Esther J. Calzada, Ph.D. (she/her)

Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion, Norma and Clay Leben Professor in Child and Family Behavioral Health at University of Texas at Austin

Professor Calzada is a clinical child psychologist with expertise in parenting and early childhood development among ethnic minority, particularly Latino, families. Her program of research, focused on family and intergenerational processes and interventions, aims to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in academic achievement, behavior problems, and socio-emotional problems. Professor Calzada serves as associate editor for the Journal of Latin@ Psychology and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.

Hana Ayele (she/her)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Coordinator at the Missouri Historical Society

Hana is from Ethiopia and lost her eyesight at the age of 8. She has worked as the general manager of a disability network organization called Ethiopian National Disability Action Network; teacher of basic computer skill training for students who are blind and have low vision; also served as the vice president of the board in the Ethiopian Women with Disability National Association and the Equal Opportunity Association for Women with Disability Living with HIV. She was a participant of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Initiative.

Jewel Stafford (she/her)
Assistant Dean for Field Education & Director of the Racial Equity Fellowship Program at Washington University in St. Louis, Brown School

With more than 15 years of practice and research experience working with diverse communities, Jewel’s career has focused on training, research coordination, and program planning, both in the Brown School community and beyond. While she serves at the Brown School, she continues to collaborate with local, national and international organizations on the development of culturally appropriate tools and interventions that address racial inequities.

Lauren Davis (she/her)
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community at University of Michigan

Lauren has over 13+ years of higher education experience at the University of Michigan. She has worked collaboratively alongside students, staff, and faculty to advance the School’s DEI and anti-racism goals. She is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the School's DEI strategic plan, executing annual DEI assessments, supervising student staff, and creating DEI initiatives. She is passionate about creating inclusive and transparent environments where everyone can thrive and be successful.

Ramón Gómez (he/him/el)
Program Manager for Equity and Inclusion for the City of Austin Transportation and Public Works Department

Ramón leads the department in identifying and addressing current and emerging equity and inclusion issues and develops a process to guide the department in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, practices, and programs addressing their impacts on equity. He also works closely with the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity in Action (IDEA) committee to advance the committee’s mission to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. 

Ron Idoko (he/him)
Associate Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems, Founding Director of the Racial Equity Consciousness Institute, and Research Assistant Professor at University of Pittsburgh

Ron leads the Center’s day-to-day operations and strategic and programmatic initiatives with a focus on research, education, and praxis to advance positive social change. Ron founded and directs the Racial Equity Consciousness Institute, an expansive engagement platform that guides learners and teachers through the critical systems thinking racial equity consciousness framework. 

Samuel Bradley, Jr. (he/him)
Assistant Professor of Macro Practice & Director of the Equity Innovations Lab at Boston College

Dr. Bradley is an accomplished musician, community activist, and administrator with extensive experience in fundraising and communications. He has expertise in diversity and inclusion, public health, and program innovation. He is particularly passionate about utilizing design thinking as a strategy for developing innovation in higher education as well as leveraging higher education programs to support community outcomes in marginalized communities.

Sessions

DEI Certificate Program: DEI Practice - A New Career Path for Social Workers

The Leaders for Equity and Justice in the Workplace program is a one of its kind social work program at Boston College. Launched in the Fall of 2021, this innovative certificate program utilizes the lessons learned from cutting edge research and best practices to prepare students to take on a DEI practice in an organization. The presenter will discuss career paths available to students who are interested in pursuing this approach to training and practice.

Racial Justice in Practicum: From Cohort to Curriculum - Infusing Racial Justice into Field Education

Through a community-academic partnered process, the Brown School Office of Field Education implemented racial justice into the field education curriculum and developed a competitive racial equity fellowship program and training for field instructors on racial justice. This initiative prepares students and professionals for critical analysis, skill building, and dialogue around the transformative process for addressing Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI). The presenter will discuss successes and challenges of racial justice training on field education staff and students since implementation and explore strategies for workplace culture, hiring, and promotion through Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) practices.

Alumni Panel: Using Your Skills in DEIA Spaces

Alumni will share their career journeys and how they use their skills in the workplace. They will share their motivations for DEIA work, strategies for communicating the value of their degree, and tips for students interested in this career pathway.

Creative Approaches to DEI Programming: Embracing the Countercultural in Schools of Social Work

Recent years have marked a renewed focus on issues of race, generating deeper understanding of the role of racism in creating and maintaining inequities. Yet even as the field of social work has focused on explicating the pernicious effects of racism, our higher education programs remain entrenched in values and norms that inadvertently uphold racism. For example, professional norms often marginalize Black, Indigenous and other people of color through policies that favor white ways of learning and communicating. This presentation will share ideas for creating and legitimizing countercultural space in the pursuit of equitable teaching and training and preparing students for the job market.

Registration

Deadline to register is Friday, June 16, 2023

Rates

Register here!

Event Contacts