2023 Summit
The Department of Inclusion and Belonging hosted the 2023 Inclusive Excellence Summit on April 18 and 19, 2023.
Download 2023 Summit Program (pdf)
Keynote Speakers
Minal Bopaiah: “Designing an Equitable Organization”
"Middle management is where diversity and inclusion go to die.” For years, leaders and consultants have touted this “fact” as if there’s nothing to be done except more training and motivational speeches. But what if we’re going about it all wrong? This talk provides an overview of unconscious bias and how it affects how organizations are designed and run. Attendees will be exposed to a theory of change for scaling DEI initiatives. Leaders will walk away with a greater awareness of the system they are trying to lead, as well as actionable ways to design for equity in their own organization.
This Keynote will:
- Provide an overview of unconscious bias and how it affects organizations and systems
- Define equity and how it differs from equality
- Share the three components of designing a more equitable organization:
- Engaged leadership
- Define equitable outcomes
- System design
Minal Bopaiah is the author of Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives. She is the founder of Brevity & Wit, a strategy + design firm that combines human-centered design, behavior change science and the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility to help organizations transform themselves and the world. Bopaiah has written for the Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Hill and has been a featured guest on numerous podcasts and shows, including the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU. She has also been a keynote speaker for many conferences, inspiring thousands with her credible, authentic, and engaging talks.
Gerry Valentine: “Challenging the Narrative—The Strengths Diverse Individuals Bring to Their Organizations and Why That Matters Right Now”
We know that diverse and inclusive teams are more effective—they’re more creative, innovative, and resilient. But why is that? More importantly, how can organizations help diverse individuals unlock their unique gifts and leverage them as a source of strength? How can under-represented people (no matter what identities they carry) bring their full-selves forward to benefit their teams, organizations, and ultimately, society as a whole? How can allies be of maximum support and reinforce the idea that diversity and belonging in the office is everyone’s responsibility? This inspiring talk answers those questions.
Gerry will share some of the most important lessons from his own journey, including:
- Why people from diverse and marginalized groups possess unique strengths, and why those strengths are invaluable for organizations right now.
- How to recognize negative narratives that hold people back, and how to courageously challenge those narratives.
- The impact of “intersectionality” (carrying multiple marginalized identities) and how that, too, can be a strength.
- The critical role that allies play, and how allies can be active (not just passive) advocates.
- The power of bringing your full-self to work and why that’s good for organizations.
The topics covered in this session will include engaging, real-world examples—examples pulled from Gerry’s extensive leadership background and work with clients. The session will also include hands-on frameworks that attendees can apply immediately in on-the-job situations.
Gerry Valentine built a successful, 27-year career in executive leadership roles with some of the world’s most prestigious firms—companies like American Express and Pfizer, Inc.—but this was an unlikely path. That’s because Gerry also carries four identities that are typically marginalized and dramatically under-represented in the corporate world.
Gerry’s early life was spent in poverty, the child of a single mother in a low-income part of New York City. He went on to earn a BS in Engineering from Cornell University, and an MBA from the New York University Stern School of Management. Along the way, Gerry found that the adversity of his youth had helped him develop the resilience he needed to succeed in the corporate world, and that building resilience is a skill he can teach others. Throughout his career, Gerry found that his unique background was, in reality, a tremendous advantage—that is, once he learned to break negative narratives and tap into his unique strengths. Today, Gerry runs his own executive coaching firm, and he is a trusted advisor to corporate executives, non-profit leaders, and high-performing individuals across a wide range of areas.
Sessions
Resources
The Summit Planning Team has provided various resources below to support your engagement with the Summit and your efforts going forward. Below you’ll find a Resource Guide that lists various Cornell resources that support DEI, well-being, and social connection. During the Summit, there are breaks built in throughout both days to provide time and space for participants to engage in self-care, reflection, connection, and processing in whatever ways they need. To assist you in this, the Summit Planning Team created a "Reflection and Processing Guide” as well as recommendations for mindfulness and restorative self care, all found below. During the In Person Summit, there will be icebreaker questions on your nametags, discussion prompts on the social lunch tables, a resource table in the Ballroom, a lunchtime wellness opportunity, and a quiet room available—all there to provide inspiration and support as you engage in this year’s IE Summit experience!
Thank You