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The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) has announced the participants in its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Executive Roundtable.

The program will provide CEOs, senior business leaders and small business owners a confidential space to share advice and learn best practices, equity tools and approaches to strengthening DEI within their organizations. This program has been designed to equip business leaders with the skills required to successfully navigate areas of uncertainty and have transformational success through a DEI lens.

“Executive roles continue to evolve in an increasingly volatile environment, where business models continually change across industries,” said Tim Daman, president & CEO, LRCC. “This program has been designed to equip business leaders with the skill sets required to successfully navigate these areas of uncertainty and position executives to have transformational success through a DEI lens.”

The DEI Executive Roundtable is a 12-month program designed to prepare leaders to implement social change within their organizations, enhance their role as inclusive leaders, and provide substantial business growth and success tools. Some of the DEI Executive Roundtable leadership training series of topics include core DEI and cultural concepts, addressing inequalities and shaping business practices, building an effective business equity framework, implementing a people-first DEI strategy and framework, and recruitment, retention and rethinking DEI in the workforce.

Dr. Tonya Bailey, founder of TCB Consulting, Inc., and chief diversity officer at Lansing Community College, will serve as the facilitator of the DEI Executive Roundtable.

LRCC members were invited to submit applications and letters indicating their interest in the program. The DEI Executive Roundtable will begin on Thursday, March 31. Selected participants include:

Name                                                              Organization

Mallory DePrekel                                          Communities in Schools of Michigan

Cindy Kangas                                                 Capital Area Manufacturing Council

Brian Philson                                                  Highfields, Inc.

Susan Gisholt                                                 Delta Dental of Michigan

Feliz Rodriguez                                              Community Mental Health – CEI

Julie Pingston                                                 Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau

Wendy Hamilton                                           TechSmith

Laurie Van Egeren                                         Michigan State University

Kelli Ellsworth Etchison                                LAFCU

Smilijana Williams                                         Lansing Board of Water and Light

Sivia Dimma                                                   MSU Federal Credit Union

Lolo Robison                                                  Capital Area Transportation Authority

Teresa Znidarsic                                             Sparrow Health System

Tim Daman                                                    Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce