In-Person CDOC Convening: Chicago, IL

June 26, 2024

9:30 AM – 10:00 PM EDT

6:30 AM – 7:00 PM PDT

In person

Online registration is not currently available. Please contact your Relationship Director to register for this event.

Join us for the Chief Diversity Officer Collaborative (CDOC) convening on June 26, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. This event is a pivotal exploration of “Embracing Change: Navigating the Dynamic DEI Landscape with Resilience and Adaptability.” We’re dedicated to arming you with essential skills and strategies to confront challenges, embrace change, and maintain unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Don’t miss the FIRST ever CDOC Experience Lab on Change Management & Collaborative Communication, hosted by The Second City! We will start our day with a transformative journey at The Second City, renowned for fostering talent such as Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, and Keegan-Michael Key. We’ll dive into interactive, playful, and FUN experiences, leveraging renowned techniques to creatively upskill in change management and collaborative communication—essential traits for exceptional Chief Diversity Officers.

After our Learning Lab experience, we continue at the Gleacher Center for our afternoon sessions on creating effective global DEI strategies followed by findings on the impact of Generative AI on talent acquisition. The afternoon will offer insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities. Connect with industry experts, share best practices, and fortify your DEI efforts in today’s rapidly evolving environment.

Spots are being filled fast—secure yours now for this crucial event!

Agenda

8:30 a.m. Breakfast – The Second City

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Experience Lab – The Second City

12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Transition to Gleacher Center

Discover The Second City: For over 60 years, The Second City has been a beacon of innovation in improv and sketch comedy training. It’s a creative crucible that has nurtured generations of comedic luminaries, including Jason Sudeikis, Bill Murray, and many more!
But here’s the twist: Beyond the laughter, The Second City found that the very techniques that propelled stars onto the stage also work wonders in the business world. CEOs and educators who embraced The Second City’s methods experienced undeniable success.
That’s why we’re thrilled to team up with The Second City and bring their magic to our CDOC community for our first Experience Lab. There’s no need to belt out show tunes, juggle, or perform a stand-up routine as we creatively build our change management and collaborative communication skills—the hallmarks of exceptional Chief Diversity Officers.

12:30 p.m. – Guest Arrival and Registration – The University of Chicago, Gleacher Center

Speaker: Barbara Frankel
This study uses data from leading global organizations and Seramount’s Global Inclusion Index to examine best practices for starting and expanding a global DEI strategy. We’ll address questions such as:
How can DEI leaders balance the need for a global talent strategy with the reality of local differences in culture, laws, and norms?
What are the implications of approaching global DEI through a regional lens or a specific country lens?
What are key success factors for creating, monitoring, and supporting ERGs in a global landscape?

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Leveraging Generative AI to Diversify Talent: Preliminary Findings

Speakers: Katie Mooney & Meredith McNeil

Generative AI (GAI) can radically impact an organization’s ability to fill open positions with underrepresented talent—either bringing in new talent or advancing existing talent into new roles. GAI can infuse DEI throughout the passive (developing job descriptions, creating success profiles, etc.) and active hiring processes (sourcing, screening, selecting, etc.).

This technology will codify DEI best practices and tactics rather than rely on many individuals’ actions. To achieve this outcome, CDOs must lead the adoption of GAI using their own key business metrics. If CDOs lead adoption efforts, they will subsequently mitigate the bias embedded in some of these systems.

5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Reception/Dinner. Vermilion; attendees are welcome to depart at their convenience.

Barbara Frankel

Managing Director, Insights

Seramount

Barbara Frankel is the Managing Director of the Insights division at Seramount, working on global and US diversity surveys, national thought-leader projects, and groundbreaking research on inclusion and DEI topics and how to create family-friendly workplaces.

Barbara Frankel is the Managing Director of the Insights division at Seramount, working on global and US diversity surveys, national thought-leader projects, and groundbreaking research on inclusion and DEI topics and how to create family-friendly workplaces. She was the leader of the recent Pledge to Progress research project, which details corporate America’s progress in combating racism in the year since the murder of George Floyd.

Barbara is a thought leader, editor, writer, manager, and consultant in global and US diversity management, business development and marketing, business journalism, and human- and civil-rights advocacy.

She previously was executive editor and senior vice president at DiversityInc. Barbara has served on the national Board of Directors of GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and the global advisory board of WeConnect International, a nonprofit that helps women entrepreneurs be corporate suppliers, as well as Garden State Equality.

READ FULL BIO

Katie Oertli Mooney

Managing Director

Seramount

Katie Oertil Mooney is Managing Director of Diversity Best Practices at Seramount. She is an accomplished DEI leader and thought partner with expertise in driving strategy and growth of diversity and inclusion change management, planning and programs.

Katie Oertli Mooney is a Managing Director at Seramount. She is an accomplished DEI leader and thought partner with expertise in driving strategy and growth of diversity and inclusion change management, planning and programs. Prior to joining Seramount, she was responsible for overseeing the client delivery, staffing, operations and growth as Vice President of Jennifer Brown Consulting. She was accountable for the firm’s successful consulting project delivery to clients from the Fortune 1000, government agencies, startups, to nonprofits.

Prior to that, she managed the DEI enterprise learning and development strategy at Capital One specializing in differential investment programming to support historically underrepresented talent and communities of color. She is currently on the Board of Directors for the GSBA; the largest LGBTQ and allied chamber of commerce in North America and is supporting the organization in 2020, by advancing diversity, equity and inclusion for the Board of Directors, for the benefit of GSBA staff, members, partners and the LGBTQ+ and allied community of Washington State. Katie has a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management with a concentration on Diversity and Inclusion Management from Georgetown University. She is based in Seattle, WA.

READ FULL BIO

Meredith McNeill

Senior Director, Research

Seramount

Meredith McNeill is the Senior Director of Insights at Seramount. In this role, she develops stakeholder education and provides decision and implementation support to Chief Diversity Officers on their most pressing issues.

Meredith McNeill is the Senior Director of Insights at Seramount. In this role, she develops stakeholder education and provides decision and implementation support to Chief Diversity Officers on their most pressing issues.

Prior to joining Seramount, Meredith led the K-12 research design and discovery team at EAB. She has extensive experience in education policy and execution at the federal, state, and local levels. Meredith has served as a policy advisor in the U.S. Senate, an advisor to large urban public school districts, and a management consultant. She began her career as a middle school teacher in Philadelphia.

Meredith holds degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her family.

READ FULL BIO