Join the event at 1pm ET here: https://betaworks-studios.zoom.us/j/86562414191


Join us as we discuss the challenges we are facing as women in 2021 - our health, the pandemic, inclusion in tech and the workplace, and more.
‍

We will talk through these challenges and actions to move beyond the status quo. What tips and tools should be amplified to create more inclusivity right now? Our conversation will feature Retha Fernandez, Denise M. Brown, Maya Latimore, Toni Thai Sterrett, and more.

About the speakers:

- Retha Fernandez is the newly appointed Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Suffolk County, a new role created to promote diversity and inclusion in the Suffolk County workforce in coordination with the County Personnel Officer and the County Executive. In this role, Retha leads the development and implementation of Suffolk County’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. She will be responsible for improving diversity and inclusion in County hiring and personnel practices, as well as identifying, evaluating and making recommendations to improve work teams across the County.
‍
Retha most recently served as the Project Director of the State of Black Long Island (SOBLI) Equity Council, a project convened by the Urban League of Long Island where she was responsible for the project delivery of the Council's equity agenda and campaigns. Prior to joining the Urban League, she spent 15 years in the prestige beauty industry leading regional teams and overseeing technology strategy development and execution as an Information Technology Executive. While at Estee Lauder Companies, Inc., one of her key roles was serving as an Inclusion & Diversity Trainer for North America Employees.

- Denise M. Brown launched The Caregiving Years Training Academy in April 2020 after selling CareGiving.com, an online community she launched in 1996.

Through The Caregiving Years Training Academy, Denise offers training and leadership development opportunities for family caregivers and former family caregivers. In January 2016, Denise debuted the Certified Caregiving Consultant training program which helps former family caregivers launch a business to help current family caregivers. She has since added additional programs, including the Certified Caregiving Advocate, Educator, Facilitator and Specialist training programs. More than 200 individuals from five different countries have enrolled in her training programs.

She also manages two online networks — HealingOurWay.com, which helps those healing through loss, and CaringOurWay.com, which helps us harness our resilience to manage the difficult months of the pandemic. In April 2021, she will host The Caring Conference which will feature workshops and sessions that reflect the conference theme, Our Resilient Spirit.

- Maya Latimore is the Director of Business Development at Shine at Work. Maya is a California native but now resides in Brooklyn with her cat Baxter and boyfriend Mustafa. She's worked in tech for the greater majority of her career navigating from a start in staffing/recruiting to working for Headspace, Zenefits and Box. In her current role at Shine, she is building out the B2B business at Shine at Work as an employee workplace wellness benefit.

Shine is the most inclusive and representative mental health product on the market and has built a robust program on the workplace wellness space. Founded by two women of color, Shine is making mental health more inclusive and every piece of content in Shine rooted in Acceptance Commitment Therapy. They were also just named Best of 2020 by Apple for their inclusive approach.

- Toni Thai Sterrett is a writer, director and photographer whose clients have included KMart, AOL, Pantene, The Nicki Minaj Collection and A&E Networks - Toni has directed Short Films, Documentaries and a web series (Potty Break) in which she also wrote, produced and co-starred in. She was a producer and co-star on the Gotham Award nominated film “August The First” and has photographed talent such as Taraji P. Henson, Gladys Knight, Rob Lowe and Tiffany Haddish who is one of Toni’s constant collaborators on Clubhouse. Toni was chosen by Ava DuVernay as Vibe magazine’s Next Female Filmmaker and she’s hosted and participated in a number of film craft related chats on Clubhouse with Ms. DuVernay whom she on-boarded onto the Clubhouse platform. Toni has also hosted numerous clubhouse events and fundraisers raising nearly $180,000. She’s also hosted other meaningful conversations with DJ D Nice, Bevy Smith, Fab 5 Freddy and Tim Story.

‍

‍

‍