Areas of expertise:

• 20 years in diversity, equity, and inclusion work in higher education
• Training and facilitation
• Leadership development
• Anti-racism training and education
• LGBTQIA training and education
• Training and education on healthy masculinity
• Understanding and dismantling systems of oppression
• Strategic planning

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
EDI is rooted in my life experience. Spanish was my first language and my family experienced much marginalization while I was growing up. I naturally connect with individuals and communities who are “left out.” I am motivated by work which dismantles barriers to human opportunity and progress in the world, in our communities, and in our organizations. I imagine a world where all human beings are given the opportunity to tap into their inherent gifts and talents, develop the skills to contribute greatly to our communities, find meaning and purpose in their work, and can believe truly that our unique, diverse and intersectional identities are genuinely valued.

Favorite comfort meal: My Titi Carmen’s Puerto Rican arroz con gandules.

Areas of expertise:

• Non-profit Leadership
• Intercultural Communication
• Adult Education
• Capacity Building
• Project Design in Training And Development

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
I am increasingly encouraged by the work in EDI as I believe we must use innovative methods of community engagement to build a strong foundation for growth and understanding. I aim to question our unconscious biases, to encourage cultural exchange, and to develop creative solutions to have these difficult conversations.
This is something we can look for in all areas of life, and I continue to look for cultural preservation, integration and education in my personal life in music and food!

Favorite comfort meal: I find that my comfort food is really anything that has rice as the focal point of the dish: Paella, Biryani, Fried Rice etc.  The world is full of beautiful flavors, and I want to try them all!

Areas of expertise:

• EDI Training, Facilitation, and Consulting
• Leadership development
• EDI Coaching
• Intercultural Communication

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
As the daughter of immigrants from India who grew up in the Midwest of the US, I’ve always navigated differences in culture and power. I’m deeply committed to social justice, and I believe that transformational change is possible. That’s why I’ve dedicated my career to liberating individuals, organizations, and communities from systems of oppression.

Favorite comfort meal: My favorite comfort meal is my mother’s daal, green beans and potatoes, served with basmati rice or chapati.

Areas of expertise:

• DEI, leadership
• Team building
• Strategic planning/work with all levels of government (federal, state, local), non-profits and private sectors

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 

I believe that only when we excel in these areas – whether at work or in our personal lives – can we be our very best, see possibilities and fulfil our potential; again as both individuals and organizations.

Favorite comfort meal: Not a meal  but when I need comfort, my “go to” is butter pecan ice cream; it always does the job.

Areas of expertise:

• Almost four decades of experience in local, state, and federal government, higher education, museum administration, and nonprofits
• Adaptive Leadership
• Organizational Analysis
• Social Capital Development
• Executive Coaching exploring the nexus of leadership, spirituality, and personal development.

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
My encore career as a historian provides a platform to investigate societal patterns and behaviors that influence privilege, oppression and intersectionality in the journey for social justice reform. Along with my scholarly research, my lived experience as a child of the civil rights movement and a bridge-builder across racial divides add depth to EDI strategies that create impact.

Favorite comfort meal: A hard choice between an eclectic array of pan-Asian, dim sum, and the Southern comfort of fried fish, barbeque, mac and cheese with well-seasoned greens.

Areas of expertise:

• EDI Facilitation and Coaching
• Leadership Development
• Dialogue
• Understanding Systemic Oppression

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion?
Imagine what we could do if we could create spaces that liberate all human potential!

Favorite comfort meal: Sushi

Areas of Expertise:

• Cultural Intelligence
• How White People Can Be Anti-Racist
• LGBTQIA+ Diversity and Inclusion
• Transgender Diversity and Inclusion
• Religious Diversity and Inclusion
• Community and Youth Empowerment
• EDI in Higher Education

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
Engagement with EDI is part of my “happiness plan.”  One place I experience happiness is when I get to know others and seek a space where we are recognized as being of equal intrinsic value. This space sometimes becomes tricky to find given social injustice and our seemingly endless drive to put ourselves above others.  Yet, when I connect with people in ways which raise up everyone and diminish no one, I feel happy.

Favorite comfort meal: In sixth grade, I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day for lunch.  When I am feeling stressed, my PB&J always comes to the rescue!

Areas of expertise:

• Training and Facilitation (over 2,000 hours) and Conflict Mediation and Resolution (over 1,700 hours). Training Topics include Anti-racism, Bias, Allyship, Inclusive Hiring, Inclusive Management, LGBTQ+, Accessibility, Equitable Hybrid Work, and more.
• Immigrant and First-Generation American Experience Asian and South Asian Community Multicultural/Cultural Competence with a global/international lens.
• Multi/interracial, Interfaith and Multicultural Personal and Team Relationships.

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
I moved to the United States after living overseas for fifteen years with my multicultural, interracial, and interfaith family. Diversity and inclusion was and is my norm – my daily lived values and experience – due to my social identities as a woman of color, South Asian-American, and member of the LGBTQ+ community. When I moved to the U.S. it was a culture shock, particularly around the tension in racism and racist history living in the South. As a first-generation American, I experienced the effects of being categorized in a label or box, as well as the ignorance and fear that comes with being “othered.” Those years were especially painful to live through, so when I entered the workforce, my goal was to do my part in making sure people who looked like me or individuals from marginalized identities would be heard and valued. I want to help facilitate the challenges and breakthrough moments in this work; to help build equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplaces and the support systems for diverse employees to succeed and be psychologically safe. I value learning new skills and keep pushing myself professionally to learn new skills that support EDI work.

Favorite comfort meal: My favorite comfort meal at the moment is Vietnamese Pho – the aromatic slow-cooked broth coupled with tender beef and chewy rice noodles is magic in a bowl!

Kari Okubo (she/her) is a freelance social strategist and works with purpose-driven brands and artists on campaigns that empower and amplify the underrepresented. Kari is a fifth-generation settler born and raised in Hawaii and is of Japanese and Okinawan descent.
Kari is passionate about building community both through digital spaces and offline.

Favorite comfort meal: Anything with noodles!

Zimife Umeh is a researcher, educator, and consultant with over 10 years of professional experience. She has been involved in organizational DEI work in a variety of roles, including supporting organizations across the private and non-profit sector in developing and implementing assessments, and developing DEI strategic plans.
Zimife holds a B.S. in Finance and a B.A. in Africana Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. She has a master’s degree in Education from Chestnut Hill College and a PhD in Sociology from Duke University. She has published peer-reviewed articles in the following journals: Social Science Research and Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. Zimife is currently a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Brown University, where she conducts research on race- and gender-based inequalities in institutions.

Areas of expertise:

• DEI survey design, data collection, and data analysis.
• Racial justice, gender equality, and approach my research and analysis using an intersectional framework.

Why Equity, Diversity and Inclusion? 
My interest in EDI stems from my commitment to producing research and strategies that eliminate barriers to racial equity and inclusion within the workplace.

Favorite comfort meal: Baked Mac and Cheese