SOURCE: National Diversity Council

DESCRIPTION:

HOUSTON, April 21, 2021 /3BL Media/ - DiversityFirstTM will be hosting the 17th Annual National Diversity and Leadership Conference on April 21-22 and April 28-29, 2021. The conference will be held virtually with this year’s theme being “Be a Changemaker”. The four-day conference will honor a number of diverse talent from different industries. 

The DEI Champions Award honors professionals who are passionate about creating an impact in the field of diversity and inclusion. Diversity champions continue to put DiversityFIRST™ through visionary leadership and commitment to fostering change for ages to come. The award commends exemplary professionals who transform our diverse communities into inclusive environments, where individuals are valued for their talent and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. 

About The National Diversity & Leadership Conference

With thousands of attendees, the 2021 National Diversity & Leadership Conference remains one of the largest diversity conferences in the nation. Offering extraordinary networking opportunities, professional development, and critical conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion, attendees are able to curate their experience for optimal learning and growth. This year’s conference will take place virtually on April 21-22 and 28-29. More information about the Diversity & Leadership Conference is available at http://nationaldiversityconference.com/2021/    

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2021 Awardees

Aaron Limonthas

Senior Director, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Shipt

Aaysha Noor

Head of Diversity and Inclusion, The GIANT Company

Adrienne Hoyt

Vice President, Internal Communications – CNN, WarnerMedia News & Sports, CNN

Aimee Sanders

Senior Manager, Communications & Brand Strategy, WarnerMedia News & Sports

Alexandra Haynes

Diversity Affairs Manager, Austin Commercial, LP

Alfie Chatman-Walter

Manager, People & Culture, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Alieu Nyassi

Assistant Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Alison Bodor

Program Director: Diversity and Inclusion, Northwestern Medicine

Alysia Green 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategist, AAA-The Auto Club Group

Amina Cush 

Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Delivery Service Partner GTM, Amazon

Anand Kumar

Director, Supplier Diversity, AAA-The Auto Club Group

Andrea Dempsey

Global Program Manager - Recruiting Programs and Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, AWS, Amazon

Andrea Freeman

Sr. Director, Head of Inclusion & Diversity, Darden

Andres Rocha

Post Producer, 2U

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Andrew Hill

CEO, Excelsior Wellness

Angel Uddin

Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Blue Cross Blue Shield MN

Angela Harris

Director, Employee Relations, Premier Healthcare Alliance

Annie Brown

Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, LogMeIn

Arena Ellis 

Human Resources Generalist, Gentex Corporation

Asha Hope

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Senior Executive, Amazon

Atma Godara

Production HR Generalist, Netflix

Audria Lee

Senior Director, Inclusion & Recruiting, FINRA

Aundrea Matthews

Cultural Arts Director at United States Military Academy, West Point

Belicia Montgomery

Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Minor League Baseball

Betsy Silva

Global Inclusion and Diversity Strategist, Confidential

Bianca Sandoval

Sr. Manager-Diversity Affairs, Austin Commercial

Bill Bradshaw

National Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, Lead New Jersey

Bill Brown

Senior Project Manager - Austin Commercial, LP

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Bola Ajakaye

Business Advisor to SVP Digital Science & Engineering, bp

Bradley Greene

Associate Director, Performance Services, Premier Inc. 

Brandi Hoyos

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Leader, Marietta City Schools

Brandon Jacobs

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Shipley School

Brian Richardson Jr.

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Indianapolis Colts

Carol Purdy 

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Research and Analytics Consultant, AAA The Auto Club Group

Caroline Chambers

Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Graham Media Group

Charmaine Brown

Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Mortgage Bankers Association

Cherelle Cortez

National Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Layton Construction

Chinten Parikh

Senior Director, Global Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, Rackspace Technology

Christina Edgerton 

President, Pennsy Supply Inc.

Christopher Johnson

Director, Inclusion and Diversity, Humana

Courtnie Brazier

Diversity and Inclusion Manager & Sr. Strategist, Randstad Sourceright

Crystal Andrews-Banks

Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Ulta Beauty

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Daisy Chan

Vice President, Enterprise Communications, Horizon BCBSNJ

Deborah Williams

Supplier, Diversity & Sustainability, Premier Inc.

Diana Gueits

Director-Diversity and Inclusion, The Cleveland Clinic

Dionna Smith

Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Thumbtack

Diya Khanna

Global Diversity Equity Inclusion Manager, Amazon

Dr. Princess L. J. Currence

Social Justice Advocate | DEI Consultant & Educator | Curriculum & Learning Development Expert | Executive Coach, Rush University Medical Center

Eboni Laurent 

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, US Lacrosse

Elisa Leary

Vice President - Head of Human Resources, Catalyst Inc.

Ellonda Williams

Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, B Lab

Eric Polite II

Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Kanarys™

Erica Miles

Director of Diversity and Inclusion, U.S. House of Representatives

Erik Malmberg

Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

Erika White

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Manager, Pennoni

Gabrielle Royal

Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

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Gisselda Nunez

Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, HarperCollins Publishers

Guillaume Bagel

Hana El Sahly

Associate Professor of Molecular Virology, Microbiology, and Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine

Helen Shelton

Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Finn Partners

Ida Byrd-hill

CEO & Founder, Automation Workz

Ivan Reeves

Vice President, Human Resources-Global Supply Chain, Dollar General

Indria Hollingsworth

Senior Regional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager, JE Dunn Construction

Jackie Hunter

Sr. Director Diversity/Inclusion & Talent Pipeline, Banner Health

Jacqueline Blount

Global Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Ahold Delhaize

James Taylor

Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent Management Officer, UPMC

Jamie Coleman

Inclusion & Diversity Sr Specialist, JCPenny

Jarrett Waddy

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Operations and ERG Management, AAA The Auto Club Group

Jazmine Williams

Director for Diversity and Inclusion, Rock Ventures LLC

Jeanette Grego

Recruiting Coordinator II, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

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Jeenie Yoon

Course Strategist/Learning Design Expert, 2U

Jennifer McGowan

Jessica Torres-soto

SVP, HR Business Partner and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leader, Initiative

Jia Osiel

Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion, BP 

John Gutierrez

Senior Director - Government Affairs, Comcast

Josefina Aguayo

Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion Partnerships, Rodan + Fields

Josephine Pride

Public Affairs NCOIC, United States Military Academy at West Point

JT Wilson

Partner, Dinsmore 

Julie Crichton

Director of Employee Experience, GreenPath Financial Wellness

Karen Sihra

Director of Inclusion & Diversity, CPP Investments

Katrina Thortnon

Senior Director - Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Kellogg Company

Karlie Garcia

Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Paul Hastings

Kelvin Goss

Sr. Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Delek US Holdings, Inc.

Kenn Shrader

Senior User Experience Architect

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Kim Johnson

Senior Manager, Product Support Services, Informatics Solution Center, Premier, Incorporated

Kimberly Amrine

Chief Diversity Officer, Frost Brown Todd

Kimberly Andrews

Director, HR and Diversity & Inclusion, CenterPoint Energy

Kristina Kyles -Smith

Krys Tabujara

Studio Manager, 2U

Latricia Shepard

Director HR - Talent Development & Diversity, AT&T

Lauren Woodfork

Director of Product Experience, 2U, Inc.

LeAndra Cleveland

VP, Diversity & Inclusion, Orion Worldwide

Lennies Gutierrez

Lisa Benitez

West Point Diversity & Inclusion Outreach Programs at United States Military Academy, West Point

Lisa Bourne

Senior Director - Diversity, Inclusion & Social Impact, Zwift

Lori Ferguson

Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, New Jersey Resources

Marcia Calloway

Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, San Ysidro Health

Marie Crea

Director, Human Resources, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

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Matthew Fawcett

Chief Strategy and Legal Officer, NetApp

Maureen Maycheco

Communications Director, Colorado Nonprofit Association

Mauricio Muzevuca

Operations, Amazon

Mel Smith

Melissa Liggins

Director, Public Relations and Community Engagement, Spectrum Health

Melissa Michael

Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, CAI

Michelle Gadsen-williams

Managing Director & Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, BlackRock

Michelle Johnson

Senior Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement, Westchester Medical Center, a member of WMCHealth

Miracle Johnson

Greenhouse

Monica Parker

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Gensler

Natacha Buchanan

Director, Inclusion & Diversity, Phillips 66

Nish Embry

Niya Hackworth

Director of Inclusion, NCAA

Orly Lynn

Head of Global Inclusion and Diversity, Commvault

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Ouraphone Willis

Vice President, Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity, UnitedHealth Group

Pachalla Kavita

Mgr - Software Engineering, Premier Inc.

Pamela Fann

Director of Membership and Diversity Integration, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance

Pranika Sinih

Managing Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Organizational Development, Greystone

Rachel Braunstein 

Manager, Office of the CMO, 2U

Rahil Hasan

Vice President, Micron Memory Japan, Micron Technology

Reatrey Rin

Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, CDP, Comerica Bank

Richard Griffin

Territory Executive - Relationship Growth, TCF Capital Solutions

Rhonda Burns

Associate Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, Nationwide

Ron Toran

Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, SYKES

Rondette Smith

Head of Diversity & Inclusion, EMEA, Nomura

Ruth Paige

Director, Service OSC and IVR Systems, Horizon BCBSN

Sam Kline

Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion 

Sarah Hassaine

Director of Diversity & Inclusion, ResMed

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Satra Sampson-Arokium

Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Dechert LLP

Shakema Appleton

Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Cozen O'Connor

Shari Brown

Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager, Department of Navy

Sharon Brogdon

Vice President Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, BigCommerce

Shary Tran

Executive Program Manager, Inclusion & Diversity, Amazon

Stacie Jones

Deputy Director, Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Stella Michael

Director - CRM Platforms, Spectrum Health

Sue Schmidlkofer

Global Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, UPS

Tamara Flake 

Vice President Relationship Manager, TCF Bank

Tammy Jones-still

Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Brinker International

Tarundeep Suri

Managing Director, Strategy, Planning & CI, United Airlines

Tiana Carter

Senior Director, Culture & Engagement | Head of DEI, Waste Management

Tiffany Williams

Global Diversity and Inclusion, Verizon

Tina Alonzo

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Administrator, Michigan State University Infrastructure Planning and Facilities

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Tony Hernandez 

Tricia Anastasio

Tristan Sweat

Marketing Manager (social media, corporate communications, intranet), Gentex Corporation

Vanessa Abrahams-John

Director, Global Diversity, Inclusion, Talent Acquisition, Linde

Veronique Perry

Director of Diversity and Inclusion, ACHE Western Florida Chapter

Wei Gao

VP, Grocery Tech, Product and Supply Chain, Amazon

Wendell Jackson

Director, Workforce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, City of Philadelphia

Winston Williams 

Deputy Department Head, United States Military Academy Westpoint

Yogita Inamdar

Director - Social Responsibility, Inclusion & Diversity, Wyndham Destinations

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Contact:
Alexus Christian
Communications Specialist
alexus.christian@nationaldiversitycouncil.org

KEYWORDS: inclusive work environment, diversity, equity, inclusion, diversity and inclusion, National Diversity Council