Member Meetings

Note: Locations are centralized this year and alternating between two sites:

Rochester Transit Service (on the odd numbered months :January, March,  May, September, and November)

Regional Transit System; 1372 East Main Street, NY 14609

and

The United Way  of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes (on the even numbered months: February, April,  June, August, October and December)

The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room)

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Spring Season

(January - June 2024) 

January 18

Effective DEI Goal-Setting: Plan with the End in Mind

Location: Regional Transit  Service; 1372 East Main Street, NY 14609

Panel:

Pamela Ayers; Sr. Director; Grants Management;    Empreinte Consulting LLC

Marrlee Burgess; Higher Education Consultant

Dr. Laurie Clayton; Higher Education Assessment Consultant

Gregory T. French; Learning and Development Consultant

Description: Providing credibility in the working world of DEI is often challenged with the difficulty of demonstrating positive impact. This program is focused on (1) (re-)introducing simple and basic concepts that help professionals exhibit significant impact, and (2) examining ways to communicate it effectively. The panel of experts in assessment and program review will help participants envision at least one goal that they wish to both accomplish and demonstrate in the new year, and help them develop plans to define/ demonstrate impact in the upcoming year, 2024.

**Members are asked to bring 1-2 goals or outcomes for which they would like to demonstrate impact during their 2024 calendar year, and invite 1-2 stakeholders or champions from their organization.

February 15

Investing in Internships: Your organization and the 

DEI profession

Location: The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room)

Panel:

Kathleen Cramer, Career Development and Internship  Specialist; SUNY Brockport

Dale Leyburn, Director of Internships; Nazareth University

Maria Richart, Director of Career Services and Cooperative Education; RIT

Karlee Robb, former intern; currently enrolled at Nazareth University

Description: Exploring the implementation and usefulness of internships in their workplace has been identified as an interest of WDN members -one that is admirable to not only provide work support, but to mentor a new generation of DEI and Human Resource professionals. However, starting an intern process is not always easy to implement. The panel of internship professionals from local university - and past interns - will help participants (1) identify the critical factors that suggest a viable internship experience; (2) operational aspects (pitfalls and strategic advantages) of implementing the internship; (3) methods of enhancing the learning outcomes for both the organization and the intern’s professional development.

March 21

Circle Up: A Restorative Approach to Diversity and 

Inclusion in the Workplace

Location: Regional Transit  Service: 1372 E Main St, Rochester, NY 14609

Presenter:

Jazzmyn Ivery-Robinson, Assistant Director, Community & Belonging; RIT

Description: Conflict is a natural occurrence in interpersonal relationships and individuals differ in how they solve problems and manage conflicts. With their versatility and flexibility, circles can be customized to address the communication issues within your organization. This program will:

1. Provide an overview of what a circle is
2. How to prepare, set intentions, invite participants
3. Gain an understanding of the four stages of a circle’s life 
4. How to measure circle success 

April 18

‘Returnship’ Programs for Women

Location: The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room)

Presenter:

Malar Hirudayaraj, Director of AdvanceRIT and Associate Professor; Management, Saunders College of Business; RIT

Description: At a time when businesses and organizations struggle to attract and retain employees, one of the major untapped pools of candidates includes women who are ready and willing to return to the workforce. Leaders and mangers can often harness this talent pool with simple and effective reshaping of the organization’s culture, services, and structure so as to accommodate not only women’s successful transition, but their potential for advancement to the benefit of the organization and its effectiveness.

This program will help participants begin to: (1) think outside of the box - to explore recruitment of women who wish to return to the workforce; (2) consider equitable adaptations to the workplace and job descriptions; and (3) consider ways to help retain women for consistency and leadership development.

May 16

Invisible Disabilities: The Challenges You Can’t Always See

Location: Regional Transit  Service: 1372 E Main St, Rochester, NY 14609

Presenters:

Ebony Burgess, Deputy Director, Monroe County Department of Diversity; County of Monroe

Jennifer Geiger, Business Relations Representative at the ACCES-VR Rochester District Office; NYS Education Department

Description: This program is designed to educate and raise awareness about the various types of disabilities that are not immediately apparent to others. This includes conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and more. Through this program, participants will learn about the challenges and barriers that individuals with invisible disabilities face in their daily lives.

The training will cover topics such as understanding invisible disabilities, recognizing and supporting individuals with these conditions, promoting inclusivity and accessibility, and creating a supportive environment for those with invisible disabilities. Participants will also learn practical strategies for accommodating individuals with invisible disabilities in various settings, including the workplace, schools, and public spaces.

June 20

Part 1 of a two-part series:

Simple Designs for Diversity Dialogue in the Workplace: From Books to Videos 

Location: The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room).

Co-Presenter/Facilitator:

Jonathan Ntheketha, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director/Title IX Coordinator; The Harley School

How can we encourage safe places and constructive DEI experiences in the workplace?  Fostering meaningful and safe dialogue is a critical component to help develop both knowledge and empathy, and can be even more so in the workplace.  This program will explore the logistical and educational values of creating dialogue programs within organizations focusing on book reading opportunities and/or  video/film series in the workplace.

June 27

Dialogues in Diversity

**WDN's Networking Program for Fall of 2024

Dialogues in Diversity will provide members and other vested DEI members within their organization to engage in a diversity dialogue program with WDN. The program will (1) create an opportunity for WDN members to associate and learn from each other outside meetings regarding a variety of diversity factors; (2) experience the dynamics of such a program as they consider beginning a diversity dialogue program in their workplace.

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Fall Season Highlights

(August - December 2024)

August 15

Part 2 of a two-part series:

Simple Designs for Diversity Dialogue in the Workplace: Partner Dialogue Programs in the Workplace

Location: The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room)

Presenters:

Sandra Whitmore; SHRM-SCP. Executive Director for Marketing and Operations at RIT; Division of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and A Co-Creator of Person2Person; Membership Director, New York State Council – SHRM

Dr. Michael D’Arcangelo; Executive Director for WDN; A Co-Creator of Person2Person; Former Director of Diversity Education at RIT

Description: How can we encourage safe places and constructive DEI experiences in the workplace? Fostering meaningful and safe dialogue is a critical component to help develop both knowledge and empathy, and can be even more so in the workplace. This program will explore the logistical and educational values of creating dialogue programs within organizations, based on the presenters’ joint experiences in overseeing two programs designed to foster meaning dialogue: the past Partnerships in Pluralism program at RIT; and the past initial prototype for the Person2Person program at the YWCA. These kinds of programs help to inform co-workers about sensitive DEI issues in the respective lives and careers of co-workers, as they travel their personal career journeys.

September 19

Program co-sponsored with GVC SHRM

Location: Regional Transit  Service: 1372 E Main St, Rochester, NY 14609

Topic and co-presenter/facilitator(s) to be announced.

October 17

Employee Resource Groups: Harnessing your Human Capital Within

Location: The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room)

Presenters to be announced.

November 21

General Forum: Intentional Impact & Future Impacts

Location: Regional Transit  Service: 1372 E Main St, Rochester, NY 14609

Co-presenters to be announced.

December 12

Building and Marketing Your Brand in the DEI Space: How to Design a Brand and Attract Diverse Candidates 

Location: The United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes; 75 College Ave, Rochester, NY 14607 (The Rochester Room)

Co-presenters:

Sandra Whitmore; SHRM-SCP. Executive Director for Marketing and Operations at RIT; Division of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and A Co-Creator of Person2Person; Membership Director, New York State Council – SHRM

Devon Watters; Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications; RIT