Concurrent Session

Miguel is the Chief Belonging Officer of MJA & CO, a Minority-owned consulting firm helping leaders leverage DEI as a catalyst to improve recruitment, engagement, and retention.  Recognized as a LinkedIn's Top Voice in Racial Equity, Top 15 Champion of Diversity by Diversity Global Magazine, a Top 100 Executive by Diversity MBA Magazine, and featured as an Inclusion Innovator by SHRM.

Miguel served as the first civilian Chief of D&I in the history of the US Coast Guard.  He started his career as diversity recruiter and for over a decade held several leadership positions in 3 major Federal Departments. Miguel is a TEDx speaker, featured at the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and Telemundo.

 You can learn more about him by visiting www.migueljoeyaviles.com

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.

Tricia Downing is a corporate Learning Designer. Prior to transitioning to her current role, Tricia's life revolved around athletics. She is a Paralympian, competing in the sport of shooting at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She has also competed at the World Championship level in both rowing and triathlon. Although athletics has been a constant in her life, the way she approached it drastically changed after she was struck by a car on a bicycle ride in September of 2000, becoming instantly paralyzed from the chest down. Despite her injury, Tricia has continued to participate in sports, in addition to being a disability advocate, professional speaker, and author of three books. She holds master's degrees in both Sport Management and Disability Studies and graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. 

Joy Johnson-Carruthers is the founder of Jtraining Solutions, a consulting firm dedicated to helping clients apply diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies that make a difference. A former police officer and US Army Veteran, Joy’s expansive career in the public and private sector make her a sought-after Public Speaker, HR Consultant, and Workforce Development Leader with over twenty years of award-winning experience developing leaders and high-performing teams across the United States and abroad. Her presentations are a call to action for better business outcomes and more inclusive workplaces. She currently resides in Nashville, TN, with her husband, Tom.

Sonia Steinway is a fintech entrepreneur, angel investor, and “recovering attorney.” She is an Executive Director in JPMorgan Chase’s Connected Commerce group. As the former founder/CEO of an auto finance start-up, Sonia is passionate about entrepreneurship and developing communities to support founders. She is one of the co-founders and President of the Board of Village Up, a collaborative initiative to increase diversity in and access to the San Diego innovation economy. She is also on the Board of NuFund Venture Group. Sonia has a BA from UPenn and a JD from Yale Law. She is a member of the California and New York Bars. Sonia has no spare time; she spends all of it working, rock climbing, hiking, diving, reading, crossword puzzling, learning Latin, and testing out new recipes for her partner and son.

Julius Alejandro strives for innovative approaches to solving social issues and has years of experience in grassroots organizing, the nonprofit sector, and startup ecosystems that have crossed intersections from economic development to health disparities that affect communities of color. He received his master’s in organizational leadership from National University and a bachelor’s in sociology from San Diego State University, as well as professional certificates from Accessory and Notre Dame University on entrepreneurship and business strategy. He co-founded Village Up to use data-driven research to inform best practice and create systemic change for the San Diego innovation economy.

James L. "Jim" Banks serves as SHRM's General Counsel, managing SHRM's legal functions, overseeing the work of outside counsel, and serving as key lawyer and legal advisor on major business transactions.  

Previously, Banks served as City Attorney to the City of Alexandria, Va., representing and advising the mayor, city council, city manager and city departments on a variety of legal matters. He was previously a partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP and McGuireWoods LLP, where he focused on employment litigation.  

Banks began his legal career in Richmond, Va., and he practiced law in the private and public sectors, including serving as both prosecutor and judge. He has a broad background in legal ethics and spent over 10 years in the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary system, ultimately serving as Chair of the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board. He was an instructor for the Virginia State Bar Professionalism Course and has taught frequently on topics of ethics and professionalism.  He is also an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech in the Master of Public Administration program. 

Banks is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Virginia Army National Guard and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia, a master's degree in Public Policy from Walden University and a bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College.  

This speaker is a member of the SHRM Speakers Bureau.

Global Speaker Sonia Aranza has presented on the international stage from Spain to Singapore.  She brings 27+ years of experience in Diversity, Inclusion & Global Leadership. Her clients include Boeing, CIA, McDonald’s and more. The U.S. Department of Labor describes her work as “Outstanding” and was selected to execute programs for landmark cases. SHRM featured her as a Diversity & Inclusion Expert in HR Magazine and she is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Leadership. She serves on the Faculty of Howard University’s Executive Diversity Program; named “100 Most Influential Filipina Americans in the United States” and honored “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World.”

Eric Ellis, President and CEO of Integrity Development Corp., is an award-winning entrepreneur, thought leader, author, and keynote speaker with over thirty years of experience in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.  

Named one of the Top 100 DEI Experts in the World by the Society for Human Resources Management and "Cincinnati's Diversity Fixer" by The Cincinnati Enquirer, Eric is an innovative thought leader who helps transform organizational cultures into people-centered workplaces that inspire employee engagement and a sense of belonging.

Eric is a singer/songwriter, and the author of Diversity Conversations. He hosts a weekly podcast named after his book, which can be found on Apple, Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.

Ben Greene is a transgender advocate and educator who has spoken internationally on topics surrounding transgender inclusion. After coming out at 15 in a small town, Ben has devoted his career to spreading empathy, education, and storytelling around the trans experience, and has spoken for companies, hospitals, schools, religious organizations, and government entities sharing what it means to be transgender and how to show up as an ally. He is a fierce advocate for transgender youth, regularly speaking in their defense at the Missouri State Capitol, and is the author of the book "My Child is Trans, Now What? A Joy Centered Approach to Support". He is passionate about educating others from a place of compassion—no matter where they’re starting from. 

Chelsea C. Williams is an Entrepreneur, Workplace Educator, and Professional Speaker, dedicated to building empowered, high-performing leaders.

As the Founder & CEO of Reimagine Talent Co., a national talent and workforce development firm, Chelsea’s team powers customized, actionable learning solutions that build human potential, drive marketplace outcomes, and benefit communities.

Reimagine Talent partners with employers, educational institutions, and nonprofits to enhance employee engagement, development, and retention, with a focus on creating synergy across multi-generational workplaces.

A Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur, Tory Burch Fellowship Alumna, and JP Morgan Chase Entrepreneurial Woman of Impact, Chelsea is a trusted thought leader on talent development, inclusive leadership, and the future of work. She regularly contributes to CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes, and more.

With a decade of experience in global human resources on Wall Street and a B.A. in Economics from Spelman College, Chelsea is passionate about cultivating connected workplaces that drive lasting impact.

When she’s not leading Reimagine Talent, Chelsea enjoys traveling, training for races, and spending quality time with her family.

Judith Scimone is MetLife’s Chief Talent Officer and HR Lead for the US Business & Global Functions.

Judith joined MetLife in 2020 to oversee the company’s global talent development efforts. In this role, she is responsible for advancing MetLife’s talent agenda while cultivating an energizing and inclusive workplace. She leads an integrated talent organization which includes talent acquisition, performance development, organization effectiveness, succession and leadership development. Additionally, Judith leads human resources for MetLife’s US Business and global functions.

A seasoned human resources executive, Judith’s experience spans multiple industries, geographies and functional areas. She has held HR leadership roles in leading financial services, technology and healthcare organizations including JPMorgan Chase, Motorola, Johnson & Johnson and Google. She brings deep expertise in HR business partnering, talent management, organization development and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Judith began her career as a Mechanical Engineer at General Electric. A global leader, Judith has lived in the United States (home), Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Judith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Yale School of Management.