10 May 2019 at 12:00AM
PMI Rochester D&I Committee's First Event
One month ago, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of PMI Rochester held its first event organized and sponsored by the committee: Collaborating Across Differences to Engage a Multicultural Workforce. This invaluable event was full of fun and learning!
Faciliator Valerie Davis-Howard led a group of PMI Members and Guests in an exploration of Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace, challeging participants to consider their own implicit biases and the challenges of workplaces to include a diverse workforce.
Our facilitator: Valerie’s extensive career includes being an Owner and Vice President at one of the pioneering OD Firms in the country – The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc. (KJCG). Prior to her work with KJCG, she was an Assistant Vice President in Organizational Development at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City where she managed corporate diversity initiatives, work-life events, and change management programs. As a Training Consultant for the State of Michigan, she managed competency development programs for staff and managers. Valerie is a highly-rated, frequent speaker at national conferences and has published articles on diversity and culture change. During her early consulting career, she was named one of the “New Guard” by the American Society for Training & Development (ATD formerly ASTD), an honor bestowed on a select group of professionals who exhibit a passion for making a difference and achievements that take the field of training and development in new directions. Valerie earned her MBA from the University of Iowa and bachelor’s degree in Economics from Spelman College. She resides in the Rochester, NY area with her family.
Our event: In addition to a delicious dinner and fantastic new friends, the group considered their own level of D&I understanding, the impacts of being a minority in the USA, and the every day challenges in the workplace. Pictured here are different groups describing their benefits and challenges in the workplace.
If you have suggestions for speaker, facilitators, or events, please let us know at diversity@pmirochester.org!
Facilitator Valerie Davis-Howard:
Baby Boomers Group:
Tenured Employees (5+ Years with an Employer):
Born Outside of the USA:
New-to-Employer (Less than 4 Years):
Working Parents (Of Children under 11):
