Beyond Diversity | The Book

Shirley Bloomfield
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association – CEO (she/her)

Shirley Bloomfield is chief executive officer of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, the premier association representing nearly 850 independent telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. Bloomfield has a strong track record of leadership in aligning strategic partnerships among rural telecom companies, their larger counterparts, other rural utilities and federal agencies, advancing digital equity and economic opportunities for rural Americans.

Jennifer Brown
Jennifer Brown Consulting (she/her)

Jennifer Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, diversity and inclusion consultant, and author. Her bestselling book, Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace and The Will to Change creates the case for leaders to embrace the opportunity that diversity represents, for their own growth and for the success of their organizations. Jennifer is the host of the popular weekly podcast, The Will to Change, which uncovers true stories of diversity and inclusion.

Ragen Chastain
Speaker, Writer, Fathlete (she/her)

Ragen Chastain is a thought leader in the fields of Body Image, Health and Fitness, Corporate Wellness, and Weight Stigma, whose knowledge comes from a combination of her training as an ACE Certified Health Coach, Functional Training Specialist, and as a researcher and civil rights activist, and her personal story of overcoming an eating disorder to become a plus-size national dance champion and marathoner. She is known for her ability to combine humor with hard facts in ways that educate, motivate, and entertain.

Maha Chehlaoui
Consultant and Producer - Pass The Mic Media (she/her)

Maha Chehlaoui works in the arts and entertainment creating bigger and better tables so everyone can find their seat. She is an award-winning creative producer and social change strategist. She has developed and produced films, plays, and events in the arts, environment, and other advocacy spaces. Driven to identify and nourish a Middle Eastern theater community in the USA in the aftermath of 9/11, Maha has 20 years of experience.

Simon Fenwick
The 4A's - EVP, Talent Equity & Inclusion (he/him)

Simon has 30 years of global experience crafting and implementing talent and engagement strategies. His focus has been on talent development through learning, designing strategies and driving process improvement. Simon has also been an advocate and leader for diversity & inclusion as well as implementing candidate & employee engagement tools to attract and retain great talent to drive success and growth across numerous businesses, both on the client and agency side.

Aaron Foley
Black Media Initiative at the Center for Community Media at the Newmark
Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY – Director (he/him)

Aaron Foley is a journalist and writer originally from Detroit based in New York. He is currently director of the Black Media Initiative at the Center for Community Media at the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Recently he was a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University in the class of 2020 and is currently working on his third book about cities and gentrification.

Felecia Hatcher
Chief Executive Officer - Black Ambition (she/her)

Felecia Hatcher has been honored at the White House as one of the Empact Top 100 Entrepreneurs under 30 in 2011, and honored as a 2014 White House Champion of Change for STEM Access and Diversity, Founder of National Conference to promote inclusive innovation and rid communities of innovation deserts Hatcher now serves as an advisor to startups and works extensively with government, foundations, schools and VC's to increase Inclusive Innovation in Miami and communities across the globe.

Kate Isler
Author & CEO of TheWMarketplace.com, Founder - Be Bold Now, Author - Breaking Borders (she/her)

Kate Isler is the Co-Founder of TheWMarketplace, an eCommerce platform built to support women-owned businesses, services providers and gender balanced companies. She is a change agent and thought leader who has successfully navigated the complexity of a global company and tested her agility and ability to innovate as an entrepreneur. Kate is also the Founder of Be Bold Now a non-profit corporation focused on acknowledging women’s contributions and celebrating International Women’s Day. Kate’s memoir, Breaking Borders, is scheduled for release by HarperCollins Leadership on March 2nd, 2021.

Becky Kekula
Director - Disability Equality Index, Disability:IN (she/her)

Becky Kekula is an international motivational speaker and advocate for inclusion! She also serves as the Disability Equality Index Director at Disability:IN, the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. Currently, she’s working with corporations to help advance disability inclusion and equality. Becky also happens to be a little person. She proudly identifies as part of the disability community.

Heather Krause
We All Count + Datassist – Founder (she/her)

Heather Krause, PStat, is a data scientist with 20+ years in the field. She’s a cross-sector thought leader in data equity issues. She works on government, social sector, education, and corporate data projects. Her first company Datassist Inc. works globally with national governments, trans-national corporations, and the largest players in the NGO space. Her cutting-edge approach to project design, data collection, analysis, reporting and visualization have placed her in high demand as a project lead, a crisis consultant and a speaker on the subject of data equity.

Janice Lintz
CEO/Founder Hearing Access & Innovations (she/her)

Janice S. Lintz is an accomplished consultant/advocate across the hearing access, advocacy and related political spectrum. She is the CEO of Hearing Access & Innovations, which is the only company dedicated to helping the world’s businesses, cultural and entertainment institutions, government agencies, and mass transit organizations improve their accessibility for people with hearing loss. She is also a travel/consumer education writer. She has traveled to 194 countries, territories and unrecognized nations."

Christopher J. Manente
Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services – Founding Executive Director (he/him)

Dr. Christopher Manente is an accomplished practitioner, educator, and advocate who has dedicated his career to helping adults on the autism spectrum succeed within their homes and communities throughout the lifespan and across the contexts of school, work, relationships, leisure, and transportation. Dr. Manente is the Founding Executive Director of the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services, he is a combat veteran of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, and is a prior special education student.

Christopher E. Manuel
Associate Dean of Research - Technology Development
Director - Central Coast Tech Bridge (he/him)

Christopher E. Manuel is the Associate Dean of Research for Technology Development at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Director of NavalX’s California Central Coast Tech Bridge and a retired Special Forces Chief Warrant Officer 4 with 33 years of service. Prior to joining NPS, Chris initiated and participated in two start-up companies. He also worked for Sierra Nevada Corporation as a Corporate Vice President for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Networks (C4N).

Catherine Nicolaou
Sacred Wing Communications – External Affairs & Marketing Manager (she/her)

Catherine Nicolaou is the External Affairs and Marketing Manager for Sacred Wind Communications, a rural telecom carrier that provides voice and internet service to rural and tribal areas in Northwest New Mexico. She is a member of the policy committees for the New Mexico Technology Council and the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce. She is a registered lobbyist for Sacred Wind and sits on the board of the Cibola Arts Council.

Waylon Pahona Jr.
Healthy Active Natives – Founder (he/him)

Waylon Pahona, Jr., Hopi & Tewa/ Maricopa, grew up on the Hopi Reservation and is the founder and creator of Healthy Active Natives (HANs). Motivated by his own father’s struggle with poor health and diabetes (a common issue for Natives), Waylon started HANs as a space for Natives of all fitness levels to use positive reinforcement to lift one another even when positive changes seem impossible. Waylon’s journey has motivated and inspired tens of thousands, and his 73,000 Facebook members, from across the continent, cheer each other on.

Martyn Sibley
Purple Goat Agency (he/him)

As a regular guy who happens to use a wheelchair (due to Spinal Muscular Atrophy – SMA); Martyn Sibley experienced both societal exclusion and a feeling of inferiority. Through personal development and social entrepreneurship, he achieved many of his personal and professional goals. Now he's empowering others. He is a World Changing Blogger, Author, Coach, Speaker & Podcaster. Captain of Inclusion at DHorizons. Government, Business & Charity Adviser. Adventurer. Smiler!

J.J. Snow
AFWERX - CTO (she/her)

Lt Col Jennifer “JJ” Snow is the AFWERX Chief Technology and Innovation Officer She serves as the military representative for technology outreach and engagement bridging the gap between government and various technology communities to improve collaboration and communications, foster a culture of innovation, identify smart solutions to wicked problems and guide the development of future technologies to benefit the US Air Force, Department of Defense, Interagency and Allied partners.

Speakers: The Voices

Featured Speakers: