Women’s Leadership Alliance – Diversity Works: Benefits, Challenges and Solution

The Science is clear: Diversity works for organizations and individuals.
 
The Diversity Works seminar will feature experts and their discussion on actionable approaches to recruitment and retention of women, people of color, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and address underlying organizational challenges. The audience will have an opportunity to discuss their own Diversity and Inclusion challenges, and brainstorm next steps.
 
Keynote Speaker Gregory Owens, Deputy Commissioner of NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, will introduce the topic of recruitment and retention of diverse populations in the workplace. A highly regarded speaker, presenter and trainer, his accessible approach appeals to people with multiple levels of awareness regarding diversity and inclusion.
 
The event will focus on the following Breakout Sessions:
 
No One Left Behind, Disability and Workforce Diversity presented by Doug Hovey, President & CEO of Independent Living Inc. This interactive session will explore cultural transformation within small businesses using best practice modalities and tools for recruiting, hiring, and managing people with disabilities as a part of a thriving workplace. Tone at the top and authentic leadership that transcends throughout an organization can create a dynamic culture that makes a company a catalyst for social change while improving their bottom line. Diversity, inclusive of people with disabilities in the workplace is good business!
 
How to Improve Gender Diversity in the Workplace presented by Lorraine Lopez-Janove, Chief Diversity Officer SUNY Orange of SUNY Sullivan & SUNY Ulster. It's a known fact that diversity is imperative in all workplaces. In most industries and sectors, the people served are more diverse than the people serving them—which doesn’t bode well for understanding their needs. To better serve your customers and clients, it’s important to cultivate gender diversity in the workplace. This goes beyond equal representation of males and females, as it should also include those with a non-binary gender identity. This workshop will cover several practices to put in place to achieve gender-equality.
 
Attracting and retaining LGBTQ employees presented by Jeff Rindler, Executive Director of Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center. Creating an LGBTQ affirming environment in your workplace is the first step in attracting and retaining qualified individuals from the LGBTQ community. In this interactive session we will articulate strategies to ensure your business/agency is welcoming to the LGBTQ community, tips on inclusive language to use when creating job descriptions and policies and procedures, and discuss challenges you may have in engaging the community.
 
Overcoming Barriers to Recruiting and Retaining ‘Diverse’ Employees presented by Wendy Amengual Wark, Founding Partner of Inclusion Strategy Solutions LLC. This session will explore the unintentional impact of bias on recruitment and retention efforts and how to overcome these barriers by implementing effective policies and protocols that create and support inclusive, collaborative work environments.
 
This event is sponsored by, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, Key Bank, Royal Carting Services, The Arc of Dutchess, and The Association of Fundraising Professionals. Join us Thursday, May 9th from 8 AM-12 PM, at Mariapolis Luminosa in Hyde Park. This event will sell out attendance, so please register in advance. Tickets are $45 per person to attend, and breakfast is included. This event is brought to you by the Hudson Valley Women’s Leadership Alliance. To register visit: wlahv.org.
 
The Women’s Leadership Alliance is an affiliate of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Their mission is to empower women through advocacy, collaboration, and leadership. The Women’s Leadership Alliance networking opportunities—attended predominately by women—offer a collegial, friendly environment for developing meaningful business relationships. They also offer educational events to grow and learn both personally and professionally.