Inclusive Leadership Conference
October 11, 2023
Hilton University of Houston
Organizers: Dr. Leanne Atwater and Prof. Alejandro Fernandez
Sponsored by the Inclusive Leadership Institute (No cost to participants)
Conference Recap:
Bringing Together Academia & Industry
Inclusive Leadership Institute Holds Successful Inaugural Conference
Published in Latest News on October 20, 2023
The Inclusive Leadership Institute at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business held its first conference in October, bringing together researchers and business professionals to define best practices and bridge industry and academia.
Housed in the college’s Department of Management & Leadership, the Inclusive Leadership Institute (ILI) focuses on inclusive leadership, family support, health support and social responsibility. The initiative launched at the college seven years ago and has evolved to encompass curricular and extracurricular offerings at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as certificates and outreach programs.
The inaugural conference included opening remarks from Dean Paul A. Pavlou, who noted the growth of the institute and its integral role in the overall Bauer College strategy. First Horizon Bank Executive Vice President and Chief DEI Officer Anthony Hood and Houston Methodist Hospital Vice President and Chief DEI Officer Arianne Dowdell each gave keynote speeches, and throughout the day, attendees fostered meaningful interactions through question-and-answer sessions and workshops, allowing for networking and discussion.
“The success of the conference was a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of our entire department,” Department of Management & Leadership Chair Steve Werner said, noting that ILI has evolved under the leadership of many faculty members, including Dusya Vera, Barbara Carlin, Leanne Atwater, Tom George and most recently, current director Alex Fernandez.
He added: “We were thrilled to see an outstanding turnout, with participation of chief diversity officers, human resource directors and business leaders from various companies, with practitioners’ perspectives enhanced by academic points of view. We had very strong participation from Bauer College and the UH Department of Psychology and Hilton College, along with representatives from other universities, such as the Ivey Business School and Williams Wood University.”
Company attendees included First Horizon Bank, ROKU Inc., Chevron, SLB, Methodist Hospital, Deloitte, Brenntag, Greystone, Cy-Fair Fire Department, Phillips66, Amegy Bank, Dashiell Corporation's, Mantis Innovation, Fluor, JPMorgan Chase, TDECU, DHR Health, HP Enterprise, SCI Shared Resources, LLC, Fluor, CITGO Petroleum Corp and Rakuten Inc.
“The momentum generated by this conference has opened doors to exciting opportunities for further collaboration, growth and innovation,” Werner said.
Click here to see a photo gallery of the conference.
Attendees:
30 invited directors and above from Houston-area companies that advance inclusive leadership.
Outcomes:
The conference aims to:
- Define inclusive leadership best practices.
- Outline Inclusive leadership research agenda moving forward.
- Establish a model for developing inclusive leaders (programs, experiences, courses, etc.).
- Enhance research exchange between Industry and Academia.
Conference Model:
Sharing Experiences
- Arianne Dowdell, Vice President & Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Houston Methodist Hospital
- Dr. Anthony Hood, Executive VP & CDEIO, First Horizon Bank
Exchanging Knowledge
- Research presentations: Dr. Derek Avery, Professor & C. T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership, and Dr. Enrica N. Ruggs, Associate Professor, Department of Management & Leadership, C. T. Bauer College of Business
- Research Fair: University of Houston Faculty & Ph.D.'s
Brainstorming Ideas & Concepts
- Industry Panel
- Facilitated Group Discussion
- Small Group Discussions
Summarizing and Concluding
- Presentations to Large Group
- Conclusion
- White Paper
Industry Panel: Best Practices in Developing an Inclusive Leadership Culture
Facilitator: Dr. Barbara Carlin, Instructional Associate Professor, C. T. Bauer College of Business
Panelists:
- Jerry Guerrero, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leader, ROKU
- Chereese Johnson, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy Lead Americas, Chevron
- Stephen Metoyer, Principal, Former CDEIO, Deloitte
- Carlos Sarmiento, Diversity & Inclusion Director, SLB
Facilitated Group Discussion: Developing an Inclusive Leader
Facilitator: Dr. Dusya Vera, Executive Director, Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership
Panelists:
- Dr. Tony Andenoro, VP & Chief Advancement Officer, William Woods University
- Ala’a Boulos, Chief Purpose & DEI Officer for Deloitte Tax, Deloitte
- Dr. Sandy Frieden, Principal, Sandy Frieden Consulting
Research Presentations:
Facilitators: Dr. Derek Avery, Professor & C. T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership, and Dr. Enrica N. Ruggs, Associate Professor, Department of Management & Leadership, C. T. Bauer College of Business
Participants:
- Faculty, University of Houston
Tentative Agenda:
| Time | Activity | Location (UH Hilton) |
|---|---|---|
7:30 - 8:15 a.m. |
Registration – Breakfast |
Classroom S131 |
8:15 - 8:30 a.m. |
Introduction Alex Fernandez |
|
8:30 - 8:45 a.m. |
Kickoff Speaker: Paul A. Pavlou, Dean and Cullen Distinguished Chair, C. T. Bauer College of Business |
Classroom S131 |
8:45 - 9:15 a.m. |
Keynote Speaker: Anthony Hood, Executive VP &CDEIO, First Horizon Bank |
Classroom S131 |
9:15 - 10:15 a.m. |
Industry Panel Dr. Barbara Carlin: Best Practices in Developing an Inclusive Leadership Culture |
Classroom S131 |
10:15 - 10:30 a.m. |
Break |
Classroom S131 |
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. |
Small Group Discussions: Best Practices in Developing an Inclusive Leadership Culture |
Eric Hilton Board Room, Palacio del Rio, Hawaiian Village |
11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. |
Report Out Presentations to Large Group |
Flamingo |
12:15 - 1:00 p.m. |
Lunch |
Flamingo |
1:00 - 1:30 p.m. |
Guest Speaker: Arianne Dowdell, VP, Chief Diversity Equity & Inclusion Officer, Houston Methodist Hospital |
Classroom S131 |
1:30 - 2:15 p.m. |
Facilitated Group Discussion: Dr. Dusya Vera, How to Develop / Advance Inclusive Leaders
|
Classroom S131 |
2:15 - 3:15 p.m. |
Research Presentations: Derek Avery, Professor & C. T. Bauer Chair of Inclusive Leadership, and Dr. Enrica N. Ruggs, Associate Professor, Department of Management & Leadership, C. T. Bauer College of Business |
Classroom S131 |
3:15 - 3:30 p.m. |
Break |
Classroom S131 |
3:30 - 4:15 p.m. |
Small Group Discussions: Next steps with research, outreach, and executive education |
Eric Hilton Board Room, Palacio del Rio, Hawaiian Village |
4:15 - 5:00 p.m. |
Report Out Presentations to Large Group |
Flamingo |
5:00 - 6:30 p.m. |
Conclusion: Alex Fernandez, Director, Inclusive Leadership Institute, C. T. Bauer College of Business - Hosted social hour |
Flamingo |
Summary & Conclusion:
- The conference will be recorded and summarized to address the following:
- Inclusive leadership best practices
- Inclusive leadership research agenda moving forward
- Model for developing inclusive leaders (programs, courses, etc.)
- The summary will be shared with the Conference advisory board and the ILI Board.
- Meet with the Conference advisory board and the ILI board to receive their feedback and suggestions about the summary.
- A white paper will be drafted and shared with the Conference advisory board for their review and comment.
- White paper will be distributed to all conference attendees and available to the public.
