Description:

As all of us have become more aware of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect (DEIR) related issues, it is not always clear as to what they mean to us as Lighting Professionals, as individuals and within our workspace. Many organizations struggle to gain a clear path for measured DEIR results.  In this session, join the IES Boston Section as we host a panel discussion with business professionals that focus on these very issues and explore questions like:

• Who should be responsible within an organization to propagate cultural change as it relates to DEIR?
• How do organizations arrive at understanding better ways to address culture-based issues?
• How do organizations ingrain a set of principles within the workplace so people are focused on working, co-existing, and recognizing that DEIR input adds value to their deliverables and helps win more work?

Details:

• When: June 6th from 5-7:30pm
  • Welcome/ Registration (5-6pm)
  • DEIR Presentation (6-7:30pm)
• Where: Footlight Club (America’s oldest community theater! Right here in Jamaica Plain)

Presenters:

Davede Alexander: As an entrepreneur, strategic planner, and leader with a passion for seeing others succeed, Davede excels at transitioning organizations from the limits of their current state to higher performance levels. His firm Innovo Strategic Solutions guides nonprofits, higher education institutions, and government entities through difficult transitions while preserving their identity and core competencies.

Driven by integrity and service, Davede places just as much emphasis on sustainability as he does in building effective operations. He earned a B.S. in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and his M.B.A. from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Davede served two tours as a Surface Warfare Officer supporting the strike and maritime security operations in the North Arabian Gulf. During his tenure as the Naval Academy’s first Director, Strategic Outreach, their team doubled the number of applications, dramatically increasing the competitiveness and diversity of incoming classes.

In addition to leading Innovo, he serves as the Executive Director of the Ron Burton Training Village, a youth development organization dedicated to producing socially conscious and culturally fluent leaders of character. He volunteers as a Governor-appointed member of the Board of Trustees at Bridgewater State University, serving as co-chair of its Racial Justice Task Force.

Lee Brandt: graduated from Penn State University’s Architectural Engineering program with an emphasis in Lighting in 1999 receiving both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  She has been at HLB Lighting Design since early 2000.  During her career growth at HLB she has worked on many projects of various sizes and market sectors and helps manage the NY office. Strategically as one of the firm’s partners, she focuses firmwide on recruitment, development and in general keeping the team happy and striving with HLB’s HR team.  She is active in the IALD’s E&S Committee and locally in the IES, DLF, and WILD.  Lee lives with her husband, Jim, in the NJ suburbs with her two sons ages 15 and 12.  They love sports, traveling and movies.