Diversity Trainers

Diverse Lived Experiences

Our trainers and consultants bring diverse skills and life experiences into building the curriculum and facilitating engaging programs. Diversity of thought and perspective are beneficial in the classroom environment and shift the paradigm from a basic understanding to more actionable results. We affirm and value the intersectionality that exists among identities including race, gender, and sexual orientation, which make each trainer unique. Our trainers’ identities include racial (BIPOC, Black, African American), ethnicities, religions, disabilities, age (multiple generations), genders (non-binary, transgender, cisgender), Latinx, and LGBTQIA+. Trainer pronouns include his/her, they/them, and she/hers.

Equity inclusive of race, gender, age, and other identities combined with a social justice vision are critical to the team in working toward resolving bias, challenging microaggressions, and moving toward allyship. Our trainers put a different spin on compliance programs, such as harassment prevention. In addition to making sure they meet state, local, and federal guidelines, the programs go further by building a safe space where employees are empowered to speak up and be who they are at work. Team members have earned law or doctorate degrees as well as racial diversity. Other diversity trainers are world-wide travelers, who are adept at using cultural competence skills and best practices in cross-cultural communication and inclusion.

Police Diversity Training

Diversity Builder’s team developed Keeping the Peace: Policing Diverse Communities. A Diversity Builder trainer led listening sessions, race conversations, and training sessions with the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (DC Police) after experiencing challenges related to gentrification. The same trainer facilitated diversity and inclusion sessions with the Cuyahoga County Police Chiefs Association during a period of heightened racial tensions. An inclusion-focused session was held for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, DC. for purposes of diverse-hiring and improved relationships with served communities.
One of our trainers serves on the Metro Nashville Police Department’s Board for the El Protector Program. Others led cultural competency police training for the Metro Nashville Police Officer Recruits.

Spanish Classes

Diversity Builder has trainers on our team who are fluent in Spanish and English and who teach California-mandated harassment training (SB 1343) and AB 1825 in English and Spanish. Other topics available in Spanish are leadership, diversity and inclusion, respect in the workplace, and unconscious bias. Other classes may be available in Spanish. Please send an inquiry with specific questions or call us directly. Online programs in DEI may be translated to Spanish or other languages.

Higher Education programs

Diversity Builder has instructors are accomplished as teachers in the academic space and have been instrumental in creating educational programs in colleges and universities such as the University of Chicago, Belmont University (Nashville), Lincoln University of Missouri, Rutgers University of New York, DePaul University School of Law and primary school environments in Chicago, Illinois, Eastern Illinois University, City University of New York (CUNY), Farmingdale State College, University of the South, City College of New York, and Columbia State Community College in Tennessee. They have learned about unconscious bias in the classroom and effective ways in how to address it. One trainer is a professor at Tennessee State University. Diversity training in higher education often involves learning how to inclusively communicate with fellow faculty and staff along with the student population.

Chicago Facilitators

Our Chicago-based training instructors have led important projects and have notable accomplishments. One team member was part of the leadership group at the University of Chicago that developed the Office of LGBTQI Student Life. One of our trainers served as the Assistant Director of Student Life at Loyola University Chicago and as the Director of Multicultural Affairs at DePaul University. In the Chicago area we have facilitated DE&I training for Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill’s architectural design and engineering employees, Buschman Homes, and Laramar Group’s real estate employees.

Published Works

One of our diversity leaders has written some best-selling books, published numerous journal papers, submitted published works to newspapers on the topic of workplace diversity. Simma Lieberman is the author of three books, Putting Diversity to Work, How to Successfully Lead a Diverse Workforce, The Diversity Calling, Building Community One Story at a Time, and 110 Ways to Champion Diversity and Build Inclusion.

Armida Russell coauthored the book The Diversity Directive: Why Some Initiatives Fail & What to Do About It. 

Melody Fowler-Green has published works in several legal treatises, law-related journals, and newspapers. Her article entitled, “Syrian refugee question deserves a civil discussion” was published in The Tennessean. She has studied the science of unconscious bias extensively and weaves that knowledge into her education programs in a novel way. She served as Editor-in-Chief of the top law journal on the topic of poverty, Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy.

Training Certifications

Two of our facilitators are Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Senior Certified Professionals. team members hold the following advanced degrees:
Doctorate in Philosophy Higher Education: Loyola University of Chicago
Doctorate in Leadership and Organizational Development from Walden University in Minneapolis
Doctor of Law (J.D.), Law from Georgetown University
Master of Science, Human Resources Management
Master of Education (M.Ed.), Higher Education Administration: Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
Master’s of Science Degree in Quality Systems Management with specialization in Change Management: The National Graduate School (Falmouth, Massachusetts)
Master’s Degree in Public Administration: Troy University (Troy Alabama)
Master’s Degree in College Student Counseling: Loyola University of Chicago
Doctorate in Business Administration: California International University
Ethnic Studies and Race Relations: Department of Defense
Master’s Degree in Economics from University of South Florida and Western Kentucky University
Master’s Degree MBA in Organizational Leadership from Marylhurst University (Oregon)
Master’s Degree in Education from Lipscomb University
Master’s Degree in Family Therapy from Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions
Master’s Degree in English Literature: City University of New York City College
Master of Arts in Women’s Studies
MBA in Human Resources
Master’s Degree in College Student Affairs
Women’s Leadership Development Programme at Said Business School, University of Oxford

Program and Assessment Certifications:

• StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment
• MBTI: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
• EQi 0– Emotional Intelligence Certification for EI assessments
• CSI – Change Style Indicator
• Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode instrument
• DiSC assessment
• SHRM-SCP
• True Colors
• Strengths Performance Coach credentialed by Gallup University (StrengthsFinder)
• CAEL – Career and Educational Advising
• TESOL
• ISO 9001
• Design Thinking Practitioner

One of our Chicago trainers completed the Harvard Kennedy program on Change Management Leadership (Effective Change Through Public Policy and Management), the Executive Leadership Program from National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), Mediation education, and Executive Leadership Training Program from the Center for Creative Leadership.

Our time management trainer holds certifications in the following;

• Certified Professional Organizer
• Workplace Productivity Specialist

Our Charlotte, North Carolina-based instructor and coach completed the Predictive Index human resources certification program and our Maryland-based trainer has received certification as a Human Capital Strategist. Three of our executive coaches are certified in Clifton Strengths, formerly known as StrengthsFinders by Gallup University.

Curriculum Specialties

• Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
• Gender Identity & Expression (Welcoming transgender employees and using they them pronouns, and more)
• LGBTQIA+ Training
• Respect in the Workplace
• Emotional Intelligence
• Having Brave and Inclusive Conversations (formerly Crucial Conversations or Handling Difficult Conversations)
• Cultural Competency
• Health Care DE&I
• Financial Institution & Banking Workplace Courses
• Law Enforcement & Police Diversity
• EEOC Compliance
• Team Building to Enhance Performance and Innovation
• StrengthsFinder 2.0
• Leadership Excellence
• Chicago Bystander Intervention
• Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
• SB 1343 California Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
• Culturally-Focused On-Boarding
• Resolving Unconscious Bias
• Michigan Implicit Bias Training
• Generations in the Workplace
• Collaboration Across Organizational Boundaries
• ADA Training
• College University & School programs
• Diversity and Inclusion in Education and Schools
• Time Management