Event Information: “St. Bernards Healthcare, Arkansas State University Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement and the Office of Diversity, Arisa Health and the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at NYITCOM at A-State are partnering to bring the fifth annual Diversity & Inclusion conference to the community of Northeast Arkansas on Friday, June 21, 2024, from 8:15 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. at the Cooper Alumni Center on the campus of Arkansas State University. The 2024 conference theme is "Inclusive Leadership to Enhance Workplace Belonging." Belonging is a core human need that goes beyond inclusion to offer a sense of meaningful connection, support, and a sense of purpose. The conference will offer content and tools to assist organizations in fostering a sense of belonging that allow people, teams, and companies to thrive. Participants will engage in discussions on what belonging means and offer strategies that can lead to increased productivity, greater innovation, and improved talent attraction and talent retention. The target audience is community leaders in education, healthcare, human resources, and business. The conference will offer tools to assist with creating cultures of belonging within organizations. Participants will begin the day with a panel discussion on the State of DEIB, followed by the keynote address on inclusive leadership and end the day with a fireside chat. Each year, over 100 individuals attend the conference. Conference evaluations indicate that participants on average increased their DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and BELONGING) understanding. Keynote Speaker: Sherika Ekpo, MBA, BBA Sherika Ekpo is a progressive Humna Resources executive with 20 years of experience leading people initiatives and driving innovative human capital management practices. As a trusted advisor, Sherika also provides coaching and strategic partnership to c-level leaders that results in clarity and alignment with organizational goals. Prior to full-time entrepreneurship, Sherika most recently served as the SVP, Interim Chief Human Resources Office, and inaugural Chief Diversity Officer at Anaplan. Sherika's public and private company experience spans across industries including technology, financial services, and government. Sherika has worked at some of the world's leading organizations such as Google, JPMorgan and Chase, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House. Sherika holds an M.B.A. from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.B.A in Marketing from Howard University.
What is the Registration fee? Regular Registration is $40. Registration is due June 7th, 2024 by 5:00 P.M. What information do I need to register? To register please have this information for yourself or for those you are registering: (1) Name, (2) Email, (3) Phone number, (4) Organization/position, (5) Any dietary restrictions, (6) Your level of DEIB understanding. You will be asked to select one of these three choices: (A) I am new to this topic and want to learn the basics, (B) I have done this work for 2-5 years and am looking for new tools to continue the work, (C) I have an advanced understanding of DEIB and am committed to learning and growing.
Where do I park? Limited parking will be available at the Cooper Alumni Center. Overflow parking is available at the First National Bank Arena parking lot, yellow entrance (lot directly across from the Cooper Alumni Center) Campus Map
Thank you to our sponsors:
Sponsorships are due April 15th by 5:00 P.M. To ensure full advertising benefits, sponsorships are due by April 15, 2024. We will continue accepting sponsorships through May 15, 2024, with limited advertising benefits. Please email eallen03@nyit.edu for more information.