Think and Do: Building a Sustainable Model for Inclusive Leadership

All paths lead to the Belltower

Fall surrounds the Memorial Belltower. PHOTO BY ROGER WINSTEAD

Conference on Leadership and Diversity 2015Registration opens on September 1, 2015 for the 2015 Conference on Leadership and Diversity sponsored by the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). The conference will be held on Friday, October 9, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the Talley Student Union Ballroom. Titled Think and Do: Building a Sustainable Model for Inclusive Leadership, this year’s conference will feature three concurrent workshops designed to meet the needs of participants. The first track, “Individual Leaders,” is for those who are exploring diversity training for the first time. The second track, “Organization Leaders,” is for those who have built a foundation of understanding diversity and want tools to be more effective, inclusive leaders. Finally, “University Leaders” is a track devoted to those who serve as university leaders – unit and department heads and directors from all parts of the university.

The 2015 conference is the third such event offered by OIED, with the previous two having occurred in March and October of 2014. The format for this conference was designed as a result of feedback from participants in the first two. Participants in this year’s conference will have the opportunity to select the track they prefer, although information provided in the registration form will help conference organizers determine whether the selected track is actually the best match for the participant based on their previous experiences.

The Individual Leaders track, coordinated by Director of Staff Diversity Dr. Deb Luckadoo and Assistant Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity and Equity Ursula Hairston, will include roundtable presentations and discussions from university staff members who will share their experiences as members of protected classes at the university.

The Organization Leaders track will focus on inclusive leadership, incorporating a selection of leadership techniques and skills for leading a diverse workforce. This track is being coordinated by Tina Bennefield, senior consultant with Human Resources Training and Organizational Development, and Garry Morgan, associate director of Diversity Programs in OIED.

Mr. Oscar Santos, who is responsible for the Leadership and Professional Development area over 6,000 managers in the BB&T organization, will facilitate of the University Leaders’ workshop. His approach focuses on the benefits of a diverse workforce and the ways effective leaders can maximize those benefits. Santos is a partner with OIED in diversity training as part of the BB&T University program.

Registration for the conference will begin September 1. The cost will be $29 thru September 15, then $35 September 16-30. Go to the Staff Diversity website to register.

Deb Luckadoo is director of Staff Diversity at NC State.