Diversity & Inclusion (C)

<p>Maria Contreras-Sweet is an expert in economic growth, job creation, corporate governance (ESG) and competitiveness.</p><p>Internationally acclaimed for her insights on growth, innovation, and corporate governance, or Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), Contreras-Sweet serves on multiple boards of directors, including infrastructure firm Sempra Energy, TriNet, Regional Management Corp., and Zions Bancorporation.

<p>Marilyn Tam, Ph.D. is a Speaker, best-selling Author, Consultant, Board Certified Executive/Corporate Coach, CEO of Marilyn Tam & Co. and Founder and Executive Director of Us Foundation. She was formerly the CEO of Aveda Corp., President of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group, Vice President of Nike Inc. and a successful entrepreneur who has built four companies. </p><p><em>Inc. Magazine</em> ranked her as one of the top 100 Leadership Speakers in the world.

<p>Tina Tchen shares hope, ideas and strategies that inspire others to recognize the power of diverse teams and keep equality on the forefront of the global agenda.</p><p>Now the Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer for the Obama Foundation, Tina Tchen served previously as Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the Council on Women and Girls. She led the first-ever White House Summit on Working Families as well as the first-ever United State of Women Summit.

<p>Judy Shepard draws from personal tragedy to promote a greater understanding of LGBTQ issues and empower audiences to embrace human dignity and diversity through outreach and advocacy in their own communities.</p><p>In 1998, Judy lost her son Matthew to a murder motivated by anti-gay hate that shocked and captivated the nation. Turning tragedy into a crusade for justice, this leading voice in the LGBTQ rights movement has since established The Matthew Shepard Foundation to carry on her son’s legacy.

<p>Retired Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Alva shares his powerful story of coming out as a gay man in the armed forces as well as his ardent advocacy for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.</p><p>The first American soldier injured in the Iraq War, Eric was hailed as an American hero. While he lost his leg in combat, his spirit remained stronger than ever — upon retirement, Eric came out as gay.

<p>Filmmaker and Human rights activist, Barbara Martinez Jitner, is the inspiration for the Jennifer Lopez film <i>Bordertown</i>. Martinez Jitner posed as a worker in a factory on the Mexican border in order to uncover a dark world of grueling poverty and sexual abuse that has led to over 400 women being murdered in the border town of Juarez, Mexico.

<p>One of the most recognized leaders of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement, gay rights activist and diversity speaker Elizabeth Birch served as executive director of the Human Rights Campaign for over a decade.</p><p>During her tenure, the organization quadrupled in size to become the leading civil rights organization of its kind. Birch has also served as worldwide director of litigation for Apple Computer, Inc.

Keith Boykin is a national political commentator, TV and film producer, New York Times best-selling author, and a former White House aide to President Bill Clinton. His latest books are Race Against Time: The Politics of a Darkening America (2021), Quitting: Why I Left My Job to Live a Life of Freedom (2022) and Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race? (2024).

<p>Soledad O’Brien is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, philanthropist, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. She anchors and produces "Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien," a <em>Hearst political magazine </em>program seen in 95% of the country.

<p>Iconic activist Angela Davis has made it her mission to share her life story and challenge her audiences to join the struggle for racial, economic, and gender justice. </p><p>Angela has been deeply involved in some of the major social movements over the last 50 years. She was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., by parents who were active community organizers. As a teenager, she marched and picketed against racial segregation. Angela went on earn a doctorate in philosophy.