Inclusive Leadership Institute: Transforming the Workforce, Together.

Inclusive Leadership Institute

Transforming the Workforce, Together.

Inclusive Leadership Institute: Transforming the Workforce, Together.

 

Inclusive Leadership Conference

October 11, 2023

Organizers: Dr. Leanne Atwater and Prof. Alejandro Fernandez
Sponsored by the Inclusive Leadership Institute (No cost to participants)


White Paper

Unlocking the Power of Inclusive Leadership: A Guide to Building Thriving Organizations


Conference Recap:

Bringing Together Academia & Industry

Inclusive Leadership Institute Holds Successful Inaugural Conference

Published in Latest News on October 20, 2023

Photo of Inclusive Leadership Conference at the C. T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston

The Inclusive Leadership Institute at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business held its first conference in October, bringing together researchers and business professionals to define best practices and bridge industry and academia.

Housed in the college’s Department of Management & Leadership, the Inclusive Leadership Institute (ILI) focuses on inclusive leadership, family support, health support and social responsibility. The initiative launched at the college seven years ago and has evolved to encompass curricular and extracurricular offerings at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as certificates and outreach programs.

The inaugural conference included opening remarks from Dean Paul A. Pavlou, who noted the growth of the institute and its integral role in the overall Bauer College strategy. First Horizon Bank Executive Vice President and Chief DEI Officer Anthony Hood and Houston Methodist Hospital Vice President and Chief DEI Officer Arianne Dowdell each gave keynote speeches, and throughout the day, attendees fostered meaningful interactions through question-and-answer sessions and workshops, allowing for networking and discussion.

“The success of the conference was a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of our entire department,” Department of Management & Leadership Chair Steve Werner said, noting that ILI has evolved under the leadership of many faculty members, including Dusya Vera, Barbara Carlin, Leanne Atwater, Tom George and most recently, current director Alex Fernandez.

He added: “We were thrilled to see an outstanding turnout, with participation of chief diversity officers, human resource directors and business leaders from various companies, with practitioners’ perspectives enhanced by academic points of view. We had very strong participation from Bauer College and the UH Department of Psychology and Hilton College, along with representatives from other universities, such as the Ivey Business School and Williams Wood University.”

Company attendees included First Horizon Bank, ROKU Inc., Chevron, SLB, Methodist Hospital, Deloitte, Brenntag, Greystone, Cy-Fair Fire Department, Phillips66, Amegy Bank, Dashiell Corporation's, Mantis Innovation, Fluor, JPMorgan Chase, TDECU, DHR Health, HP Enterprise, SCI Shared Resources, LLC, Fluor, CITGO Petroleum Corp and Rakuten Inc.

“The momentum generated by this conference has opened doors to exciting opportunities for further collaboration, growth and innovation,” Werner said.

Click here to see a photo gallery of the conference.


Attendees:

30 invited directors and above from Houston-area companies that advance inclusive leadership.

 

Outcomes:

The conference aims to:

  • Define inclusive leadership best practices.
  • Outline Inclusive leadership research agenda moving forward.
  • Establish a model for developing inclusive leaders (programs, experiences, courses, etc.).
  • Enhance research exchange between Industry and Academia.

 

Conference Model:

Sharing Experiences

  • Arianne Dowdell, Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Houston Methodist Hospital
  • Dr. Anthony Hood, Executive VP & CDEIO, First Horizon Bank

 

Exchanging Knowledge

  • Research presentations: Dr. Derek Avery, Professor & C. T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership, and Dr. Enrica N. Ruggs, Associate Professor, Department of Management & Leadership, C. T. Bauer College of Business
  • Research Fair: University of Houston Faculty & Ph.D.'s

 

Brainstorming Ideas & Concepts

  • Industry Panel
  • Facilitated Group Discussion
  • Small Group Discussions

 

Summarizing and Concluding

  • Presentations to Large Group
  • Conclusion
  • White Paper

 

Industry Panel: Best Practices in Developing an Inclusive Leadership Culture

Facilitator: Dr. Barbara Carlin, Instructional Associate Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business

Panelists:

  • Jerry Guerrero, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leader, ROKU
  • Chereese Johnson, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy Lead Americas, Chevron
  • Stephen Metoyer, Principal, Former CDEIO, Deloitte
  • Carlos Sarmiento, Diversity & Inclusion Director, SLB

 

Facilitated Group Discussion: Developing an Inclusive Leader

Facilitator: Dr. Dusya Vera, Executive Director, Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership

Panelists:

  • Dr. Tony Andenoro, VP & Chief Advancement Officer, William Woods University
  • Ala’a Boulos, Chief Purpose & DEI Officer for Deloitte Tax, Deloitte
  • Dr. Sandy Frieden, Principal, Sandy Frieden Consulting

 

Research Presentations:

Facilitators: Dr. Derek Avery, Professor & C. T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership, and Dr. Enrica N. Ruggs, Associate Professor, Department of Management & Leadership, C. T. Bauer College of Business

Participants:

  • Faculty, University of Houston

 

Tentative Agenda:

Time Activity Location (UH Hilton)

7:30 - 8:15 a.m.

Registration – Breakfast

Classroom S131

8:15 - 8:30 a.m.

Introduction Alex Fernandez

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.

Kickoff Speaker: Paul A. Pavlou, Dean and Cullen Distinguished Chair, C. T. Bauer College of Business

Classroom S131

8:45 - 9:15 a.m.

Keynote Speaker: Anthony Hood, Executive VP &CDEIO, First Horizon Bank

Classroom S131

9:15 - 10:15 a.m.

Industry Panel Dr. Barbara Carlin: Best Practices in Developing an Inclusive Leadership Culture
Jerry Guerrero, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader, ROKU
Chereese Johnson, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy Lead Americas, Chevron
Stephen Metoyer, Former CDEIO, Deloitte
Carlos Sarmiento, Diversity and Inclusion Director, SLB

Classroom S131

10:15 - 10:30 a.m.

Break

Classroom S131

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Small Group Discussions: Best Practices in Developing an Inclusive Leadership Culture

Eric Hilton Board Room, Palacio del Rio, Hawaiian Village

11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Report Out Presentations to Large Group

Flamingo

12:15 - 1:00 p.m.

Lunch

Flamingo

1:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Guest Speaker: Arianne Dowdell, VP, Chief Diversity Equity & Inclusion Officer, Houston Methodist Hospital

Classroom S131

1:30 - 2:15 p.m.

Facilitated Group Discussion: Dr. Dusya Vera, How to Develop / Advance Inclusive Leaders
Dr. Tony Andenoro, VP & Chief Advancement Officer, William Woods University
Ala’a Boulos, Chief Purpose and DEI Officer for Deloitte Tax, Deloitte
Dr. Sandy Frieden, Principal, Sandy Frieden Consulting

 

Classroom S131

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

Research Presentations: Derek Avery, Professor & C. T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership, and Dr. Enrica N. Ruggs, Associate Professor, Department of Management & Leadership, C. T. Bauer College of Business

Classroom S131

3:15 - 3:30 p.m.

Break

Classroom S131

3:30 - 4:15 p.m.

Small Group Discussions: Next steps with research, outreach, and executive education

Eric Hilton Board Room, Palacio del Rio, Hawaiian Village

4:15 - 5:00 p.m.

Report Out Presentations to Large Group

Flamingo

5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Conclusion: Alex Fernandez, Director, Inclusive Leadership Institute, C. T. Bauer College of Business - Hosted social hour

Flamingo

 

Summary & Conclusion:

 

  • The conference will be recorded and summarized to address the following:
    • Inclusive leadership best practices
    • Inclusive leadership research agenda moving forward
    • Model for developing inclusive leaders (programs, courses, etc.)
  • The summary will be shared with the Conference advisory board and the ILI Board.
  • Meet with the Conference advisory board and the ILI board to receive their feedback and suggestions about the summary.
  • A white paper will be drafted and shared with the Conference advisory board for their review and comment.
  • White paper will be distributed to all conference attendees and available to the public.

 

 

Infinite Possibility

Infinite Possibility

Dusya Vera is a flurry of motion. In conversation, she speaks with her hands, often leaning forward to nod or ask a question. Vera’s life, too, is one of constant movement — she is a mother of triplets, and she works full-time as an associate professor of management at Bauer College, producing academic research and teaching graduate-level courses.“Of course I have felt overwhelmed many times, and I still do sometimes,” Vera said. “But the problem with feeling overwhelmed is that we are judging ourselves. So, one thing I repeat to myself is, ‘I am doing the best I can.’”

“I have these humongous hopes and beliefs for my children, and now I have that for my students, too. I see infinite possibility for all of them.”

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“It is a lot of work, but if you don’t love it, don’t do it.”

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Every corner of Bette Stead’s home tells a story. The framed wildlife photos are from her husband’s trips to Africa. The vintage purses represent her travels to Greenland, Korea and Europe as a member of the Melody Maids, a women’s chorus that performed for the mili-tary overseas during World War II.

“All of our lives go up and down. When I would hit a bump in the road, my aunt would say, ‘Tie another knot in the rope, and hold on.’”

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“I’m trying to help students pay attention to the world around them and the technology they can leverage for their benefit.”

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In Bloom

In Bloom

We all have different paths that we must take going through college, and Bauer College has really helped transform me into the person I am today.

“Don't stay stuck - do better.”
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Dive In

Dive In

For management and marketing junior Taylor Olanski, when faced with an uncertain situation, hanging back isn’t an option — it’s best to dive in. The Canada native has faced her fears plenty of times, even at the young age of 18. She moved to Houston in 2013 from her hometown of London, Ontario, to pursue a business education at Bauer College on a diving scholarship.

“I love to compete, test my abilities and put everything I have into the job that I am doing.”

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Dive In

Engineering Change

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“Be passionate and dedicated about what you seek to pursue, and no obstacle will be too hard for you to overcome.”

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Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap

Bethina Campbell, Lola Soyebo Harris and Maria Fernanda Guerrero share many common-alities — they are all Bauer College students and leaders in organizations at the college (Women’s Energy Network, Bauer Women Society and the National Association of Women MBAs, respectively).

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A Fierce Leader

A Fierce Leader

As a Bauer College staff member who has risen through the ranks during her nearly 17-year career, Sara Brown (BS ’99, MBA ’02) has had the opportunity to grow into a leadership role at an organization that feels like home.

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(Em)powering the Future

(Em)powering the Future

Celebrating successes and improving the future for women in business was the mission of hundreds of female MBA students and business professionals, including representatives from Bauer College, during this fall’s National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA) 2015 Conference and Career Fair.

"NAWMBA creates an avenue for discussions on these challenges while creating opportunities for networking, mentoring and career development.”

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Run the World

Run the World

College alumnus Freddy Cruz may not seem to have much in common with the classmates who graduated with him in 2001. Instead of a suit and tie, he wears Converse and jeans to work. And in place of a desk in a corner office, he does his work behind a sound board and a microphone.

"Meeting artists and celebrities is cool, but it’s not the coolest part of the gig. I really like hanging out with Houstonians. I get so excited to share really cool stuff with my listeners."

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Ties that Bind

Ties that Bind

With her large Italian and Mexican families, Nina Bianchi Skinner (MBA, JD ’01) was never at a loss for playmates or mentors.

"Maintaining relationships, keeping up with people, reconnecting with people: it's important to my job. But it's part of who I am."

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Ties that Bind

Queen of NFL Retail

Natara Holloway (BBA ’98) didn’t move from Houston to New York to work for the National Football League because she was a die-hard football fan. She did it because she had a passion for accounting and auditing — and had for a very long time.

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Many years ago, Beth Williams left her North Carolina home for a life of adventure. And boy, did she find it.

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Bauer alumna and President of NRG Retail and Reliant Elizabeth Killinger (BBA ’91) maintains a busy schedule as a mother of three and an active member of the Bauer College Board.

“Energy is a wide open field, and there is no brighter time for anyone, man or woman, to find where they belong within it.”

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Shattering the Glass Ceiling

Shattering the Glass Ceiling

Female leaders may be underestimating their supervisors’ perceptions of their work, according to a recent Bauer College study. The study by Bauer professor Leanne Atwater, alumna Rachel Sturm (Ph.D. ’14) and two other colleagues focuses on women in the workplace, examining how they predict their bosses’ ratings of their leadership.

“We need to be doing everything we can to boost people's senses of self.”

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Navigate Your Future

Navigate Your Future

When I graduated from Bauer College in 2012, I felt confused. I was entering a competitive rotational program at a Fortune 500 company that would accelerate my career and expose me to a wide spectrum of opportunities. Still, I felt lost. Although my college years prepared me academically, I was unsure about the direction I wanted to take my career and how to navigate the years ahead of me.

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Sweet Song of Success

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For Bauer College accounting senior Meggie Reynoso, life has been a lot like one of the songs she loves to sing in church — the beginning starts in almost a whisper, building through the middle to a triumphant crescendo.

“If you love doing something and it's your passion, keep chasing that dream and work hard because it will pay off.”

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We Ca Do It!

We Can Do It!

For members of Bauer College’s National Association of Women MBAs, the journey to personal and professional success is best navigated with a team. And in the last year, this student organization has grown its team by more than doubling membership from 2013, marking the highest level of growth since 2011, and refining its mentorship program and professional development events. The women leading NAWMBA all have different stories, but what unites them is a shared goal in supporting each other and their classmates with a mantra that is likely familiar to many others striving for success — “We Can Do It!”

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The Marketing Navigator

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What is a four-letter word that means tenacious, knowledgeable and dedicated? G-E-L-B. Marketing professor Betsy Gelb exemplifies that description. From the start of her career at WWL-TV in New Orleans to a four-decade tenure in Bauer College’s Department of Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Gelb has a breadth of experience that makes an impression.

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