November DBP Member Conference: Measuring What Matters for People and Performance

Shenelle Brooks is an Associate Director on Seramount’s Advisory team, where she guides companies in developing impactful HR strategies through a DEI-focused lens. A SHRM-certified HR professional, Shenelle has over eight years of experience specializing in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Her passion for creating inclusive workplaces is evident in her expertise with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), where she has played a pivotal role in shaping their strategic direction and aligning them with global DEI initiatives.

Beyond her professional work, Shenelle serves on the boards of the Independence Business Alliance (IBA), City Year Philadelphia, and HopePHL, championing initiatives that uplift diverse communities. She holds a BA in Business Administration and Communications from The College of New Rochelle and an MS in Human Resource Management from Capella University, which she leverages to implement innovative strategies across both corporate and non-profit sectors.

A proud Bronx native, Shenelle is deeply attuned to the challenges faced by underserved communities and uses her platform to advocate for equitable opportunities. She is committed to educating others on the importance of inclusion and celebrating the unique stories that shape our identities. In her free time, Shenelle enjoys exploring new destinations, outdoor activities, and volunteering to support those in need.

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.

Juliana Huffman is a Associate Director, Assessment and Strategy at Seramount. Juliana holds an MA in Social Justice and Education from the University College of London, as well as a BS of Education in Youth and Social Innovation, and a BA in American Studies with a concentration on Race and Ethnicity from the University of Virginia. Before pursuing her master’s degree in London, she was a Research Associate on the K-12 Team at EAB. Juliana currently lives outside of Washington, DC, and enjoys kickboxing, trying out new restaurants, and volunteering with youth.

Bridgette Scales is Managing Director of DBP and Seramount’s Advisory team. She is a diversity, equity, and inclusion expert with experience in sales and human resources. Bridgette joined Seramount from American Airlines in 2020, where she was the human resources business partner for customer experience. There, Bridgette was responsible for collaborating on people policies, talent management, career development, succession planning, departmental training initiatives, and aligning employee strategies with American Airline business goals.

Prior to her time at American Airlines, Bridgette spent 27 years at Proctor & Gamble. During her tenure at P&G, she was instrumental in developing and implementing strategies, programs, and processes across a complex and matrix organization. As a DEI practice leader for North America, Bridgette guided and counseled senior leaders on the integration of strategies that included awareness, cultural competency, leadership development, accountability and employee engagement. This led to better processes in the identification of high-potential employees, reduction in attrition rates of minorities, and increased DEI scores on the corporate employee survey.

Bridgette currently serves on the Global Advisory Board for the Women’s Leadership Forum within the P&G alumni network. She also sits on the She Runs It Foundation board’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Council and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

She has a BA from the University of Oklahoma, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and a Senior HR Professional certification from HRCI.

Jon Veasey-Deters is a Senior Research Analyst on the Insights team at Seramount. In his role, Jon supports Chief Diversity Officer Collaborative members with custom research on current topics such as keeping DEI strong in volatile times, Gen Z talent in the workplace, and Generative AI’s role in the talent lifecycle. He also supports Diversity Best Practice members with on-demand research on topics of interest. 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 Arlington, Virginia and in his free time enjoys cooking, pursuing his sommelier certification, and traveling.

Nichelle Wash is a Director on the Advisory team at Seramount. She is a results-focused DEI leader who specializes in supporting key areas of DEI strategy. She has been the chair of DEI councils and quasi-government boards, building support for the senior leadership team to integrate DEI throughout their lines of business. This work resulted in culture and change management for employees across the enterprise that was focused on sustainability and scale. She has also overseen diversity recruitment and outreach efforts for organizations, providing real solutions to attract and retain employees with a focus on diverse hiring strategies. Nichelle is a sought-after facilitator who has delivered workshops around DEI for over a decade. She was recently recognized as Woman of the Year for her role in designing and delivering DEI education; hosting a precollege camp to increase the number of girls interested in coding and entrepreneurship; and she sourced projects to address homelessness and support pathways to housing security across her home state of Indiana.

Nichelle is an alumna of Indiana University Bloomington, where she started her career in health care and biomedical research before pivoting to a career in higher education. In her self-healing time, Nichelle enjoys listening to audiobooks, playing basketball, dancing to live music, and traveling.