Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda is a globally recognized human rights expert, investor, and social impact entrepreneur. A two-time presidential appointee, he leads the Pineda Foundation/World
Enabled, advancing disability inclusion and accessible urban development worldwide.

He has advised global organizations including the World Bank, UN agencies, and Fortune 500 companies, and played a key role in international frameworks such as the UN Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the New Urban Agenda. His book “Building the Inclusive City” has earned global recognition, and he sits on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils. He directs the Inclusive Cities Lab at UC Berkeley and is a Senior Fellow at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government.

Dr. Pineda holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from UCLA and degrees in Political Economy and Business from UC Berkeley.

Susan is a Partner Development Manager overseeing the Partner Development Representatives at Seramount.  She is responsible for managing the teams who cultivate and the beginnings of our partnerships across all sectors.  A passionate advocate of DEI in her both personal (as a queer woman) and professional life, Susan is committed to the success of our partners – driving positive and innovative change.  Prior to working with Seramount, Susan was a DEI Manager for a pet company based out of Knoxville, TN where she designed and implemented their first DEI strategy.   This experience provided her the tools to think through this work with heart and critical analysis, which is something she brings to this role every day.

She holds a BA from Christopher Newport University in Philosophy and Religious Studies and an MPhil from the University of Oxford in Visual, Material, and Musuem Anthropology.  She resides in Richmond, VA and enjoys singing, playing games, and playing with her four animals.

As Vice President, Research, Carla leads the design and development of research initiatives, experiences, and services to drive action and results for our Strategic Advisory Services partner institutions. Proud to be counted among the first EAB Research employees, Carla has specialized across her career in supporting institutions with strategy and organizational design, innovative credential design, and understanding and responding to shifts in student and employer demand. A seasoned facilitator, Carla enjoys helping partners apply insights to their context and needs to ensure results.

Following her time as an undergraduate at Colgate University, Carla cultivated a passion for education as a K12 teacher in the Bronx and Washington, DC. She holds an MS in Teaching from Pace University and a Duke MBA from the Fuqua School of Business.

Sarah De Leon is the Managing Director of the Relationships team at Seramount. In this role, she leads the team responsible for driving revenue growth and delivering value through Seramount’s research memberships.

With over 25 years of experience in customer success, account management, and commercial strategy, Sarah brings deep expertise and a client-centered mindset to her work. She is a core member of Seramount’s executive leadership team, helping to shape the organization’s growth through strong partnerships and a focus on long-term impact.

Before joining EAB in 2017, Sarah led client-facing commercial teams at firms including The Advisory Board Company, Discovery Education, and the Corporate Executive Board (now Gartner).

She holds bachelor’s degrees in Russian and International Studies from Miami University and an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from George Washington University.

Sarah lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband, daughter, and their labradoodle, Lucky. Outside of work, she serves on the executive board of her daughter’s school PTA and leads her local Girl Scout troop.

Daniel Nguyen is a dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practitioner with a unique people-first approach rooted in his social work background. Since 2014, he has consistently developed impact-driven programs addressing systemic barriers and creating equitable opportunities for underrepresented employees and communities.

Daniel serves on the board of Viet Rainbow of Orange County, working with LGBTQIA+ Vietnamese Americans and their loved ones through research, education, and advocacy. His commitment to social justice earned him a certificate of appreciation from Los Angeles Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell for his work within the trans community. Daniel’s expertise spans racial equality, LGBTQIA+ civil rights, mental health, affordable housing, and climate change, reflecting his holistic approach to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

A force to be reckoned with, Preston Mitchum isn’t just a name; it’s a symbol of commitment, passion, and the embodiment of change.
With over a decade of experience, he excels in various roles, from attorney to passionate activist and respected public speaker. You’ll often find him on national news shows, sharing profound insights and contributing to esteemed publications. Preston is not just an attorney and activist; he’s also a TV personality, making a memorable appearance on Bravo’s hit show “Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard.” Based in Washington, DC, Preston champions safe spaces for Black queer, trans, and nonbinary individuals, embodying dedication and change.

Karthik is a Diversity and Inclusion specialist having completed several seminal projects successfully for various organizations. In his 25 years of experience in business analysis, talent strategy and workforce diversity consulting, Karthik has devised flexible working policies and diversity-ready workplaces for several Fortune 500 organizations.
As one of India’s pioneering workers in the field of career comeback programs for women, Karthik has been a key architect in the re-entry of women into the workplace. He has worked on many research studies on Diversity & Inclusion and has conducted Diversity & Inclusion audits and assessments for several organisations.
Karthik has also co-authored several papers that have been published in Journals of national and international repute. He has been conferred on the DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP AWARD by the World HRD Congress.

Blanca Villela is a business strategist, corporate governance expert, certified executive coach, and lawyer with an MBA, bringing over 28 years of global and regional leadership experience. She has driven growth and sustainable innovation in sectors including agribusiness, consumer goods, and manufacturing, across mature and emerging markets. At Cargill, Blanca held senior positions such as Protein Business Manager, overseeing legal, sustainability, corporate communications, and crisis management. She successfully led Cargill’s Global Women’s Network, launching diversity and inclusion strategies worldwide, including in Latin America and APAC. Recognized for her work in women’s empowerment by Forbes and the U.S. Embassy in Honduras, Blanca serves on the boards of Ternova Group, ALZU Group, and GRUPO SEARCHiN, specializing in human capital, innovation, and sustainability. She actively mentors leaders through Vital Voices and Telethon, fostering inclusive workplaces and strategic growth. Blanca holds certifications in Strategic Workforce Planning and Co-Active Professional Coaching (CPCC).

Gareth Whalley is the Founder and CEO of Big Bang People Solutions, an HR consultancy specialized in diversity, equity and inclusion, reward and recognition, and change management and communications. Big Bang helps organizations worldwide to build holistic solutions to complex people issues, in service of enhancing both employee and customer experiences.

Before launching Big Bang, Gareth spent over 20 years in generalist and specialist HR leadership roles in multinational organizations including Procter & Gamble, IBM, The Coca-Cola Company, and Levi Strauss & Co. In recent years, he focused his efforts on driving meaningful culture change in diversity, equity, and inclusion, first leading the global inclusion practice at Coca-Cola, and later serving as the Head of DEI for Europe at Levi’s. He now consults with clients across industry sectors to help increase DEI maturity and impact.

Jenny Champlin is an innovative DEI strategist with over 20 years of extensive experience in employment law, litigation, HR and diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging. She previously led a DEI innovation capability at Edward Jones, a US-based financial services firm with over 40,000 financial advisors and branch team support members. Prior to this role, Jenny was an Associate General Counsel on the employment legal team at Edward Jones where she served as the primary legal partner helping to solve business problems, support associates and mitigate employment-related risk. Before Edward Jones, Jenny spent nearly 10 years at Walmart Stores, Inc. in Bentonville, AR serving in a variety of legal and HR roles. Just prior to leaving Walmart, Jenny was an HR Director supporting Walmart’s Merchandising & Health & Wellness businesses leading a team of 12 associates and serving over 600 home office associates and 85,000 pharmacists, optometrists, pharmacy technicians and opticians. Jenny is a Past President of the National Association of Women Lawyers and continues to serve on NAWL’s Leadership Advisory Council as well as on several NAWL committees.