Global & Cultural Effectiveness

Sara Taylor, President and Founder of deepSEE Consulting, has 35 years of extensive experience, nationally recognized as in the practice of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion serving local, national and global clients. While her areas of specialty are in both Diversity and Leadership Development, Sara has become a thought leader particularly in the field of Cultural Competence. Her bestselling book, Filter Shift: How Effective People SEE the World, is used by numerous individuals and organizations to increase success and create greater effectiveness. Sara holds a Master's degree in Diversity and Organizational Development and, prior to founding deepSEE, held positions such as Chief Diversity Officer and Leadership and Diversity Specialist.

James Wright of JamesWantsToKnowYou.com is a dynamic and compelling leader with a track record of delivering practical roadmaps for increasing Inclusion and Diversity in global corporations such as Apple Inc., LinkedIn, NBCUniversal, and Time Warner (now WarnerMedia). A featured guest on NBC and FOX, Wright’s articles and commentary appear frequently on LinkedIn and his expertise has been included in The Washington Post as well as several SHRM articles. 

In his practice, James offers transformative training solutions on Gender Equality, Unconscious Bias, Improving Race Relations, and Generational Diversity. In addition, James introduced The Language of Inclusion - a free download of over 135 key terms and definitions to help organizations find a common language to Inclusion. With increased focus on gender and LGBTQIA+ equality, James believes it is important to update these terms to signal where we are today in our journey to ensure diverse communities are truly seen, heard, and valued.

James attended Erskine College in SC & The Catholic University of America in Washington DC.

Nationally known as one of "America's Top Experts on Diversity" (Diversity, Inc., 2005), Dr. Jones’ philosophy is to lead with listening to support clients in finding a strategy and solution that works for them.

Dr. Jones has been heralded as a dynamic keynote speaker, transformational facilitator, phenomenal organization effectiveness consultant, and innovative executive. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a master’s in Multicultural Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology. He is the author of Journey to Excellence, a transformational book helping people define and achieve excellence in their lives.

Dr. Jones founded Jones & Associates in 1993 in order to build a firm committed to making a widespread positive impact in the world in the area of diversity, inclusion, and organizational excellence. The company's team of certified Jones & Associates consultants provide diversity, inclusion, organizational change and organizational development services to corporations, educational institutions, government agencies and non-profit organizations.

Ms. Walters has more than 30 years’ combined experience in management, HR administration, employment law practice, and teaching.

She has presented at conferences across the country, been engaged as an expert witness, and testified before U.S. Congressional and state legislative committees on employment issues.

Her book, “From Hello to Goodbye: Proactive Tips for Maintaining Positive Employee Relations” is in its 2nd edition and was one of the SHRMStore’s “Great 8” best-sellers for eight consecutive years.

Today, Ms. Walters works as an independent consultant doing business as FiveL Company, “Helping Leaders Limit their Liability by Learning the Law.”SM

Deborah Rinner Godwin is Vice President for Tero International. Deborah joined the Tero Team in 2002 and brought expertise on business etiquette and cultural communication issues that arise daily in business situations pertinent to presenting a positive image in our changing times. In addition to a masters in effective teaching from Drake University, Deborah is certified as a Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol consultant from the Protocol School of Washington, D.C. Deborah's role at Tero has evolved to include serving as a lead trainer in presentation skills, negotiation skills, leadership development, corporate etiquette, cross cultural communication and executive presence as well as customizing curriculum for clients from various industry groups. Deborah also serves as an executive coach to many of Tero's clients, and is an experienced keynoter.

Howard Ross is lifelong social justice advocate, and is considered one of the world’s seminal thought leaders on identifying and addressing unconscious bias.  Howard has delivered programs in 47 states and over 40 other countries to audiences including Fortune 500 companies, colleges and universities, and major institutions within healthcare, government, and non-profit sectors. He authored the Washington Post best seller, Everyday Bias:  Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Judgments in Our Daily Lives, ReInventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose and Performance. His latest  book, Our Search for Belonging: How the Need for Connection Is Tearing Our Culture Apart, published by Berrett-Koehler in 2018, received the Nautilus Gold Medal for Social Change and Social Justice. His next book, Building Belonging: 9 Pathways to Creating Inclusive and Joyful Organizational Communities, will be published in 2020.

A powerful storyteller with a powerful story to tell, Dr. Steve L. Robbins has an uncanny ability to inspire people even in the midst of disrupting and challenging the way they think about the world. Born in Vietnam, Dr. Robbins immigrated with his mother to the United States where they faced many challenges during a time when there was much anti-war and anti-Vietnamese sentiment.

Working through and rising out of the challenges of poverty, discrimination and the tough streets of Los Angeles, Dr. Robbins now brings insightful perspectives on issues of inclusion & innovation, leadership, and the power of caring.  Drawing upon a compelling life journey, his talks and workshops are filled with intriguing stories, laugh-out-loud humor and a keen understanding of human behavior.

Dr. Robbins uniquely knows how to simultaneously challenge and motivate people with a dynamic use of storytelling, humor and extensive knowledge of pertinent issues and concepts. The inclusive power of his message are why organizations like Coca-Cola, Disney, Ford Motor Company, Walmart, Lululemon, Pixar, NASA, The NBA,  Michelin, Bank of America, Mercedes-Benz,  and numerous others call on Dr. Robbins to inspire, educate and prepare their people for the exciting challenges of dynamic and diverse environments.

A thought leader and innovator, Dr. Robbins' unique, science-based approach to inclusion and diversity has captured wide acclaim from numerous audiences and organizations across the the world. His approach does NOT blame or point fingers. It uses neuroscience and the science of human behavior to encourage individuals and organizations to be more open-minded, mindful and intentional about inclusion and valuing people for their unique gifts, abilities and experiences.

Dr. Robbins earned an undergraduate degree in Communication from Calvin College, and his masters and doctorate in Communication Science from Michigan State University.  His background in communication, social-psychology and cognitive neuroscience drives his work with individuals and organizations – the core of the work is about understanding human behavior and leveraging human differences in an ever-changing, fast-paced 21st world.

Mary Martinéz is the diversity and inclusion (D&I) practice leader for APTMetrics, Inc. As an experienced D&I practitioner, she provides guidance and support for organizations that are committed to maximizing the bottom-line benefits of D&I through assessment, engagement, and measurement. She has more than 20 years of experience as a consultant and as an HR leader in organizations representing multiple industries and in the nonprofit sector where she has implemented a wide range of diversity and talent initiatives. Her capabilities include designing and implementing strategies and processes, creating and delivering training, and implementing organization development interventions. Most recently, Mary led the global diversity consulting practice for Mercer/ORC Networks (formerly part of ORC Worldwide -- where she began her career, and to which she returned in 2008). Immediately prior to this, she was responsible for global performance management and professional development at Alcatel-Lucent where she was instrumental in integrating the merged company’s talent processes.

Ramona manages the employment section in Human Resources at Amica Mutual Insurance Company in Lincoln, R.I., which focuses on diversity, engagement and employment issues. She works with Amica managers across the country to improve the company’s diversity and engagement footprints, and to ultimately support the corporate mission, which is to create peace of mind and build enduring relationships.

Ramona, who has more than 15 years of HR experience, holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She also has earned the insurance industry’s Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) professional designation and the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification.  Additionally, Ramona is a mentor for the Year Up program and holds a board position for Diversity and Inclusion Professionals in Providence, R.I.

Curtis Olson is an Inspector with the Calgary Police Service and currently oversees the Community and Youth Services Section. With over twenty years of policing experience he recognizes the strength of diversity and understands the importance of strategic planning to anticipate emerging demographic trends. One of his responsibilities is managing the Diversity Resource Team in which members are responsible for 9 different community portfolios: Aboriginal, African, Caribbean/ Latin America, Sexual and Gender diversity, Hate/Bias crimes, South East Asian, South Asian, Middle East/Europe and Persons with disabilities.

Recently, he guided the development of an integrated, multi-layered organizational framework to advance diversity that includes service provision, human resource practices, community capacity building and strategic communications, within the context of business planning. Curtis has presented at various conferences about topics that have national to international application. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity Western University, a Professional Management Certificate from the University of Calgary and is an alumnus of the 2012 Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference.