Programs

NW Equity Summit

September 26, 2023

Be Unapologetically DEI

Mark your calendar for Partners in Diversity’s 2nd NW Equity Summit on September 26, 2023, at the Oregon Convention Center.

The conference focuses on helping employees and managers at all levels, as well as diversity influencers, be bold and uncompromising — in other words, unapologetic — when it comes to advancing and advocating for equity and inclusion.

The Summit features national experts on topics related to championing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Keynote Speakers

  • Lily Zheng, author of DEI Deconstructed and its sequel Reconstructing DEI
  • Michelle MiJung Kim, author of the Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change

Breakout Session Speakers

  • Lily Zheng, author of DEI Deconstructed and its sequel Reconstructing DEI
  • Michelle MiJung Kim, author of the Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change
  • Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, Director of Trauma-Informed Treatment, Consultation, and Outreach at McLean Hospital and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University
  • Elizabeth Laine, Head of DEI at ClearWay Energy
  • Nikotris Perkins, Leadership Consultant, DNA Community Consulting

    Breakout Session One

    • Structured Interviewing 2.0: Leveraging Process to De-Bias People Decisions with Elizabeth Laine: Are you committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing team? Join award-winning DEI & talent leader, Elizabeth N. Laine, for an enlightening session on the mechanics of structured hiring, with an actionable breakdown of how to implement more equitable hiring practices. This session is tailored for HR professionals, hiring managers, recruiters, and anyone responsible for making hiring decisions within their organization. Whether you’re seeking to enhance diversity, reduce bias, or improve your hiring outcomes, this session is designed to meet your needs.
    • Unlearning White Supremacy Culture with Michelle MiJung Kim: Deep dive into unlearning white supremacy culture with award-winning author and movement facilitator Michelle MiJung Kim. Together, we will explore the myriad ways white supremacy culture manifests in our society, organizations, and ourselves, and collectively dream up alternative, more liberatory ways of being rooted in equity and justice. After the session, you will be able to effectively define “white supremacy” and develop skills to challenge its insidious patterns and characteristics that pervade our organizations and our minds. There will also be time to ask any follow-up questions from the mainstage fireside chat session, so be sure to come ready to learn and engage.

    • Establishing Trauma Informed, Culturally Responsive Organizations and Leaders in Times Like These with Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia: Understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by employees of color is essential for creating inclusive and supportive workplaces. Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia invites you to join this workshop, designed to empower employers with the knowledge and tools necessary to establish trauma-informed, culturally responsive organizations and become compassionate, effective leaders. This workshop is ideal for managers, HR professionals, and anyone looking to explore how news cycles and current events can trigger trauma and anxiety among employees of color, affecting their well-being and productivity. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn from Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, a community psychiatrist with expertise in global health, trauma, addiction, and system development and change.
    • Building Psychologically Safe Teams with Waleed Sadruddin: Join Waleed Sadruddin for a session focused on cultivating psychologically safe teams within organizations. Understand the role psychological safety plays in fostering innovation and driving positive organizational change. This informative session will also illuminate how a psychologically safe environment forms the bedrock for a "Speak Up" culture, amplifying diverse voices and enabling inclusive leadership to flourish.
    • You Can’t Rebuild What You Won’t Tear Down: DEI as Systems Change with Nikotris Perkins: Explore DEI from a systems change perspective with community champion, Nikotris Perkins. In this session you’ll take a close look at how DEI intersects with your specific job function and create a framework for building coalitions and partnerships to drive systemic change in both micro and macro systems. This session is designed for professionals at all levels who are committed to advancing DEI in their workplaces. Join us to gain actionable insights, connect with like-minded peers, and leave with a concrete plan for effecting positive change at your organization.
    • Beyond the Business Case Panel Discussion with Dr. Miles Davis, Linfield University President; Sheila Murty, Executive Vice President of People & Culture for Tillamook County Creamery Association; Mini Ogle, Manager of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for Portland General Electric (PGE); and Angela Nelson Vice President for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion at Travel Portland. Discussion moderated by Monica Lin-Meyer, Senior Managing Consultant & Executive Coach at EY Global Consulting Services: This panel discussion will dive into the evolving landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by questioning the relevance of the traditional business case for DEI, which ties an organization’s level of diversity to its financial performance. Panelists will also discuss alternative and more effective rationales for embracing DEI

    Breakout Session Two

    • Making Inclusion Measurable 2.0: A Practical Approach for Practitioners with Elizabeth Laine: Join award-winning DEI leader Elizabeth N. Laine in a deep dive on operationalizing inclusion behaviors, measuring their impact, and fostering a more inclusive workplace culture. This presentation is a level 2 exploration of Elizabeth’s popular approach to Measuring Inclusion. During this session you’ll explore detailed measurement and alignment keys to define and assess inclusive behaviors mapped to organizational values in various workplace areas including talent, engagement, performance, and virtual settings.
    • [Specifically for Professionals of Color] Beyond Survival: Caring for Ourselves to Create a Sustainable Movement with Michelle MiJung Kim: This is a closed-group session dedicated to practitioners and change agents of color. In the midst of so much political and cultural traumas impacting different marginalized communities, how do we prioritize our healing and sustainability? What does self- and community-care look like in the context of our organizations and daily change work? As a collective, we will explore our often forgotten needs, share resources to restore ourselves, and discuss the importance of building inter/intra-community solidarity and support systems to build a truly transformative movement. Come ready to take a breath, nourish the soul, and connect with others seeking principled solidarity.
    • Establishing Trauma Informed, Culturally Responsive Organizations and Leaders in Times Like These with Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia:Understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by employees of color is essential for creating inclusive and supportive workplaces. Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia invites you to join this workshop, designed to empower employers with the knowledge and tools necessary to establish trauma-informed, culturally responsive organizations and become compassionate, effective leaders. This workshop is ideal for managers, HR professionals, and anyone looking to explore how news cycles and current events can trigger trauma and anxiety among employees of color, affecting their well-being and productivity. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn from Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, a community psychiatrist with expertise in global health, trauma, addiction, and system development and change.
    • Understanding and Mapping Power with Lily Zheng: Join Lily Zheng for an enlightening session, where we dive into the concept of power by exploring its six distinct types and how they manifest in your professional environment. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the power at play among key players within your organization, you will be equipped to identify both the opportunities and obstacles that influence the success of your change initiatives.
    • Passion, Position, and Persistence: Outcomes and Centering Impact with Nikotris Perkins: Join community champion, Nikotris Perkins for a session focused on achieving meaningful outcomes and making a positive impact. Learn to identify the norms and standards that often interrupt our intentions and gain the skills you need to properly measure the progress of your organization’s initiatives using a human-centered continuous improvement approach.
    • Leading from the Middle Panel Discussion with Riikka Salonen, Managing Director of Health Equity at BCT Partners; Lee Fleming, Regional Supplier Diversity Manager for Skanska USA Building Inc; Tamara Kennedy, Director of Economic Development Trade & Economic Development Division for the Port of Portland; and Albert Lee, Executive Director of the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office. Conversation moderated by Jeff Selby, Interim Director, City of Portland Office of Equity and Human Rights: This panel discussion will delve into the unique challenges faced by individuals at the middle-management level who are passionate about championing diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organizations. Whether you’re seeking to introduce new DEI initiatives into your work and organization or are an experienced practitioner, this discussion is tailored to anyone interested in advancing DEI efforts within their workplace.

Keynote Speakers

Lily Zheng

Lily Zheng (they/them) is a no-nonsense Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategist, consultant, and speaker who helps organizations and leaders achieve the DEI outcomes they aspire to. A dedicated practitioner and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer, 2021 DEI Influencer, and LinkedIn Top Voice on Racial Equity, Lily’s work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. They are the author of Gender Ambiguity in the Workplace (2017), The Ethical Sellout (2019), DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing it Right (2022) and most recently, Reconstructing DEI: A Practioner’s Workbook (release fall of 2023).  Lily holds an MA in Sociology and BA in Psychology from Stanford University. They live with their wife in the San Francisco Bay Area and can frequently be found putting together yet another all-black outfit and enjoying good Chinese food.

Michelle MiJung Kim

Michelle MiJung Kim (she/her) is a queer Korean American immigrant woman writer, speaker, activist, and entrepreneur. She is the award-winning author of The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change, winner of the 2022 Nautilus Gold Medal and 2021 Porchlight Personal Development & Human Behavior Book of the Year Award. She is CEO and co-founder of Awaken, where she has consulted hundreds of organizations and leaders from Fortune 500 companies, tech giants, nonprofits, universities and beyond on their equity education journey.

 

Michelle has been a lifelong social justice activist and has served on a variety of organizations such as the San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s Advisory Committee, LYRIC nonprofit’s Board of Directors, and Build Tech We Trust Coalition. She currently serves on the board of Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE). Her work has appeared on world-renowned platforms such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The New York Times, and NPR, and she has been named LinkedIn’s Top Voice in Racial Equity, Fast Company’s Queer 50, and Medium’s Top Writer in Diversity three years in a row. She lives in Oakland, California.

Session Trainers

Albert Lee

Albert Lee currently serves as the Executive Director of the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office for the State of Oregon. In this role, he supports the efforts of the Commissions on Asian Pacific Islanders Affairs, Black Affairs, Hispanic Affairs, and Women as they work to promote and advance equity
throughout the state.

Prior to his role in Oregon, Albert has held diverse positions across various industries, including International Business, Project Management, Law, Higher Education, Military Service, and even a run for public office. He is actively engaged in civic and political activities and presently serves as a member of the Equity Advisory Group on the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project. He has also been involved with numerous community-based organizations and governmental civic engagement groups, such as the Board of the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), the Executive Committee of the Portland Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the US Commission on Civil Rights, the Transit Equity Advisory Committee of TriMet, the Citizen Review Committee of the City of Portland, and the Portland Police Bureau Hiring Panel.

Albert holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science/International Relations from Creighton University, a Certificate in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford, New College, and a Juris Doctor Degree from the George Washington University School of Law.

In both his professional work and personal life, Albert Lee brings a unique perspective shaped by his lived experiences. He is simultaneously a first-generation and sixth-generation American, a first-generation college and law school graduate, and a proud Oregonian by choice. His life’s mission
revolves around ensuring that individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and are valued as integral members of our broader society.

Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia

Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia (Dr. AMC) graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in biological sciences and minor in urban studies. She earned a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She completed four years of residency training in psychiatry and a fellowship in addiction medicine, both at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). She is the founder and director of the Institute for Trauma-Informed Systems Change at McLean/Harvard, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Affiliate Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at OHSU School of Medicine.

She is an expert in trauma-informed systems change and has trained over 250 unique systems spanning not-for-profit organizations, education, criminal justice, healthcare, and government(s) (state, federal and international) in trauma-informed practices, approaches and systems change.

She is a member of the American College of Psychiatrists. Dr. AMC built Healing Hurt People-Portland (HHP), a trauma-informed, hospital-based, community-focused youth violence prevention program. Her trauma-informed efforts are global as she works in Angola, Africa at their family clinic Centro Medico Bom Samaritano and is the co-founder of The Capuia Foundation.

Dr. AMC is the sole author of Training for Change: Transforming Systems to be Trauma-Informed, Culturally Responsive, and Neuroscientifically Focused (2019) and The Trauma of Racism: Exploring the People and Systems Fear Built (2021).

 Angela Nelson

Angela Nelson has great passion and enthusiasm for helping others. She demonstrates this through her involvement with various programs and projects that she gets involved with personally and professionally.

She has over twenty years of experience in various roles that range from grant-making to community relations, marketing, and DEI strategy. She joined the Travel Portland team as the Vice President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in 2021. Her responsibilities include leading the organization’s strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, supporting the sales and marketing teams to promote Portland as a welcoming, multicultural destination, and developing strategic partnerships at the local and state levels to attract diverse talent to the region.

Elizabeth N. Laine

Elizabeth N. Laine is Head of DEI and Talent Development at Clearway Energy, a renewables company leading the transition to clean energy for all. As a leader in the DEI space, she formerly spearheaded this work at boutique consulting firm Lead Inclusively Inc., where she developed strategic roadmaps for dozens of companies globally. At Revwork.ai, Elizabeth used cutting-edge nudge technology to influence learning and behavior change at scale. Elizabeth’s work has earned her many accolades, including winner of the National Diversity Council’s National Latino Leadership Award and the San Diego Business Journal’s Regional 40 Under 40 List.  Elizabeth is a San Diego native, but she is now based in Salt Lake City, where she stays busy with consulting work on the side and enjoys skiing and hiking with her partner and teenage twins.

 Jeff Selby

Jeff Selby’s (he/him) diverse leadership career has included roles with the U.S. Army, Walt Disney Company, and BMW. Jeff also brings his creative and media relations experience to his role as Interim Director with the City of Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights. Jeff has held several leadership positions at the Office of Equity and is currently responsible for coaching and supporting staff in carrying out the City’s equity vision.

A combat veteran with ten years of broadcast journalism experience in the U.S. Army, Jeff’s social justice experience is rooted in his lifelong involvement with the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the nation’s oldest Asian American civil rights advocacy organization. He served as Portland JACL President for two terms. He has also volunteered with Western States Center, Japan America Society of Oregon, and the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, and served on the Board of Directors of MRG Foundation (now Seeding Justice) and Wayfinding College. He is a member of NAACP, Portland Branch 1120-B.

The New York Yankees fan spends his free time playing drums, cooking, and regularly sampling Oregon’s bounty of restaurants, wineries, and craft cocktail
venues.

 Kimberly Melton

For nearly twenty years, Kimberly Melton has called Portland home. Her commitment to community building, strategic policy development and compassionate leadership has guided her through careers in journalism, nonprofit advocacy, politics and public service.

Most recently, Kim served as chief of staff for Multnomah County Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury. She was responsible for developing the Chair’s overall policy agenda, overseeing the county’s policy offices, special projects and budget process. As a senior advisor, she led policy initiatives to transform the county’s investments in immigration, youth programs and culturally specific services.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kim took on new responsibilities, coordinating the County’s COVID-19 Policy Leadership Team to support decision-making on key issues including mandates, partnerships, equity policies and locations for testing and vaccinations.

Prior to her time in public service, Kim was an award-winning statehouse and education journalist who reported for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans and The Oregonian. She joined Stand for Children Oregon in 2011 where she served as statewide Communications Director and Regional Organizing Director.

Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies with a minor in Communications at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. While earning a master’s degree in Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, Kim worked as a reporter for African American newspapers in Sacramento and San Francisco. When she’s not working, Kimberly enjoys writing non-fiction essays, painting, singing and spending time with friends and family.

 Lee Fleming

Lee Fleming serves as the Regional Supplier Diversity Manager for Skanska USA Building in Portland, OR. In this role, he leads efforts to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to maximize opportunities for Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). He manages the team’s Small Business Compliance program, policy and program development, community engagement, oversees the SBE training requirements and leads diversity and inclusion efforts for more than 300 staff personnel.

Lee previously served as the Supplier Diversity Officer for Multnomah County and the Senior Contract Analyst for Portland Public Schools, overseeing business equity and compliance programs for both organizations. He is a proud graduate of the historic Tuskegee University and veteran of the United States Air Force.  He has served and continues to participate with numerous boards, committees, community and trade organizations, and various chambers of commerce to further the cause of leveling the playing field and seeking opportunities for historically underutilized segments of the small business community across the Pacific Northwest region.

 Dr. Miles K. Davis

Dr. Miles K. Davis in 2018 became the 20th president of Linfield University. Davis has a Ph.D. in human and organizational sciences from The George Washington University, an M.A. in human resource development from Bowie State University and a B.A. in communications from Duquesne University. Prior to joining Linfield, he was the inaugural chair of the management science department at the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business at Shenandoah University and became the founding director of its Institute for Entrepreneurship. Dr. Davis went on to become the dean of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of business.

Davis is an authority on entrepreneurship whose most recent work focuses on integrity, values and principles in the business world, as well as faith-based entrepreneurship. He helps organizations manage cultural and structural changes, strategic planning, leadership development and strategic growth initiatives.
He is chair of the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and a member of the Board of Directors at the National Association Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). NAICU is the official policy and lobbying arm of non-profit private higher education in the USA Universities.

Davis is also a member of the Society of Leadership Fellows at St. George’s House (their first non-UK based member), an organization based out of Windsor Castle in England that brings together world leaders in a variety of fields to analyze contemporary issues. He is also the first college president to come out of The PhD Project, a network that helps members of underrepresented communities attain doctorates and become leaders in higher education.

Dr. Davis has won numerous awards including awards of service from the NAACP and the “Drum Major for Justice Award” from the United Churches of Christ. He has also won recognition for his interfaith work from the Islamic Society of North American and the United Methodist Church. Dr. Davis is a much sought-after speaker on the topics of: organizational change, ethical, moral and principled leadership, and the need to transform higher education.

 Mini Sharma-Ogle

Mini Sharma-Ogle (she/her) represents Portland General Electric’s (PGE) Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and is an experienced cross-cultural collaborator. She is an anthropologist by training and at heart. She leads equity strategies to engage employees, customers and communities as PGE leads the transition to a clean energy future. PGE is Oregon’s largest electric utility, serving more than 900,000 customers.

Mini previously served as PGE’s first Tribal Liaison and developed a Strategic Tribal Engagement Plan (STEP), which serves as a model for businesses as they create meaningful partnerships with Tribal sovereign nations. She is a Governor nominee on the Willamette Falls Locks Authority and is honored to serve on other Portland-region Boards and DEI committees. Mini grew up in Bombay, India, moving to the US for graduate school, is a Bollywood dancer and actor, speaks 7 languages and loves to cajole her multiracial, multigenerational family to go on off-beat travel experiences.

 Monica Lin-Meyer

Monica Lin-Meyer partners with individuals, teams, and organizations to help them thrive. She specializes in executive coaching, leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), communications, and organizational design. For more than 25 years, she has helped numerous organizations to improve their culture, advance leadership effectiveness and team performance, and address systemic barriers to equity.

Her career has included leadership roles at EY People Advisory Services, PeopleFirm, Nike, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide (WE Communications) and
REI Co-op. As a consultant, Monica has worked with clients including Columbia Sportswear Company, New Seasons Market, Mercy Corps, the Port of Portland, and Wieden+Kennedy. She has been a speaker at numerous conferences, including the inaugural DisruptHR Portland in 2019.

She devotes volunteer time to social justice causes and serving historically marginalized communities. As an ICF-certified executive coach, she offers pro bono executive coaching to professionals from underrepresented groups who seek to advance their leadership effectiveness. Monica has facilitated community workshops on anti-racism, bystander intervention, and allyship for the Executive Development Institute (EDI), a non-profit providing leadership development for people of color. She currently serves on the Leadership Council for Partners in Diversity and co-leads our Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community resource group. Monica is a graduate of the Hudson Institute of Coaching program and holds a master’s in Organizational Transformation and Leadership from Saybrook University.

 Nikotris Perkins

Nikotris Perkins is a Black woman, love led strategist, and Beloved Community champion who has been a liberation practitioner for the last 25 years. Her work is focused on discontinuing and dismantling oppressive practices and systems. Offering a criticaNikotris is from Milwaukee, WI and works in K-16 education, youth development, government, and corporate spaces both internally and as a consultant serving in strategy and implementation roles. Currently, she consults various companies throughout the United States and leads the DEI efforts for New Seasons Markets.

 Riikka Salonen

Riikka Salonen, MA, brings nearly 30 years of expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), intercultural awareness, and health equity to her role as the managing director of Health Equity at BCT Partners. As a minority-owned business, BCT Partners was founded to help solve complex social issues and increase equity.

Riikka partners with clients to assess DEI and health equity, create strategic plans, and provide culturally responsive services to the community. She oversees a nationwide Think Cultural Health Program sponsored by the HHS Office of Minority Health. Before BCT, Riikka led health equity efforts at OHSU and PeaceHealth for nearly 14 years. During the pandemic, Riikka collaborated with culture-specific organizations to offer testing, vaccinations, and community-based health services.

Her international work reaches across 20 countries; she was among 112 global experts who developed the 2021 Global DEI Benchmarks. She serves on the board of the Southwest Washington Equity Coalition, committed to dismantling structural white supremacy and advocating for marginalized communities.

Before healthcare, Riikka led intercultural programs at the ocean-going university, The Scholar Ship, and the Intercultural Communication Institute. Riikka completed her graduate studies in intercultural communication at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, the first program of its kind in Europe.

 Sheila Murty

Sheila Murty is Executive Vice President of People and Culture at Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA), leading the adoption of a culture framework, driving TCCA’s vision for a values-based organization, and managing all aspects of building a responsive and strategic HR function. Murty also leads TCCA’s IT function, Project Management Office and Legal Services. TCCA is a 114-year-old farmer-owned cooperative with one of the fastest growing consumer food brands in the country, employing over 1,000 employees in varied roles, from manufacturing, retail, office-based business and administrative, and a remote workforce across the country.

Murty brings more than 15 years of experience in strategic human resources and operational leadership. Prior to joining TCCA, she served as vice president of operations at The Oregon Community Foundation where she led people & culture, technology, diversity and facilities administration for the $2B community foundation. Murty previously was a senior HR leader at Legacy Health, one of Oregon’s largest private employers, and was also appointed Legacy’s diversity officer.

Since joining TCCA in 2018, Murty established an Inclusion & Diversity Framework to guide the organization’s development of an inclusive culture, where all employees have the opportunity to contribute, feel valued and have a sense of belonging. Under this framework, TCCA has more than doubled the number of leaders of color and increased the percentage of women in director-level roles by 25% since 2018. The co-op’s inclusion & diversity journey and achievements were recognized in a 2020 Portland Business Journal article.

In addition to serving on the board of Girls Inc. PNW as the Governance Chair, Murty is a member of the International Women’s Forum and the CNBC Workforce Executive Council.  Past board service includes Partners in Diversity, NW EEO, and Portland HR Management Association.  In 2022, Sheila was named Women of Influence and HR Leadership Award Winner by the Portland Business Journal. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Oregon Health Sciences University and a master’s in business administration from Portland State University.

Murty was born and raised in Malaysia. She moved to Oregon as a college student, and since then has made it her home and raised her family here. Sheila enjoys time with her family and friends and finds meaning in creating connections and community for others through the power of lived experiences, food, and travel.

 Tamara Kennedy

Tamara Kennedy is the Director of Economic Development for the Port of Portland in the Trade and Equitable development division.  The Port of Portland’s mission is to build shared prosperity for the region through travel, trade, and economic development. In this role Tamara partners with leadership and external partners in the region to attract investment, design workforce pipeline strategies, advance international trade strategy and equitable development initiatives for industry clusters in Advanced Manufacturing with a particular focus in ClimateTech and Mass Timber ecosystems.

Kennedy served on the boards of Black United Fund of Oregon, Greater Portland Inc., NW Xcelerator, and Co-Chair of the board for Transition Projects.  She holds an MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of Portland and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Marylhurst University.

Tamara’s passion is to align human potential with positive community impact.  She is co-founder of Portland’s My People’s Market, an equitable marketplace for entrepreneurs of color in the greater Portland region.

 Waleed Sadruddin

Waleed Sadruddin has established himself as a leader in areas of Diversity, Equity Inclusion and Belonging, Human Resources, Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning and Consultant for iconic brands. He currently provides executive consulting in these areas for regional organizations. From 2020 to 2022, Waleed was the Director of Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning for Northwest Permanente where he led the recruitment efforts for physician/ clinician, nurse and administrative recruitment and workforce planning strategies during the beginning of the global pandemic. All done with a focus on DEIB sourcing practices. Before this position, he was the Director of Equity, Inclusion & Diversity, and Integrated Talent Planning for Kaiser Permanente Northwest Health Plan and Hospitals from 2015 to 2020, where he was responsible for the Equity, Inclusion & Diversity strategic development, planning, and delivery for Kaiser’s NW region.

Waleed joined Kaiser from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) where he was the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion, Philanthropy, Volunteerism and Client Liaison for the First Gear Academy. Waleed has held various positions with Daimler from 2003 – 2015 including Senior Corporate Diversity Recruiter and Talent Acquisition Supervisor and led the Corporate Diversity Recruiter efforts. Waleed was DTNA’s first Manager of D&I for North America and led the start of many of DTNA’s DEI efforts that are still gaining traction today. Waleed is a Portland native and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Science from Portland State University.

Sponsors

Thank you to the following organizations for their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Visionary

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Champion

Leader

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Supporter

Accomodation Sponsor