New Orleans To Host Diversity And Inclusion Expo

ALEXANDRIA, VA -  The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) will hold its 2010 SHRM Diversity & Inclusion Conference and Exposition, October 11-13, in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Sheraton New Orleans hotel.

Roughly 500 diversity management professionals will gather to discuss diversity and inclusion as a workforce strategy and its positive effect on the bottom line. 

“Many things come naturally but there are some unique skills required in dealing with and leading diversity in the workplace, and maximizing it as a business strategy,” said Dr. Shirley Davis, director of diversity and inclusion initiatives at SHRM. “The conference programming will provide attendees the know-how and practical strategies to guide their companies through the complexities of leading a more diverse and global workforce.”

Keynote speakers include: corporate diversity expert Ted Childs, principal of Ted Childs, LLC; President and CEO of MANA Alma Morales Riojas; Founder and Chief Learning Officer of Cook Ross Inc. Howard J. Ross; and Dr. Quinetta M. Roberson, professor of management at Villanova School of Business. Dr. Davis will open the conference on Monday, October 11 with an overview of the state of workplace diversity and highlight some of the work that SHRM is doing in this space.

The conference will focus on:

• Managing workplace diversity and inclusion;
• Demonstrating the strategic value of diversity and inclusion programs;
• Strengthening managers’ role as a diversity and inclusion leader;
• Global diversity and inclusion strategies; and
• Taking existing diversity and inclusion strategies to the next level.

Two pre-conference offerings will be held on Sunday, October 10:

? A business session for those new to the diversity field, facilitated by Dr. Davis and Eric Peterson, SHRM’s manager of diversity and inclusion; and
? A return-on-investment (ROI) workshop for experienced practitioners, led by Dr. Edward E. Hubbard, president and CEO of Hubbard & Hubbard Inc.

The session for new diversity practitioners is approved for 7.5 hours of strategic business management credit and the ROI-based diversity workshop is approved for 4 hours of strategic business management credit via the HR Certification Institute.

The business conference also includes an entertainment portion featuring a performance by comedian Sinbad, and a screening of “Monica and David”, an independent documentary about the marriage of two adults with Down syndrome.