Mark is a Manager in the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) team at KPMG in the in the UK. He works collaboratively across the organisation to ensure that IDE is embedded throughout all policies, processes and systems that impact the employee life cycle.

Mark has worked in the team for 8 years and has led on firm-wide initiatives and projects including thought leadership, benchmarks, advocacy, Policies, events and campaigns. He has worked across all characteristics within the IDE landscape and brings his passion and desire for fairness, accessibility and inclusion to everything he does. He leads on their work to embed socio-economic diversity as a core part of the IDE agenda for their 17000 colleagues.

Eva is an Associate Director of Partner Development, responsible for helping new partner organizations unlock the value of Seramount’s DEI research and apply it to drive success within their organizations. She brings extensive experience in ERG leadership, DEI curriculum development and facilitation, and team culture building within large, matrixed organizations.

Before joining Seramount, Eva worked with pharmaceutical and medical device companies to address strategic issues such as health equity, AI in healthcare, leadership adaptiveness, and policy implications. She supported this work through consultative relationships and data-driven research.

Outside of work, Eva enjoys traveling—most recently exploring the beauty and traditions of Sri Lanka. She is also an avid supporter of the NY film scene, actively involved in Brooklyn’s cat fostering community, and the proud caretaker of her (too) many plants.

Belinda Deridder has been with Mars for 15 years, initially joining as an executive assistant. She has supported senior leadership teams across Petcare, Chocolate, and Food and now serves as Legal Co-pilot for the European Mars Pet Nutrition team.

In 2021, after her 5-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Belinda became a Neurodiversity Ally. Motivated by her personal experiences and insights, Belinda took the lead in driving Neuro-Inclusion at Mars.

Belinda founded NeuroConnect, the first Neurodiversity Associate Resource Group (ARG) at Mars. Under her leadership, NeuroConnect launched a successful “Neurodiversity at Mars” campaign in 2023, raising awareness of neurodiversity and offering training for all associates. This initiative grew the group from 5 to over 100 members within 18 months.

In 2024, Belinda received the #FlipTheStatusQuo associate recognition award for her contributions as a change maker at Mars.

Punam V. Saxena is a TEDx speaker and a 2x author of the books Parent Power: Navigate School and Beyond which was #1 on Amazon, and Powerful Parenting: 101 Ways to Stay Positive, a parent affirmation journal, both of which received 5 stars from both Mom’s Choice Awards and Reader’s Favorite. As a second-generation Indian American and over 30 years of advocacy, Punam speaks on the unique experiences of cultural bias, the Model Minority Stereotype, parent engagement in schools, Asian student challenges, and empowering South Asian womxn voices. Her signature TEDx talk, The Key to Student Success, highlights the minority experience in school while growing up as “other.”

Chantel C. Smith is a dynamic business consultant, DEI leader, and sought-after speaker dedicated to driving business transformation through people-centered strategies. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in strategy development, talent management, and organizational effectiveness, helping companies build sustainable and inclusive workplaces.

Before transitioning to full-time consulting, Chantel served as Vice President of Global DEI and Talent Management at a leading PR firm, where she spearheaded large-scale initiatives to enhance workplace culture, improve employee engagement, and embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into business operations. Her expertise spans corporate, agency, and nonprofit sectors, where she has partnered with leaders to develop high-impact programs that drive measurable change.

Chantel’s approach blends strategic planning, data analysis, and long-term transformation to help organizations implement scalable, sustainable solutions. She has led initiatives that increased leadership diversity, improved talent mobility, and elevated both employee and client experiences. A recognized thought leader, she frequently speaks on DEI strategy, brand positioning, and business innovation.

Chantel holds a B.S. in Professional Communications and an MBA. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, embracing new experiences, and giving back to her community.

Janessa is a Partner in KPMG’s Deal Advisory and Strategy (DAS) practice specializing in financial due diligence (FDD). With 21 years of experience, Janessa leads our East & Southwest FDD practice, Women in Advisory efforts and serves as the Deal Advisory & Strategy People & DEI Leader. In 2018, Janessa established the Women in DAS initiative and leadership council. As part of that effort, she spearheaded the practice’s premier women’s leadership development program for high-performing DAS directors that has evolved into a broader Advisory-wide Momentum Leadership program suite for developing talent at the manager and director levels. Janessa also championed and successfully launched our exclusive KPMG Executive Leadership Institute for Women (KELIW) program in our Boston market, which is KPMG’s commitment to skills development, leadership training and network advancement for women executives that continues to be a market leader today.

René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (age 7, 11, and 25), she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empower black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.

Falguni Patel is a seasoned Customer Program Manager with over 20 years of distinguished experience in the technology industry. She excels in orchestrating the delivery of innovative products and services, driving value creation through innovative solutions, robust deployment strategies, and expert program management. 

As a trusted resource and mentor at Cisco, Fal collaborates closely with leadership to identify and leverage opportunities that empower customers with transformative tools and solutions, fostering business growth and enhancing employee success. 

Her commitment to nurturing talent is further exemplified by her long-standing leadership role within the Women of Cisco Employee Resource Group, where she has served as both a chapter leader and board member. 

Fal holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), underscoring her dedication to excellence and continuous professional development. 

Cassie Pederson is an accomplished client leader with extensive experience in building and leading global teams, shaping strategic vision, and driving cross-functional collaboration to deliver impactful results. She is passionate about innovation and aligning strategies with both organizational goals and customer needs.

With a proven track record of executing growth strategies, Cassie maintains a sharp focus on customer success. She is widely recognized for her leadership, authenticity, and commitment to mentorship, empowering others to achieve excellence.

Cassie holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology, with a minor in Human Resources, from North Dakota State University.