3 Steps to Making Inclusion Business-Critical

Diana Forster is a Senior Director of Qualitative Research at Seramount. She is a survey researcher, statistician, and writer with experience delivering actionable research to government, corporate, and academic clients.

In this role, she has helped lead several of Seramount’s recent projects: “Keeping DEI Strong in Volatile Times,” “Gen Z Decoded: New Data on How Your Youngest Employees Want to Experience Work,” “Understanding Global DEI Success: Corporate and Local Implications,” and “DEI Backlash: What Employees Really Think.” She joined Seramount in 2022 as an Associate Director on the Consulting team.

Previously, Diana was a researcher with the American Institutes for Research (AIR). There, she worked with the Department of Education on projects related to K-12 education. Diana was also a founder and vice-chair of Women in Support of Equity (WISE), AIR’s first employee resource group for women.

 Prior to her time at AIR, Diana worked for eight years with the Center for Talent Innovation (now Coqual). 

Diana holds a BA in political science and history from the College of Charleston, an MA in political science from the University of Arizona, and a PhD in political science from the University of Florida, where she used cutting-edge survey research techniques to study the intersections of religion and political behavior in the United States. A lifelong learner, she is currently pursuing her MBA at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business as a Forté fellow. Diana lives in Bethesda, Maryland, and in her spare time, she enjoys reading and writing fiction, riding her Peloton, and going to the movies. She also volunteers as a dramaturg with local theatres.

Cory Schneider (he/him) is Director of Advisory at Seramount, bringing extensive experience to leaders, and organizations to build more human-centered, equitable, and high-performing cultures. With over 15 years of experience spanning talent, culture, inclusion and leadership advisory and strategy, Cory is known for translating complex behavioral science and organizational dynamics into practical, scalable strategies for change.
Cory has partnered with Fortune 500s, high-growth startups, global nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations across industries including healthcare, finance, consumer goods, technology, and education. His work spans systemic and personal levels, from redesigning equitable talent strategies and embedding inclusion into performance systems, to coaching executives through complex transitions. He has led DEI strategy, architected leadership development frameworks, and facilitated culture change grounded in behavioral science, emotional intelligence, and adult learning theory.
Cory holds a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in LGBTQ+ Studies from Antioch University Los Angeles and a Bachelor’s in Corporate Communication from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a Certified Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) and Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), and a sought-after speaker on topics including inclusive leadership, belonging, and the intersection of mental health and organizational effectiveness.
Cory resides in Los Angeles with his husband, Randy, and their dog, Luna. Outside of work, you can find him hiking, gardening, facilitating LGBTQ+ workshops for youth, or exploring California’s coast and wine country.

Jon Veasey-Deters is an Associate Director on the Insights team at Seramount. In his role, Jon supports Chief Diversity Officer Collaborative members with custom research on current topics such as the Science of Influence, Gen Z talent in the workplace, Generative AI’s role in the talent lifecycle, and Employee Inclusion Metrics. Prior to this role, Jon worked on the short-term K-12 research team at EAB. Jon graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary with a Masters of Theological Studies and the University of Virginia with a BA in Political Science. He currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia and in his free time enjoys cooking, pursuing his sommelier certification, and traveling.