruiting process to develop a diverse working environment by conducting inclusive searches. Kelley also is a facilitator for UTK’s STRIDE for Staff course, which aims to provide research and practical resources for recruiting a diverse staff. Kelley graduated from Northern Kentucky University in 2011 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Resources and Business Administration.
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Panelist
Recruiting Business Partner, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Stephanie Hinshaw
Presenter
Chief Academic Officer and Provost, American College of Education (ACE)
Dr. Stephanie Hinshaw is the Chief Academic Officer and Provost at American College of Education (ACE). Prior to joining ACE, she spent 14 years in multiple roles at other institutes of higher education. Stephanie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Indiana University, a Master's in Business Administration from Butler University, and Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University. Her research centers on the long-term influences of toxic leaders on their followers. Dr. Hinshaw is a popular speaker for topics related to toxic leadership, servant leadership, and leadership development. As someone who reported to an extremely toxic leader, she enjoys sharing knowledge about the power of and importance of leadership. Dr. Hinshaw takes great pride in leadership and was recognized accordingly with the United States Distance Learning Association’s 2020 Outstanding Leader award.
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Presenter
Chief Academic Officer and Provost, American College of Education (ACE)
Rocki Howard
Presenter
Chief Diversity Officer, SmartRecruiters
Acknowledged as one of the Top 100 Minority Executives two years in a row, Rocki Howard is Chief Diversity Officer for SmartRecruiters. She is the host of the Voices of Diversity and the Grown Woman Life podcasts, creator of the Grown Woman Life Power Players List, and a tenured talent acquisition strategist.
With a background in recruitment/talent acquisition leadership and Lean, Project Management, and HR certifications her 20+ year career spans over diverse industries including banking, retail, manufacturing, distribution, pharmaceutical, and insurance.
With several obstacles in her way, Rocki climbed her way from entry-level to executive leadership. She is a proud over 40, black, Christian wife and mom who prioritizes being a voice for the underrepresented. She is on a mission to help her customers disrupt the intersection of diversity and recruitment and create systems that lead to simple, substantive, sincere, and sustainable diversity solutions.
She believes "If we change the lives of the underrepresented, we change the world."
www.thevoicesofdiversity.com
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Presenter
Chief Diversity Officer, SmartRecruiters
Lyndon Huling
Panelist
Leadership Recruitment & Diversity Services Manager, UC Davis
Dr. Lyndon Huling is the Manager for Leadership Recruitment & Diversity Services at UC Davis. He received his Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership in 2018, and completed his undergraduate education at UC Davis as well. Lyndon’s career has focused on advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. He has led initiatives Most recently, he has been active with the Staff Diversity Administrative Advisory Committee, the Staff Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Staff Assembly. He is passionate about doing his part to make UC Davis a welcoming and inclusive community to everyone, and giving back to his alma mater.
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Panelist
Leadership Recruitment & Diversity Services Manager, UC Davis
Michael E. Johnson II
Panelist
Talent Consultant, Vanderbilt University
Michael E. Johnson II works as a Talent Consultant for Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Michael works extensively with hiring managers at various levels to meet and exceed staffing level expectations for Vanderbilt’s temporary workforce. Having begun his career at Vanderbilt in the latter part of 2018, Michael is no stranger to Human Resources. With more than 8 years of human resources experience, Michael worked in telecommunications, banking, healthcare, and insurance prior to joining higher education. Furthermore, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications and Theatre from Tennessee State University (concentration: Mass Communications) and a minor in Business Administration. Michael and his wife have two young sons and reside in the greater Nashville area.
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Panelist
Talent Consultant, Vanderbilt University
Kimberly Jones
Presenter
Senior Director, Enterprise Talent Strategy, University of California, Irvine
Kimberly Jones is a native of Columbus, OH and is fortunate to have lived and worked across the country. She is a proud graduate of Wilberforce University and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management. The entirety of her professional career has been spent in Human Resources, specifically Talent Acquisition, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She has worked for some of the most globally recognized corporate brands including Nationwide Insurance Company, Honda, Raytheon, GE Aviation, Northrop Grumman, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Kimberly has managed talent acquisition teams dedicated to the pursuit of talent in a multitude of career disciplines: Accounting, Actuary, Engineering, Science, and Operations. Reflective of these career disciplines, Kimberly proudly boasts that she has staffed positions on all 7 continents. Most notable of her accomplishments is the successful completion of a 6-week deployment to Antarctica, including 3 days at South Pole. Additionally, she previously held a Top Secret Security Clearance.
Kimberly has always been a fearless advocate for diversity and has managed programs in support of INROADS, Tom Joyner Foundation, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, United Negro College Fund, National Black MBA, Society of Women Engineers, Reaching out MBA, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and American Indian Scientist and Engineering Society.
After having spent 20+ years as a member of corporate teams Kimberly founded Kelton Legend in February 2017. Kelton Legend is a multi-dimensional talent acquisition consulting organization focused in the areas of talent acquisition strategy, process, resource management, diversity, career coaching, and HR technology.
In an effort to expand her career Kimberly joined University of California, Irvine November 2017 as an Instructor in the Department of Continuing Education teaching a course on Technology Applications in Talent Management. She was selected for a new appointment and joined the Human Resources Division full time July 2020 and now serves as Senior Director, Enterprise Talent Strategy, which includes the UCI campus, hospital, and medical college.
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Presenter
Senior Director, Enterprise Talent Strategy, University of California, Irvine
Genevra Munoa
Presenter
M.Ed. Candidate Learning Diversity & Urban Studies Vanderbilt University Peabody College
Genevra Munoa is a M.Ed. candidate in the Learning Diversity & Urban Studies program at Vanderbilt University. With a love for people and learning, she is dedicated to breaking down systems of oppression and reimagining “Diversity and Inclusion” efforts. Her research is centered around decolonization, examining Whiteness, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, and Indigenous student experience. Genevra is passionate about rethinking DEI training programs to step away from checklist mentalities. She is currently exploring new ways of decolonizing and re-indigenizing education in and out of traditional school contexts. When not studying or teaching, she spends time songwriting and performing as a vocal artist and musician.
Genevra Munoa was born in San Diego, California, on the homelands of her indigenous ancestors, the Payómkawichum, or the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. She later relocated to Utah, where she received a BS in Sociology from Brigham Young University and then to Tennessee for her Masters of Education in Learning, Diversity and Urban Studies from Vanderbilt University.
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Presenter
M.Ed. Candidate Learning Diversity & Urban Studies Vanderbilt University Peabody College
Kisha Xiomara Palmer
Presenter
Founder/Principal, The Institute for Inclusive Leadership
Kisha Xiomara Palmer is a Seattle based Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Leadership Consultant. Kisha focuses on capacity building through an equity and inclusion lens, and coaches individuals and teams through transformational change. Kisha focuses on values alignment, self-awareness and relationship building as core to understanding and leveraging differences. She has worked across sectors, including arts and culture, healthcare, and education including higher ed. and independent schools. Her interest in systems of power and privilege and her passion for equity and access inspired her to start her own consulting firm in diversity, equity and inclusive leadership. In the past two years, Kisha has focused specifically in helping businesses and organizations operationalize their values through coaching, learning sessions and strategic advising. Kisha’s practice as an inclusive leadership consultant is rooted in her values of truth, well-being and joy. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Vassar College and an MPA from the UW Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. Kisha is a current Board member of the Burke Museum and serves as co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion (DEAI) Committee as well as the Nominating and Governance Committee. Kisha has also served as a community volunteer with the Dispute Resolution Center of King County and the City of Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative.
https://www.instituteforinclusiveleadership.com/
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Presenter
Founder/Principal, The Institute for Inclusive Leadership
Natalie Pelham
Presenter
Assistant Vice President Human Resources, American College of Education (ACE)
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Presenter
Assistant Vice President Human Resources, American College of Education (ACE)
JJ Pionke
Panelist
Applied Health Sciences Librarian and Assistant Professor. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
JJ Pionke is the Applied Health Sciences Librarian and an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an award winning librarian for his research on disability and accessibility in libraries. His current work revolves around disability and working in libraries, including the accommodation process. When he is not librarianing, he plays video games, reads, and plays with his two Maine Coon cats.
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Panelist
Applied Health Sciences Librarian and Assistant Professor. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Joy Rain
Keynote Presenter
Executive Consultant, Moving4ward
Joy started her career as an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies at the most racially diverse liberal arts college. Those experiences led her to obtain a second master’s degree in Social Justice Education. Facing mounting student loans, she found herself in the private sector in the finance and insurance industry. As one of the first executives to be part of diversity and inclusion teams for Fortune 100 and 500 organizations, she has been on the ground floor in DEI industry over the last fifteen years, Joy consults for organization in higher education, independent schools, technology, engineering, software, education, and even retail. As a female entrepreneur for the last ten years, Joy designs and aligns D&I strategies with programs that elevate business results and change lives. As a nationally recognized expert and speaker on diversity and inclusion, bias and privilege, Joy offers key insights in workshops that elevate participant leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and roadmaps for transformative action. Joy’s uses her gentle strength to lead people to their learning edge which results in enhancing an organization’s inclusive culture and increases all employee’s experience of belonging in the workplace. As an executive coach and advisor to Employee Resource Groups and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Councils, she creates space for organizations to realize the value DEI. Joy uses her knowledge of storytelling and narratives to inspire audiences to realize their own lived experiences of diversity, equity, and inclusion which results in each of us being the change we all need.
Joy holds a Master of Education in social justice from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She also has a Master of Arts in psychology from Boston University. Joy has taught over twenty-five unique courses spanning the disciplines of statistics, psychology, education, gender studies, and critical race studies.
When she is not speaking and leading workshops, she takes on interim head of HR & DEI roles for startups, nonprofits, and is often the first executive in such roles and positions the organization to successfully integrate diversity and inclusion into all aspects of an organization. In her spare time, she reads spy novels and goes on hikes with her wife Jen, son Lucas, and their two dogs, Axis, and Atlas.
https://www.moving4ward.net/
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Keynote Presenter
Executive Consultant, Moving4ward
Christine Stoffels
Presenter
Founder/Principal Consultant, Christine Stoffels Consulting
Christine Stoffels is an experienced leader and organizational
change agent supporting growth and complex initiatives. She
has turned her “superpower” of listening to understand into a
craft, helping turn her clients’ visions into actionable realities.
You’ll enjoy working with her as she brings joy, a passion for
inclusivity for all, and rigor to her clients. She possesses
executive presence establishing a collaborative environment
from the beginning and providing strategic insights and results
in partnership with her clients. Christine is a Mama of teens
and a furry baby, an ICF-certified leadership coach, and former
Peace Corps volunteer.
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Presenter
Founder/Principal Consultant, Christine Stoffels Consulting
Jeannie Jones Tennant
Presenter
Learning & Organizational Development Consultant, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Jeannie Jones Tennant is a Learning and Organizational Development Consultant for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Jeannie joined the Big Orange family in February 2019. Jeannie works with leaders and staff to help them develop and grow professionally. Trained as an educator and coach, Jeannie has a diverse 13-year background in public education, healthcare, and higher education with a focus on leadership and staff development, coaching, and content facilitation. Jeannie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies and Human Learning from Tennessee Technological University and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Management.
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Presenter
Learning & Organizational Development Consultant, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
David Weinstock
Moderator
Assistant Director, Workforce Optimization, Vanderbilt University
David Weinstock has worked at Vanderbilt University for three years and in recruiting for over five years. Most recently, he has transitioned to an Assistant Director of Workforce Optimization. In this role, he is responsible for providing and supporting strategic, operational, and thought leadership in the development and delivery of workforce-focused programs, analytics and reporting, and initiatives (all things technology, process, data, and project management). He is particularly experienced in process improvement, data-driven decision-making, and strategy. Before his most recent appointment, he started as a Talent Consultant before becoming an Assistant Director of Talent Acquisition. David also serves as a Board Member for TALK’s (Talent Acquisition Leadership Keynotes) Nashville Chapter.
David earned his Bachelors of Science in Hospitality Management from Florida State University. He is currently pursuing his MBA specializing in Business Analytics from his alma mater.
David lives outside of Nashville with his wife and their son and dog. When David is not working, he is grilling/smoking on the Big Green Egg and spending time outdoors.
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Moderator
Assistant Director, Workforce Optimization, Vanderbilt University
