We’re building a regional economy where everyone can thrive.
The Greater Washington region is prosperous, but that prosperity is not shared fairly with all its residents. Too many individuals are excluded from quality education, employment, and other drivers of personal advancement due to systemic racism, ableism, and other wrongful barriers. The Board of Trade is committed to helping member organizations adopt robust and high-impact diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies so that this community can be a driver of positive change.
In this three part webinar series, we will explore accessibility in the workplace and its impact on our region’s inclusive economic growth. The series is brought to you by our Knowledge Partner Accenture and Supporting Sponsor Verizon and in partnership with Easterseals DC MD VA and Greater Washington Board of Trade.
Webinar #1 – Reducing Employment Barriers for People Living with Mental Illness
Thursday, September 30, 2021 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM | Watch the recording here.
Watch the latest Candid Conversation where our experts discussed ways to reduce employment barriers for people living with mental illness and how prioritizing mental health leads to a positive, inclusive culture.
Speakers:
- Ali Cupito, Global Mental Health & Wellness Program Lead, Accenture (Moderator)
- Monica Schmude, President Mid-Atlantic Market, Cigna
- Anneke Vandenbroek, Clinic Director at Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic, Easterseals
- Quentin SaLay, Region Vice President Human Resources, Comcast
This webinar is sponsored by Comcast.
Webinar #2 – Advancing Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities
October 26, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Watch the recording here.
Join us during National Disability Employment Awareness Month to learn how to help advance opportunities for individuals with disabilities. By enabling inclusion throughout the workplace, all employees can prosper together. Experts will share their personal journeys, passion for inclusion and making change, and discuss topics such as:
- Maximizing the potential of workers with disabilities, now and post-pandemic.
- Reducing barriers that persist for persons with disabilities such as the lack of psychological safety, transparency, and trust.
- The importance of leadership as a key culture factor, beyond accessibility and accommodations, that plays a role in increasing success and belonging.
Speakers:
- Chris Wheedleton, Senior Vice President, Employment Programs, Easterseals (Moderator)
- Zachary Bastian, Manager, Strategic Alliances, Verizon
- Laurie Henneborn, Managing Director, Accenture
- Judy Heumann, International Disability Rights Advocate
- Meg O’Grady, National Director of Veterans Employment, U.S. Department of Labor
Webinar #3 – The Value of Veterans in the Workplace
Wednesday, November 17 , 2021 from 9:00 – 10:00 AM | Watch the recording here.
This Candid Conversation will address veteran unemployment in the Greater Washington region. Learn how to embrace the value of servicemembers and their families within the workplace through innovative programs and solutions.
Speakers:
- Maggie Pollard, Managing Director – Management Consulting Lead, U.S. Air Force, Accenture (Moderator)
- Robert “Bob” McDonald, Former US Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- David Muir, Senior Vice President – Veteran Staffing Network, Easterseals
- James Rodriguez, Assistant Secretary for Veteran Employment and Training Service, U.S. Department of Labor
Racial & Social Equity Webinar Series
This webinar series convenes leading experts on corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to explore the drivers of exclusion and inequity (including racism, ableism, other types of bias, underinvestment in communities of color, and outdated corporate practices) and explore actionable strategies for how this region’s leaders can create positive change.
Understanding the Opportunity Divide and its Impact on Corporate America
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Watch the recording or read the summary >>
Achieving Health Equity: What Employers Should Know
Thursday, March 25, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Watch the recording or read the summary >>
Opportunity Talent and the Value of Investment
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM | Watch the recording or read the summary >>
The Digital Divide and Our Economic Competitiveness
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 from 10:00 – 11:15 AM | Watch the recording or read the summary >>
Your Organization and Its Community
Thursday, June 10, 2021 from 9:30 – 10:30 AM | Watch the recording or read the summary >>
Read the summary of the series: Five Ways Corporate Leaders Can Improve Racial and Social Equity
This series is sponsored by Cigna, Comcast, and EY and is produced in partnership with Grads of Life.
Other Thought Leadership Activities
- May 26, 2021: In our webinar “Building an Inclusive Culture,” Bryan Hancock, Partner at McKinsey & Company, presented research on race in the workplace, followed by a conversation with Jason Wright, President of the Washington Football Team and Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, President of Howard University. Watch the recording and read the summary >>
- March 29, 2021: Larysa Kautz, President & CEO of Melwood, explains why appreciating and accommodating differences in how our minds operate (“neurodiversity”) is an important part of any diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Read the interview >>
- September 29, 2020: Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, professor at the University of Virginia and author of Race, Work, and Leadership, presented her research on how racial dynamics show up in the workplace in a TD Bank Morning Star Speaker Series event. Watch the recording and read the summary >>
- June 24, 2020: The Board of Trade convened a panel of leaders who are fighting for racial equity in the DMV to discuss how we can build a more fair and inclusive economy in an event titled “Working for Economic Equity in the DMV.” Watch the recording and read the summary >>
- June 3, 2020: Jack McDougle, President & CEO of the Board of Trade, responded to nationwide protests in response to the killing of George Floyd in a letter to members. Read the letter >>
Featured Members
