There’s good news and bad news about DEI

To say that a lot has happened in 2020 is an epic understatement. The good news is that recent and ongoing events have opened more people’s eyes, ears and hearts to the profound threat that racism and oppressive ways of living and working pose to our individual and collective survival. This presents a real opportunity for positive evolution and the motivation to truly co-create a world that works better for more of us.

However, the bad news is that there aren’t enough professionals in the field to meet this demand  — just ask your local current-overbooked DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) practitioner! Also, there aren’t enough professionals that are adequately equipped to meet this demand effectively. There’s too much of the old ways of doing, and new ways of doing with old ways of being.

Neither one is going to work.

Here’s the Solution!

To meet this challenge, I’ve created the first DEI Professional Leadership Program™ (DEI-PLP).

Each cohort is a small group of 3-8 professionals that embark on a six-month journey, co-creating an intensive learning community. The experience equips participants to more effectively lead themselves, lead change and lead organizations — either from the inside or from the outside as consultants.

DEI PLP
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Nice! Who is the DEI Professional Leadership Program™ for?

This unique learning experience is ideal for the following four groups:

  • Employees who have been thrust into a new DEI role in an organization, but have little-to-no DEI expertise
  • Emerging leaders who want to move into, or create, a DEI role in their organization or another
  • Human and org development professionals who want to add DEI to their toolkit
  • Professionals with some DEI expertise who want to go out on their own and start consulting businesses

Download the program brochure to learn more details! The next cohort begins June 2021.

What does the DEI Professional Leadership Program™ entail?

6-month commitment: 20 weeks of instruction (including two breaks) plus two presentation meetings

30 total hours of live online classes – one 90-minute session per week (tentatively Wednesdays 4:00 Pacific/7:00 Eastern)

Two one-hour private mentoring or coaching sessions with Susana

120 total hours of study (~6 per week in addition to class), including:

  • Weekly articles, videos, podcasts and quizzes
  • Weekly reflection journal entry
  • Weekly group online discussion question
  • Twice-monthly check-in with Partner in Active Learning (PAL)
  • Several short individual assignments (short papers, videos, interviews, case studies, assessments, etc.)
  • One group assignment
  • Book Review
  • Final project
DEI PLP
coaching

Why are you the best person to lead the DEI Professional Leadership Program™?

The DEI-PLP sits solidly in the sweet spot where my knowledge, passion and the world’s needs intersect! I’m the ideal person to provide this solution because for over 3 decades I’ve literally done it all when it comes to DEI!

I’ve run my own business, been an internal leader and change agent and worked as a Principal for a large global consultancy. I hold two degrees in the field and have been “living” DEI for half a century. I’ve worked in multiple sectors — corporate, nonprofit, healthcare, higher education and local government. I’ve got business and organizational/leadership development chops as well as a social justice background. And I’ve done this work across the U.S. and internationally.

I’ve also seen it all when it comes to DEI. From training participants who yell and walk out of the room … to trainees who cry and embrace. From DEI leaders of color who lead inequitably and engage in microaggressions … to White male coachees who experience shifts and become DEI champions. From organizations who waste millions of dollars on training programs that don’t work … to teams who muster the courage and develop the skill to manage and leverage their differences to create results that matter.

Learn more by reading about my DEI Philosophy, and about “new school” DEI.

What do DEI Professional Leadership Program™ participants gain?

  • Broad, intermediate-level understanding of critical DEI concepts, history, vocabulary and tools
  • Deeper knowledge in one area of desired competence, or “major”. Suggested majors include: consulting & evaluation, training & development, spirituality & healing, racial equity, unconscious bias and organizational leadership.
  • Improved capacity to lead self, lead organizations (from within or without) and lead change
  • Honed ability to think, speak and act effectively in furthering “new school” DEI efforts
  • Opportunity for rigorous self-reflection and personal growth
  • Invaluable cross-sector and cross-field relationships with cohort members
  • Personalized mentoring and feedback from a DEI expert
  • Pre-and post-program self-evaluations
  • Certificate of completion as a “DEI Professional”
  • Optional licensing to use proprietary tools (ODISE™ and PIE™)
DEI PLP
DEI PLP

What do people say about your instructional style?

  • “Susana demonstrates a quality of confidence and yet humility that made me feel comfortable and able to trust her quickly. Her supportive way of being with her attendees and her openness were very inviting and allowed me to absorb information more deeply.”
  • “That was the best presentation on diversity and inclusion I’ve ever attended. In my life!”
  • “Susana is a kind, generous and brilliant coach and facilitator. She cares deeply for people and brings her own vulnerability in to her work which adds to her credibility and compassion.”
  • “I was so jazzed last night after this session … and who comes away from a ‘mandatory diversity training’ with THAT attitude!”
  • “She knew what she was talking about and had the knowledge to carry [it] over to the people in the room. She worked the room wonderfully – had everyone on their toes to see what she would bring up next. She talked with us, not to us. Let’s see more of her.”

See more rave reviews on my leadership & equity webpage and my LinkedIn profile.

Ready to apply to the DEI Professional Leadership Program™ or have questions?

Contact me to book a complimentary call or request more information!

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