Our Annual Conference provides a unique opportunity to gather with prominent leaders committed to strategically addressing the critical issues around diversity, flexibility, and wellbeing. Held in Washington, DC, our speakers and attendees come together to explore success strategies for humanizing the workplace.
Each year, our conference brings together corporate leaders, partners at professional services and law firms, general counsel, and DEIB and talent management professionals who share how they’ve implemented successful strategies in their organizations for attracting and retaining top talent in ways that empower their people, foster innovation, and humanize their workplaces.
Our attendees gain valuable insights into the most effective strategies for results when time and resources are limited. They hear cross-industry best practices from leading law and consulting firms and Fortune 500 corporations and build networks of senior level peers. Attendees also learn about cutting-edge data and case studies that help build powerful business cases internally to advance diversity, flexibility, and wellbeing within organizations.
Each year during our Annual Conference, we present our Luminary Award to an outstanding global visionary, our Flex Leader and Alliance Impact Awards to individuals and organizations leading the way in flexible working, and our Culture Catalyst Award to individuals leading significant efforts to transform their organizational culture.
Alliance members receive two complimentary tickets to the Annual Conference. Members – please reserve your complimentary tickets no later than September 13th to ensure availability.
- Early Bird Registration (May 1 –
August 9) - Alliance Member Extra Tickets
- Non-Member Tickets
- University, Law School, Government & Non-Profit Tickets
- Early Bird Registration (May 1 –
August 9) - $545
- $645
- $249
- Regular Registration
(August 10 –
September 20) - $645
- $745
- $349
- Late Registration
(September 21 –
October 4) - $745
- $845
- $449
The 2024 Annual Conference has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 4 hours of total CLE credit. Of these, 4 qualify as hours of credit for diversity, inclusion and elimination of bias (BCLE Reg. 302:1).
The 2024 Annual Conference has been approved for 3 SHRM Professional Development Credits. The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
Please note a sign-in/sign-out sheet will be available at the event for those seeking credit. Please reach out to Angela Whitehead Quigley with any questions.
2024 Midday Keynote & Luminary Award Honoree
Barri Rafferty, CEO – Americas, Sodali & Co
Learn more about Barri and the 2024 Luminary Award HERE.
Special Guest Speaker & Flex Leader Award Honoree
Wendy P. Davidson, President & CEO, Hain Celestial Group
Learn more about Wendy and the 2024 Flex Leader Award HERE.
2024 Speakers & Honorees
Senior Vice President, HR – Global Finance, Law, GCPA + Inclusion
Marriott International
SVP, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer
Children’s Mercy Hospital
2024 Culture Catalyst
2024 Conference Agenda
9:15am
Welcome – Stephen Kho, Partner, Akin
State of the Workplace – Manar Morales
The Driving Force of Organizational Culture: Innovating, Including & Excelling
As we approach 2025, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in the evolution of our organizations, with a unique opportunity to guide our workplaces toward cultures defined by innovation, inclusivity, and excellence. Often, culture is perceived as passive rather than as an active, ever-evolving force within the organization. Manar Morales, Alliance President and CEO, will explain how aligning your values with a focus on well-being, resilience, inclusion, and support for your people can drive a transformative shift in leveraging the power of your organizational culture.
9:40am
Presentation of the 2024 Flex Leader Award and Fireside Chat with a Visionary Leader – Wendy P. Davidson
Pioneering Modern Inclusive and Flexible Work Cultures
In this insightful fireside chat, Wendy Davidson, CEO, will share her journey in steering Hain Celestial toward a more inclusive and flexible work environment. Wendy’s approach to flexible work as a competitive edge has not only boosted job applications, particularly among women, but has also significantly enhanced employee engagement. This conversation will explore how Hain Celestial is redefining hybrid work, enabling employees to balance professional and personal lives while maintaining meaningful in-person interactions. Discover how Wendy Davidson’s leadership is setting a new standard for organizational adaptability and thriving in the modern workplace.
10:05am
Choreographed Connections
10:15am
Presentation of the 2024 Flex Impact Awards & Panel
Celebrating Innovative Policies and Initiatives Reshaping Workplace Culture
Explore transformative policies and initiatives that are set to redefine workplace culture across industries. Our panel of experts will share insights and real-world examples of how forward-thinking policies can significantly impact workplace culture, setting new standards for inclusivity and employee support. Learn how these innovative strategies are creating positive cultural shifts, contributing to organizational success, and attracting and retaining top talent.
11:05am
Panel: Transforming Culture from the Inside Out – Strategies for Talent and Diversity Leaders
Talent and diversity leaders play a crucial role in shaping an organization’s culture and driving systemic change. How do they ensure that their initiatives are aligned with business goals, engage key stakeholders, and make a tangible impact? In this panel, you’ll hear from seasoned experts who have successfully navigated the challenges and opportunities of building more inclusive, flexible, and supportive workplaces from within. From implementing effective flexible work arrangements to supporting employee well-being to influencing inclusive leadership behaviors and norms, these leaders will highlight proven strategies around strategic alignment, stakeholder engagement, and measurable impact. You’ll walk away with fresh ideas and practical tools to support you in your own culture transformation journey.
11:50am
Insights from a Culture Catalyst – Transformational Leadership in Action
Discover the journeys of visionary leaders who have reshaped organizational culture with integrity, enthusiasm, mentorship, passion, and empathy. Learn how their dedication to cultural change has led to significant improvements in recruitment, retention, and employee engagement, and gain valuable insights to apply within your own organization.
12:05pm
Lunch
1:00pm
Keynote & Presentation of the 2024 Luminary Award – Barri Rafferty, CEO – Americas, Sodali & Co
Barri Rafferty, CEO – Americas at Sodali & Co, is a strategic and collaborative leader whose steadfast dedication to advancing diversity has established a remarkable standard. She will share her leadership journey, offering a unique and compelling perspective on succeeding as a female leader in business. Her visionary commitment to gender equity and her passion for fostering diversity and inclusivity are deeply rooted in her mission to help women overcome gender bias. This dedication, which she describes as her “life minor,” complements her professional career and is leaving a profound legacy for future leaders.
1:40pm
Choreographed Connections
1:50pm
Key Highlights from Alliance Research 2024: Announcement of Tipping the Scales Honorees & Sneak Peek at the 2024 New Partner Report
Manar Morales will unveil significant findings and emerging trends from this year’s Alliance research projects, including the 2024 New Partner Report, which examines firms with 50% or more women in their new partner class. Manar will offer crucial guidance from the Alliance on best practices for boosting the representation of women in leadership positions. Additionally, she will share valuable insights into the implications of this year’s global data, offering a comprehensive view of the current landscape and future directions for gender diversity in leadership.
2:10pm
Insights from a Culture Catalyst – Transformational Leadership in Action
Discover the journeys of visionary leaders who have reshaped organizational culture with integrity, enthusiasm, mentorship, passion, and empathy. Learn how their dedication to cultural change has led to significant improvements in recruitment, retention, and employee engagement, and gain valuable insights to apply within your own organization.
2:40pm
Panel: Leading the Way – Driving Business Success through Human-Centered Cultures
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, creating a workplace culture that prioritizes diversity, flexibility, and well-being is not just a nice-to-have – it’s a critical driver of business success. Join our panel of visionary CEOs and managing partners as they share their insights and experiences on leading their organizations through change, fostering innovation, and investing in their people. You’ll learn how these leaders define and communicate their purpose, hold themselves accountable for progress, and adapt their strategies to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.
3:25pm
The Flexibility Paradigm: Humanizing the Workplace for Productivity, Profitability, and Possibility – Manar Morales and Genhi Givings Bailey, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Perkins Coie
Building practices that maximize the potential of every work environment for connection, collaboration, communication, and contribution requires leaders and managers to shift their perspective and recognize flexibility as a way to strengthen their organizations. Holistic flexibility provides people with options for not just where they work but also how long they work and when they work. Join Manar Morales and Genhi Givings Bailey as they discuss key takeaways from Manar’s forthcoming book, The Flexibility Paradigm, detailing how to integrate flexibility into your organizational culture to ensure an engaged, diverse, and inclusive workplace of the future.
3:50pm
Closing Keynote – Vernā Myers, DEI Pioneer, Founder & CEO, The Vernā Myers Company
The Power of the Beloved Community
The workplace is an environment where humans from all sorts of backgrounds come together to accomplish a shared mission, playing many different roles and contributing in different ways. How do we as leaders promote inclusive, healthy, productive, resilient workplaces where people from all backgrounds can thrive, in such a socially and politically divisive and corrosive climate? The brilliant leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., offered us a powerful vision of the Beloved Community. Vernā will share her vision of how being in Beloved Community with each other can help us turn the tide of retrenchment, enliven our commitment to the core values of diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging, strengthen our company’s success, and deepen our humanity.
4:20pm
Closing Remarks
2024 Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Community Sponsors
Celestial Seasonings Tea Sampler provided by Hain Celestial.
Hear why this may be one day you can’t afford to miss.
Conference Archive
2023 Annual Conference - Humanizing the Workplace: Thriving Beyond the Global Reset
2023 Annual Conference
Our 2023 Annual Conference, Humanizing the Workplace: Thriving Beyond the Global Reset, was held on November 2, 2023.
2022 Annual Conference - Cultivating A Holistic Work Culture: The Power of People, Purpose & Productivity
2022 Annual Conference
Our 2022 Annual Conference, Cultivating A Holistic Work Culture: The Power of People, Purpose & Productivity, was held virtually on November 3, 2022.
2021 Annual Conference - Reflect. Reimagine. Recalibrate. Paving the Way to Inclusive Flexibility
2021 Annual Conference
Our 2021 Annual Conference, Reflect. Reimagine. Recalibrate. Paving the Way to Inclusive Flexibility was held virtually on November 3, 2021.
If you were unable to join us, please watch our short HIGHLIGHT VIDEO.
2020 Annual Conference - Moments of Impact: Transforming Organizational Culture
2020 Annual Conference
Our 2020 Annual Conference Moments of Impact: Transforming Organizational Culture was held virtually on November 5, 2020.
2020 AGENDA, SPEAKERS & SPONSORS
If you were unable to join us, please watch our short HIGHLIGHT VIDEO.
2019 Annual Conference - Inspire. Innovate. Ignite!
2019 Annual Conference
Our 2019 Annual Conference, Inspire. Innovate. Ignite! was held on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the Washington DC offices of Jones Day.
2018 Annual Conference - Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change
2018 Annual Conference
Our 2018 Annual Conference, Diversity + Flexibility = Embracing Change was held on Thursday, September 29, 2018 at the Washington DC offices of Jones Day.
2017 Annual Conference - Diversity + Flexibility = An Evolving Culture
2017 Annual Conference
Our 2017 Annual Conference Diversity + Flexibility = An Evolving Culture was held on March 16, 2017 at the Washington, DC offices of Jones Day.
2016 Annual Conference - Diversity + Flexibility = Talent Success
2016 Annual Conference
Our 2016 Annual Conference Diversity + Flexibility = Talent Success was held on March 16, 2016 at the Washington, DC offices of Jones Day.