The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is hosting its third annual, Investing in Equity: Building an Inclusive Business Community from 7:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, at the St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center (3861 Olympic Blvd., Erlanger).
The half-day event includes a keynote presentation, a panel discussion and breakout sessions with the opportunity to share ideas, strategies and best practices to foster inclusivity, business competitiveness, and a better quality of life for all within the NKY Metro region. Professionals involved in managing staff and operations are invited to attend, including CEOs, HR Managers, leadership personnel, policy leaders, HR consultants, business owners, employee relations specialists, and career and technical educators.
“At the NKY Chamber, we recognize the importance of fostering inclusivity in every facet of our community. Through events like the Investing in Equity summit and partnerships like ours with Fifth Third Bank, we’re able to bring together great minds to cultivate the ideas and actions that will continue to drive our region toward a welcoming and inclusive Northern Kentucky for all,” said Brent Cooper, President and CEO of the NKY Chamber. “We’re dedicated to empowering every part of our business community, from frontline workers to C-suite officers, to drive tangible change that will help our employers better attract and retain talent.”
Keynote presentations will be given by Christopher L. Johnson, Vice President of Health Equity, Culture and Community at St. Elizabeth Healthcare; and Linh C. Nguyen, Vice President for Equity, Culture and Talent at Lumina Foundation. Johnson has an extensive background in diversity education, community engagement, recruitment and retention, as well as strategic planning and outreach initiatives. He also has been a presenter of numerous workshops and training sessions on advancing a culture of belonging, authentic leadership, communication, advancing cultural competency, embracing diversity and shaping communities and culture. Likewise, Nguyen is a nationally recognized leader in organizational strategy, talent development, and change management with more than 30 years of experience in management consulting and organizational leadership across the mission-driven sector.
Following the keynotes, a panel discussion, “Going Global Panel: Welcoming a Global Workforce” moderated by Leisa Spears Snyder, Director of Workforce Development for Atlas Air, will feature:
• Ray Takigiku, Founder and CSO, Bexion Pharmaceuticals
• Sylvia Buxton, President and CEO, Perfetti Van Melle
• Hassan R. HassabElnaby, Ph.D., Dean and Professor of Accounting, Haile College of Business, Northern Kentucky University.
Breakout sessions include:
• How to Blend DEI Strategies with Sound Employment Law Compliance Practices with Theresa Nelson, Partner, Bricker Graydon
• Building Bridges – Making Meaningful Connections with Tara Walker, Vendor Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager, Cincinnati Metro
• Leveraging a Multigenerational Workforce Panel: Moderated by Nancy Spivey, VP of Talent Strategies, NKY Chamber. Speakers include: Jerry Draine, District Manager, The Kroger Co., Mitch Morgan, VP, Director of Inclusion, Fifth Third Bank and Natalie Rupert, Manager, Career and Job Services Division, Kenton County Public Library
The NKY Chamber’s DEI initiatives are sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.
“Fifth Third Bank is honored to continue its commitment to the NKY Chamber’s Inclusion initiatives by championing impactful events like the annual summit,” said Stephanie A. Smith, Senior Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer for Fifth Third Bank. “We believe that we can move beyond words to truly create change and foster genuine pathways toward inclusion and belonging. Inclusion embraces everyone and makes us a stronger community, which is great for individuals and great for businesses as we all work to empower and attract a broad spectrum of talent to the NKY Metro region.”
Registration for Investing in Equity: Building an Inclusive Business Community is $65 for NKY Chamber members, $80 for future members, and the NKYP rate is $50. The program is approved for SHRM Continuing Education Credits. More information and registration are available at NKYChamber.com/events.
To learn more about the NKY Chamber’s DEI initiatives, visit NKYChamber.com or contact Dashai Thompson at dthompson@nkychamber.com.