Workforce Diversity Network
Members
We're proud to recognize the following companies and organizations — from higher education and healthcare to the legal profession and the non-profit sector.
New Members Spotlight
SUNY Brockport is a selective, nationally recognized and accredited public institution. They are the engaged SUNY campus and one of the most engaged college campuses in the country.
Founded in 1835, The College at Brockport is a nationally recognized four-year comprehensive public college focused on student success.
The College is committed to cultivating diversity as an institutional and educational priority. We strive to be an inclusive campus, offering opportunities to explore diverse issues in and out of the classroom.
They guide efforts to communicate to the College and outside community Brockport's commitment to diversity and equity. They develop and monitor the College's Diversity Plan; prepare and analyze reports to monitor our success; and conceptualize and cultivate diversity as an institutional and educational priority.
Developed by the Diversity Committee and vetted by the College Senate and Brockport Student Government these Guiding Principles of Diversity have be adopted by The College:
Members of The College at Brockport are committed to fostering integrity, civility, and justice, and affirm that the dignity of the Brockport community is protected when free speech, academic freedom and individual rights are expressed within a climate of civility and mutual respect. Striving to learn from each other, The College at Brockport rejects all forms of prejudice and discrimination including, but not limited to, those based on race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability, as well as cultural, political, religious, spiritual or other affiliations. The College at Brockport values human diversity because it enriches our lives and it is fundamental to the College’s commitment to teaching, learning, scholarship and service leading to student success.
The Summit Federal Credit Union was founded in 1941 when three employees of the Rochester Telephone Corporation started the credit union with a simple goal: to help members save and borrow at attractive rates in order to improve their lives. Over 75 years later, with a vastly expanded array of products and services, The Summit still holds that goal.
Their Board of Directors keeps The Summit mindful of this mission; their diverse array of backgrounds and expertise helps guide The Summit’s management to ensure that our practices are in the best interests of the members.
The Summit believes that to fully serve our members, they also need to serve their communities. To fulfill this commitment, The Summit supports hundreds of local charities through in-kind donations, event sponsorships and participation in fundraising activities.
The Summit is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive professional environment – one where individual differences are respected and valued. We pride ourselves on hiring great people with a variety of perspectives and cultural backgrounds.
ESL is the largest locally-led financial services institution in the Greater Rochester area. With assets of $6.9 billion, ESL is one of the largest credit unions in New York State and ranks in the top 1% of more than 7,000 federally insured credit unions in the U.S.
ESL was founded in 1920 by George Eastman, who was one of the greatest philanthropists of the 20th century and a gifted entrepreneur and inventor. Mr. Eastman built Eastman Kodak Company into one of the world’s leading corporations. But he also had a heartfelt interest in his employees and the surrounding community.
ESL has made the nationally recognized Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list nine times since 2010 (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, and 2010). It’s all a reflection of ESL's wholehearted efforts to meet the financial needs of people throughout the Greater Rochester area.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, ESL encourages and is enriched by a diverse and inclusive workforce. ESL affirms the right of every person to participate in all aspects of employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. In addition, ESL provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
The Mission of the Rochester Museum and Science Center is to inspire a better future for all through curiosity, exploration, and participation in science, culture, and the natural world.
RMSC's 106-year tradition of science learning remains strong and is continuously growing, from their newly renovated Strasenburgh Planetarium where you can discover the wonders of our universe; to the Cumming Nature Center with its 900 acres, six miles of idyllic trails, and innovative Forest School; to the Science Museum where fun, hands-on exploration sparks wonder and accomplishment, and where exploring the past helps us become better citizens today.
Established in 1912 as the Municipal Museum in Rochester, New York, the Rochester Museum & Science Center has constantly expanded and evolved to meet the changing needs of our community.
With its 1.2 million collection items and iconic dioramas, RMSC invites you to immerse yourself in rich exhibits that explore our region’s past and present.
Member News
United Way of Greater Rochester: Stand Together To Work Toward Equity In Greater Rochester
Become a participating organization in Greater Rochester’s 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. Originally developed by racial justice educators Dr. Eddie Moore Jr., Dr. Marguerite Penick-Parks and Debby Irving, this renowned program has been embraced by a coalition of local leaders, and is being adapted for the Finger Lakes Region.
Through broad community engagement, the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge will increase awareness of critical issues and strengthen our community’s capacity to dismantle all forms of racism. Self-directed learning opportunities will encourage a deeper understanding of race, power, privilege and leadership. Education is the first step. Be a part of the community conversation to inspire action. It takes only 21 days to develop a new habit. It takes leaders to set the path.
WHY AN EQUITY CHALLENGE?
As Rochester becomes more attuned to the problem of racial injustice, you can leverage the interest and awareness of your employees to increase understanding and education around racial equity. The Challenge will provide your team with demonstrated tools and resources to learn and take action to support a more racially just workplace and community.
A PATH TO POWERFUL CHANGE
Equity is good for communities and good for business. Organizations that embrace equity benefit through:
• Improved employee motivation and achievement
• Decreased employee turnover
• More success at attracting talent
• Broader perspectives and more creativity
• More experiences, talent, and skills
• Improved financial performance
• Broader knowledge base for new market opportunities
• Greater innovation
• Improved organizational reputation
AN EASY WAY TO ENGAGE YOUR STAFF IN EQUITY WORK
• Choose one of three ways to get your organization involved in the Challenge:
1. Contact equitychallenge@uwrochester.org to arrange for a secure transmission of a full list of employee names and work email addresses;
2. Direct your staff to uwrochester.org/equitychallenge to register as individuals;
3. Have a team member lead the Challenge internally by forwarding the daily email or downloading the day’s challenge from uwrochester.org/equitychallenge to send to your staff via email, intranet, or other employee relations system.
• Whichever way you choose to participate, send your logo to equitychallenge@uwrochester.org to be included in the list of participating workplaces on the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge web page.
• One email will be sent each day for 21 weekdays, from October 23 – November 20. There is no deadline to sign up; those who join after October 23 will be able to share previous days’ content at uwrochester.org/equitychallenge.
• Each email will focus on a specific topic, with links to articles, videos and podcasts that will help participants expand their personal perspectives on equity along with information and links to local resources, initiatives and ways to turn education into action.
• A daily commitment of only 10-15 minutes will be supplemented with virtual opportunities for group reflection and instructions for employers on initiating meaningful conversations within their organizations.
• To sign up, ask questions or learn more, simply email equitychallenge@uwrochester.org.
Goodwill of the Finger Lakes Appoints Jennifer
The Board of Directors of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has appointed Jennifer Lake as chief executive officer, effective immediately. She replaces Dr. A. Gidget Hopf, who is retiring after 34 years.
Lake joined Goodwill of the Finger Lakes in 2007 and was appointed president in September 2019, when Hopf announced her retirement. Prior, she was part of the senior leadership team, responsible for the organization’s People Resources and Donated Goods retail divisions. As vice president, she oversaw all operations for 12 retail locations grossing $17 million annually, 11 attended donation centers, and transportation and logistics that generates nearly $3 million annually to support our mission programs. Lake also has led all HR efforts for Goodwill of the Finger Lakes’ 700-plus team. She has been the Strategic Planning liaison to the Board of Directors and consults on all organizational development, learning and change management initiatives.
Originally set to retire in June 2020, Hopf watched Lake take immediate action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through that leadership, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has made a commendable impact on the communities it serves, making it time for Lake to take the role as CEO immediately. An email was sent to Goodwill’s 700-person team this morning.
“Under Jennifer’s capable leadership, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has become a key community collaborator in response to the pandemic,” said William Barnecut-Kearns, board chair of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes. “She is eager to help and quick to respond to the needs of the community. It is through her leadership that we have risen to the occasion as an organization — as a family — and truly made an impact. As CEO, Jennifer will be a compassionate and visionary leader of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes. She will help us elevate our brand and further our impact across the communities we serve.”
During the past month’s COVID-19 pandemic, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has helped to address the needs of community members, especially those with basic needs like food and shelter with our 211/LIFE LINE mission program. The 211/LIFE LINE hotline has experienced a 200% increase in daily contacts with community members in need, and 80% of those are related to food. The organization has increased support of 211 so they can better connect individuals to resources they need such as enrolling participants in Foodlink’s emergency food distribution.
The Goodwill team also deployed its Workforce Development employees to contact school-age and college-age students we serve with vision loss to ensure they have access to virtual learning, and partnered with United Way of Greater Rochester, Monroe County and Congressman Joe Morelle’s office to use Goodwill’s warehouse to store and distribute items that allow community-based organizations to continue serving their populations. Goodwill also serves as a collection site for United Way’s Mask Maker initiative, collecting more than 1,300 masks by mid-April. These are just a few of the efforts Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has taken on in response to this pandemic, all under Lake’s leadership and swift action. She is a well-respected, award-winning and recognized not-for-profit leader in the Greater Rochester area. She received the prestigious Forty Under 40 award from Rochester Business Journal in 2016 and completed a sought-after Executive Development Program through Goodwill Industries International. She has served on the Bivona Child Advocacy Board of Directors since 2017, has been a member of United Way of Greater Rochester’s Women’s Leadership Council since 2015, and has been a mentor in the National Human Resources Association Rochester Mentoring Program since 2011.
“This is an exciting time for our organization, and I have full confidence in Jennifer, between her genuine passion to serve, the respect she has earned throughout her career and her vision for Goodwill of the Finger Lakes,” Barnecut-Kearns said.
Lake earned a master’s degree in organizational learning and human resource development — with a 4.0 GPA — from St. John Fisher, and a bachelor’s degree in political science, also from St. John Fisher.
ABOUT GOODWILL OF THE FINGER LAKES
A 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes prepares and empowers people with barriers to independence to be self-sufficient and contribute to their families and communities. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes’ mission programs ABVI (The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired) and 211/LIFE LINE have a very long and successful history of providing services to our region. The organization’s more than 700 individuals use their passion and expertise to find innovative solutions to address pressing social needs. Each year, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes positively impacts the lives of more than 150,000 people.
For more information, please visit: goodwillfingerlakes.org.
Jennifer Lake, CEO, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes