What's The Difference?

Sara Taylor is the president and founder of deepSEE Consulting. She is a nationally-recognized speaker and consultant specializing in the areas of leadership, diversity, and organizational effectiveness. With over 25-years of experience, Sara balances her real-life anecdotes with research-based theories to deliver for her reader what she delivers for her clients.

• Why people often have the misconception that diversity creates negative things like fear, chaos or conflict, or positive things like new opportunities and innovation
• Why the reality is that diversity creates nothing, and why diversity is neither inherently positive or negative
• Why the ability to see and respond to diversity is what creates positive or negative outcomes, not the diversity itself
• Sara shares how her own diverse family relates to the concept of diversity, and she shows how people can view diversity differently
• How cultural competence is what ultimately determines the answer to the question "what does diversity create?"

• Website: www.deepseeconsulting.com

Juliette Francis joined the Science Museum's senior leadership team in November 2013. She brings experience in employee relations, workforce planning, compensation and benefit management, and training and development to her position overseeing the museum's service to both its paid staff and its expansive volunteer corps.

Juliette comes to the Science Museum from College Possible, a national nonprofit headquartered in Saint Paul that provides low-income students with an intensive curriculum of coaching and support to help them earn college admission and college degrees. As Director of Human Resources and Operations, Francis oversaw the organization's HR, new site operations, and technology functions. Her professional experience also includes human resources work at Girls Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys and Fury Motors.

Juliette has a bachelor's degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She has been actively involved in the Saint Paul Winter Carnival for more than 13 years, and she sits on the Business Programs Advisory Board at Inver Hills Community College.

• How Juliette got involved in diversity and inclusion work, and how she brings it to her role in human resources at the Science Museum of Minnesota
• Why it can be challenging to admit that you don't have all the answers, and why pushing yourself into an uncomfortable space is key to your own growth
• Why it is necessary to be aware of yourself and avoid misusing your power and authority in your role
• How the Science Museum of Minnesota is considered to be one of the premiere museums of its kind in the country
• How a science museum can be an ideal place to explore the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Why there is still a great deal of work to do to make science more accessible to everyone, and what programs the Science Museum of Minnesota has to promote science
• Why the Science Museum of Minnesota considers it vitally important to create a culturally competent and inclusive workplace
• Why we have all been conditioned to look for similarities in ourselves and others, and why understanding the differences is important, valuable work
• What advice Juliette would offer to anyone wanting to pursue diversity and inclusion work in their own roles

• Website: www.smm.org

Rosemarie Merrigan has 35+ years of experience working in non-profits and government sectors. Rosemarie has two distinct areas of expertise and experience in her career. One area is direct practice in various therapy and mediation settings. The second is on a macro level, providing diversity and inclusion as well as organizational development consultation, supervision, leadership development, administration, and training. She has been responsible for the development, implementation, and sustainability of a state agency's Diversity and Inclusion Unified Strategic Work Plan. Rosemarie is also an adjunct at Augsburg University in the Masters of Social Work Multicultural Marco Practice Program. She has a Master's Degree in Social Work.

• How Rosemarie got involved in the field of diversity and inclusion work gradually over the course of her career
• Why the book Ethnicity and Family Therapy, edited by Monica McGoldrick, is a valuable resource for understanding ethnic backgrounds
• Why cultural competence work is worthwhile to Rosemarie, and why diversity work is critical at the Minnesota Department of Transportation
• How Rosemarie defines organizational development, and how change is a core component of organizational development
• Why change must be a structural part of an organization to ensure that it takes effect and becomes integrated into the culture
• Why individual development is an important component of change, just as organizational development is
• Why Rosemarie believes self-awareness and humility are important components of her work in diversity and inclusion
• How cultural competency, diversity, and inclusion are important both in the public sector and in private for-profit organizations
• What qualities a leader should have to fully support diversity and inclusion work, and why it matters that leaders are supportive of the work
• Why developing cultural competency can help the organization itself by improving morale and productivity

• Ethnicity and Family Therapy edited by Monica McGoldrick: https://amzn.to/2Isst0b
• Website: www.dot.state.mn.us/equity-diversity/index.html

Sara Taylor is the president and founder of deepSEE Consulting. She is a nationally-recognized speaker and consultant specializing in the areas of leadership, diversity, and organizational effectiveness. With over 25-years of experience, Sara balances her real-life anecdotes with research-based theories to deliver for her reader what she delivers for her clients.

• Why Sara Taylor and her team at DeepSEE Consulting define diversity as "differences that make a difference"
• How organizations have historically defined diversity using lists of protected-class groups, and why that approach isn't sufficient anymore
• Why not all of our differences matter in the workplace, and why including everything under the heading of diversity is counterproductive
• Sara shares a story that illustrates how religion can be the difference that makes a difference
• How the tensions between Catholic and Lutheran families caused problems within community interactions when Sara was young
• How four years in the Peace Corps led Sara to the Dominican Republic, where she met her husband and became a member of a diverse family
• Why the primary role of a business leader is to set the members of their team up for success
• Why the skill of cultural competence is a foundational skill that allows us to adapt to changes
• Why the difference that makes a difference can change depending upon the context of the situation you are in

• Website: www.deepseeconsulting.com

From Blow Pops to Forbes' Best Small Companies: Rob Dube started selling Blow Pops out of his locker in high school and is now President and co-founder of imageOne, which was ranked on the 2017 list of Forbes Small Giants: America's Best Small Companies.

Throughout Rob's 27 years of experience, he has developed an unwavering passion for delivering extraordinary experiences that positively impact the lives of his team members, the goals of their customers, and the fabric of the community. This unique approach to business has driven the company to success in its industry and acknowledgment as a top workplace. imageOne is the leading organization in Document Lifecycle Management and is well-known as an exceptional company, receiving local and national recognition for its strong focus on culture.

Rob is an avid meditator of 13 years, the author of donothing: the most rewarding leadership challenge you will ever take, and founder/organizer of the donothing Leadership Silent Retreat. In addition to his book, he is a contributor to Forbes, Thrive Global, and EO Octane.

• How an experience in college taught Rob the importance of culture, diversity, and extraordinary customer experience
• Why Rob believes a strong culture and a diverse team are important to delivering an extraordinary experience
• How Rob has built a reputation for creating and driving exceptional culture within his businesses
• How Rob sold his company and then realized that the culture of the new ownership wasn't a match, and why he repurchased his company
• How Rob and his partner came to define their purpose as "delivering the X" to everyone, every day, every time
• How reading Small Giants by Bo Burlingham changed the way Rob views business leadership and growth
• How an experience while researching for his book, Do Nothing, taught Rob the importance of understanding and getting to know your team
• What advice Rob would offer to any business leader starting off on a path of diversity and inclusion
• What resources Rob recommends as valuable assets for building a strong and vibrant business culture

• Website: www.donothingbook.com
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/robdube/
• Twitter: @robddube
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rob.dube.1
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/robddube/

• Small Giants by Bo Burlingham: https://amzn.to/2Ufbpkz
• Traction by Gino Wickman: https://amzn.to/2CSIKXV
• The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham: https://amzn.to/2FV9vN2
• Website: www.smallgiants.org
• Website: www.zingtrain.com

Paul Spiegelman is the co-founder of the Small Giants Community, a peer-group of purpose-driven business leaders. He is the former chief culture officer of Stericycle, the co-founder and former CEO of BerylHealth and the founder and chairman of The Beryl Institute.

Paul is a New York Times best-selling author and has been honored with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Paul is a sought-after speaker and author on leadership, employee engagement, entrepreneurship, culture, and leading a purpose-driven life. He has made many radios and TV appearances and his views have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine and he is currently a columnist for Forbes.com.

Paul practiced law for two years prior to starting BerylHealth. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from UCLA and a law degree from Southwestern University.

• How Paul became aware that culture and engagement were important to a successful organization
• Why creating a powerful culture helped grow Paul's business and allowed him to hire great employees
• How Paul demonstrates the importance of culture to the leadership he works with
• How Paul uses indicators like the link between employee and customer satisfaction to show a tangible return on investment
• Why it's sometimes difficult to overcome the "command and control" leadership style ingrained in many companies
• Why the mission, vision and values of an organization need to go beyond a plaque on the wall and become a commitment
• How having an atmosphere of fun in the workplace can benefit the culture of the organization
• Why an organization should have a caring attitude toward its employees and community
• Why Paul believes that every employee wants purpose, appreciation, and the opportunity to learn and grow
• How to benefit your own organization's culture by assessing where it is now and being honest about where you want it to go

• Website: www.paulspiegelman.com
• Website: www.smallgiants.org

Yolánda L. Chase, SHRM-SCP, CPM, CM serves as Director, Work(place) Forward – Global Inclusion & Diversity for Arrow Electronics. Chase joined the company in 2015 and is responsible for developing then driving inclusive workplace and employee experience strategies across the enterprise. She is also focused on ensuring that diversity and inclusion is positioned as a key business imperative as Chair of Arrow's Global Inclusion & Diversity Council.

• How Yolanda got involved in diversity and inclusion through her long career in human resources and organizational development
• Why Yolanda became a consultant and ultimately took a role in diversity and inclusion with Fortune 500 company Arrow Electronics
• Why Yolanda's experience in organizational development and her background as a paralegal have been helpful in her current role
• Why organizational development works hand-in-hand with diversity and inclusion to help make organizations become more effective
• How support and buy-in for workplace diversity and inclusion from Arrow Electronics' leadership has helped Yolanda achieve her goals
• How diversity and inclusion work differs when working for a global organization like Arrow Electronics, and why region-specific nuance is important
• How diversity work has shifted and expanded over time, and what trends Yolanda recognizes in diversity work in the internet age
• Why diversity and inclusion is critically important in an age of machine learning and AI, and why it presents unique challenges
• Why kindness, compassion, and self-care are vitally important when doing diversity and inclusion work

• Website: www.linkedin.com/in/ychase/

Mette McLoughlin is a HR executive who most recently served as the senior vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer at American Public Media Group (APMG). She was with APMG for over 14 years. In the executive role, she led the human resources strategy, planning and implementation including all D, E & I efforts for all the APMG companies—American Public Media, Minnesota Public Radio, and Southern California Public Radio.

She was previously responsible for all programs and activities related to organizational culture and employee engagement, including performance communication programs, employee surveys, all compensation programs and learning and development opportunities for APMG staff.

Prior to APMG, she worked for the Hazelden Foundation as well as Lutheran Social Service of MN in HR management roles with primary responsibility for compensation & benefits, performance communication, and payroll services. Mette and her family live in South Minneapolis.

• How Mette found her way into the HR industry "by accident", and how she integrates cultural competency into her work
• How doing diversity and inclusion work in public radio put Mette under more public scrutiny and pressure than usual
• How diversity issues have changed the "right" way to tell an authentic story and maximize the media's reach
• Why Mette believes the media has a huge obligation and responsibility to be as neutral and objective as possible, despite the natural human bias
• Why the definition of "media" includes diverse information channels like movies and commercials, as well as traditional news
• How a change in reporting perspectives within the news media has helped push more extreme political views
• What Sara learned from the experience of working in HR for American Public Media during the Garrison Keillor #MeToo accusations
• Why Sara believes that the female-leaning HR field is in a difficult position during the era of #MeToo
• How the Garrison Keillor episode helped make people feel empowered to come forward with their own experiences
• What advice Mette would share with people new to diversity and inclusion work

Lisa Fain is the CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence, and founder of Vista Coaching, the coaching division of the Center. Her passion for diversity and inclusion work is fueled by her strong conviction that leveraging differences creates a better workplace and drives better business results.

She has conducted mentoring training programs for corporate, government and educational institutions. Lisa coaches mentors, mentees and program administrators on how to achieve mentoring excellence and create the right environment for the achievement of career and personal goals. She is highly regarded for her special combination of knowledge, expertise, humor and a no-nonsense practical approach.

As Senior Director of the Diversity and Inclusion function at Outerwall, Inc. (the parent company to automated retail giants Redbox and Coinstar), Lisa spearheaded the development, establishment, and implementation of its diversity initiative, including launching the company's first mentoring program for its Women's Business Resource Group. Prior to that position, she worked as Outerwall's in-house counsel, where she coached leaders and partnered with Human Resources to establish fair and effective policies and practices that would sustain the organization as it grew in size, revenue and renown.

Lisa practiced law with the Chicago office of a major multinational law firm and counseled employers on creating inclusive policies and practices. In addition, she served as a Master Trainer, training thousands of employees at a variety of companies, large and small, on how to create a better workplace. Certified as a mediator through Chicago's Center for Conflict Resolution, Lisa applied her counseling skills to help clients understand and proactively prevent conflict.

Lisa holds a B.S. in Social Policy from Northwestern University and a JD degree from Northwestern University School of Law. Lisa is a Life Coach and has completed her certification from the International Coach Academy.

A native of Syracuse, NY, Lisa spent 17 years in Chicago and moved to Seattle, WA in 2014, with her husband and two daughters. She now spends as much time as she can hiking and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

• How Lisa found her way into the field of diversity and inclusion and mentoring, and why she left her career in a legal firm
• Why Lisa decided to bring diversity and inclusion work into her position at Coinstar/Redbox
• Why Lisa believes mentoring is a powerful tool in diversity and inclusion work, and in what areas it is best suited for furthering that work
• How Lisa works to train and certify future mentors in diversity, inclusion and cultural competency
• Why mentoring should be a two-way relationship, and what lessons the mentor can learn from the mentee
• Why Lisa doesn't like the term "reverse mentoring", and why all effective mentoring relationships are co-mentoring
• Why building trust between participants is the key to developing successful mentoring relationships
• What Lisa believes the future holds for the integration of cultural competency and mentorship training
• Why non-dyadic mentoring (triads, circles and peer mentoring) are growing areas within the business world
• What advice Lisa has for people new to diversity and inclusion and mentoring efforts
• How Lisa and her mother are writing a book on cultural competency that will be released in 2020

• Website: www.centerformentoring.com
• Twitter: @C4Mentoring
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/CenterForMentoringExcellence
• Email: [email protected]

Yvette is an experienced Senior Leader Of Community and Government Relations with a demonstrated history of working in the utilities industry. She is also skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Coaching, Microsoft Word, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Event Management. Strong community and social services professional with a Bachelor of Science focused in Family, Youth, and Community Sciences from the University of Florida.

• How Yvette's career journey brought her into the field of diversity and inclusion work
• How Gainesville Regional Utilities works to strengthen their diversity and inclusion from the top leadership down
• How the larger utility industry has traditionally failed to embrace diversity and inclusion, and how that's changing
• What challenges Yvette has faced in championing diversity and inclusion, and how she overcame them
• Why a public agency like a utility should be reflective of the diversity in the community it serves
• Why GRU wants to be a voice in the community, and why inclusion and equity are vitally important to that goal
• What advice Yvette has for others working to improve their own organizations' diversity and inclusion
• Why it's important to remember why you're doing the diversity and inclusion work you're doing
• Why Yvette is passionate about the work she does, and why she believes it's so important

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/syvette.carter
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/wades_wife_/
• Twitter: @yvettecarter01