Member Webinar: Black History Month 2026

Greg Garrett is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ardent Mills, the premier flour-milling and ingredient company. In this role, Greg leads the company’s DEI branding expression, Ardent Coming Together, which is built upon the pillars of People, Customer, Community, and Supplier. Through this effort, he drives cultural transformation, inclusive leadership, and inclusive business practices that foster a sense of belonging and shared success.

Greg has over 20+ years of experience in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, marketing, and human resources, having held leadership roles at State Farm, Westfield, and Asurion.

His career has focused on advancing employee engagement, inclusive talent development, and market growth through inclusive strategies. Greg is passionate about building bridges across differences and creating environments where all individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered to thrive.

Alicia Luarks is an Operations Excellence Practitioner at Ardent Mills. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Bakery Science and Management from Kansas State University and began her career at Ardent Mills as an intern in the summer of 2016. Approaching her 10-year anniversary with the company, Alicia has built a diverse career spanning Food Safety and Quality, Operations Management, and Continuous Improvement. In addition to her professional role, she serves as Chair of B.E.A.M. (Black Excellence at Ardent Mills), where she is passionate about advancing equity, representation, and inclusive leadership. 

I’m Torren Manning, a Quality Development Associate at Ardent Mills with a background in Food Science from Florida A&M University. I work closely with teams to support product quality, documentation, and continuous improvement. Through my current role, I collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure finished products meet stringent standards for accuracy and efficiency, contributing to consistent operational excellence. With a commitment to continuously improve, I help drive impactful solutions in fast-paced production environments, rooted in a passion for leveraging scientific principles to enhance product quality while maintaining a focus on efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead is the 30th president of Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). She is a professor of communication and African and African American Studies at Loyola University Maryland and the founding executive director of the Karson Institute for Race, Peace & Social Justice. She is also the host of the award-winning radio show Today with Dr. Kaye on WEAA, 88.9 FM, and the recent recipient of the Rev. John LaFarge, S.J. Award for her contributions to the struggle for racial justice and commitment to advancing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Vernon Jarrett Medal for Journalistic Excellence for her outstanding reporting on the impact racial reckoning has had in helping to close the social/racial wealth gap for Black people in America. As one of only a few daily drive-time afternoon radio shows hosted by a Black woman, “Today with Dr. Kaye” has received two Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and nine Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters Association Awards. Dr. Kaye has also been cited by Essence magazine as one of the “Woke 100 black women” advocating for change. 

She is the author of five books, including the recently released my mother’s tomorrow: dispatches from Baltimore’s Black Butterfly and the award-winning Notes from a Colored Girl: The Civil War Pocket Diaries of Emilie Francis Davis. Dr. Whitehead is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the country, having given over 800 keynotes worldwide. She lives in Baltimore with her family.