Aubree White is a passionate gamer and coach who led the Bob Jones High School Rocket League team to a victory at the 2019 through 2024 PlayVS Alabama state championships. She is an outspoken advocate in driving diversity in esports, encouraging more women to get involved, and has seen first-hand how gaming can help drive more inclusive, community-…

Yasmina Passeri, a distinguished Senior Project Manager in the Tech industry with over 12 years of stellar experience, stands as a testament to resilience, passion, and a relentless commitment to fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within the dynamic realm of technology. Her journey, marked by cultural richness and a dedication to brea…

Jennifer Schwab Wangers, the founder and CEO of ENTITY Academy, has one goal in mind: to support and empower diverse talent through education and mentorship. Together, we discuss: The challenges facing underserved communities with higher education Systemic issues and fixes that will upskill our labor force How to be a better ally to upskill those a…

Aimee Harman is co-founder of Let’s Harmonize, a DEIA consulting firm based in the UK. She joins us to share: Reverse mentoring and why it is so beneficial to both parties What she wishes people understood about neurodivergence The benefits of accessibility and how to be a more accessible workplace Follow Aimee at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-…

Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv, is an Autism & Grief Project advisory board member and the Senior Vice President of Grief Programs at Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) and recipient of the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Together, we discuss: The Autism & Grief Project and how it helps adults w…

Betty Thompson is Booz Allen's chief people officer, and as the senior leader for their people services organization, Betty is instrumental in creating world-class employment experiences and ensures best-in-class talent to solve client’s evolving needs. Betty brings a particular focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and provides executive…

David Moerlein has created psychologically safe spaces at work for more than a decade, regularly integrating DEI into the psychological safety conversation. During his 15 years at Google, he managed hundreds of people across ten global offices and was awarded numerous awards for coaching and management. His book, The Safety Effect shares tools Davi…

Dr Varina Michaels is all about people. Leading people, learning about people and advocating for people. She is an experienced Strategy, Leadership and Human Resource Management professional with deep expertise in Global Diversity and Inclusion, Intercultural Management, Neurodiversity and Leadership Development. She and I discuss: The barriers fac…

Pasha Marlowe (she/they) has 30 years of experience as a marriage and family therapist and neurodivergent coach. She specializes in intergenerational leadership through the lens of mental health, neurodiversity, inclusion, and neuroqueering (challenging neuronormativity, cis/heteronormativity, and other societal norms). Together, we discuss: What m…

Josh Bersin is Industry Analyst and CEO of advisory firm The Josh Bersin Company. He is an author, educator, and thought leader focusing on the global talent market and the challenges and trends impacting business workforces around the world. Josh studies the world of work, HR and leadership practices, and the broad talent technology market. He is …

In a recent study, CEOs cited workforce development, business strategy and HR financial impact as top concerns. Patrick Wright, department chair and Thomas C. Vandiver, bicentennial chair at the USC Darla Moore School of Business, conducts a survey of Fortune 500 CHROs every year, interviews CEOs about the challenges they face, and shares his findi…

DEI continues to be polarized in the news cycle - from state legislation to public withdrawals of support. What's next for DEI? Leaders embedding it in their organizations because it is good for business. Read more on Forbes.com and follow Next Pivot Point at https://nextpivotpoint.com/By Julie Kratz

John Hackston is the Head of Thought Leadership at the Myers-Briggs Company, where he leads the company’s Oxford-based research team. He is a frequent commentator on the effects of personality type on work and life, and has authored numerous studies, published papers in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences for organizations such as The …

Melanie Dulbecco’s mantra is “grow, baby, grow!” and that’s exactly what she’s done for over 30 years as Torani’s first CEO outside the founding family. Torani, a globally recognized flavor company and certified B-Corp, has averaged double-digit, year-over-year growth in that time. The company culture is palpable, with a shared passion around Toran…

Dr. Janice Gassam Assare has over 10 years of experience facilitating racial dialogue and educating others about equity and inclusion. The work that she does is inspired by her mom and her willingness to speak up and speak out against the oppressive systems that she had to navigate in her workplace. Through the strength and perseverance personified…

It goes without saying that autistic people are human. Yet, for the longest time, autism has been contextualized as robots or needing to be fixed. Matt Lowry is an Autistic adult and Licensed Psychological Practitioner who works exclusively with Autistic clients, performing neurodiversity-affirming Autism evaluations and providing Autistic Centered…

Wema Hoover is a global executive and transformational leader of diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) and human resources and Principal & CEO of Wema Hoover Advisors, executive coaching firm and Be Limitless Consulting a DEI and Culture firm. Wema has a proven track record of creating systemic change in organizational culture by embedding diversity…

For folks who identify as non-binary or transgender, pronouns are essential to their identity. For folks who identify as cisgender (meaning you identify as the same gender you were assigned at birth where your gender generally corresponds to your biological sex), it may seem silly to share pronouns that may seem obvious to others. Sharing your pron…

Leaders are being tasked with managing a record level of change from politics to social issues due to the rapid pace of technological change. Those who embrace the human skills along with the technical skills will thrive. AI cannot replace human skills. To establish a competitive advantage in a tight labor market, it's smart to balance these skills…

In an era of cancel culture there is a fear of saying or doing the wrong thing that often leads to inaction. The dominant group could fear feeling less relevant, could be concerned about the reputation risk involved in speaking up and could have a zero-sum-game mentality (one person or group wins and one loses). In my interview with Sandra Quince, …

According to a recent report titled “The State of L&D in 2024,” employers see a $7 ROI for every $1 spent on leadership programs, citing that traditional “soft” skills such as emotional intelligence and effective communication are not just nice-to-have, but rather must-have skills for leaders of the future. In this episode Julie shares key reasons …

DEI is at an inflection point. There is a mixed bag of evidence showing continued slow support of DEI: Job postings for DEI are down. Most employees perceive DEI as positive, yet there is a significant political divide. DEI investment is steady and projected to double by 2026. Investors and legislation are continuing to pressure organizations to pr…

Psychological safety, defined simply, is the ability to say or do hard things without the fear of retaliation at work. In a competitive labor market, it is a must-have, not a nice-to-have. Julie breaks down new research showing: 42% of managers feel psychologically safe compared to 57% of executives 40% of leaders agreed that if they made a mistake…

Dr. Poornima Luthra is the author of ‘Diversifying Diversity: Your guide to being an active ally of inclusion in the workplace’ and ‘The Art of Active Allyship’, the author of the HBR articles ‘Do your global teams see DEI as an American issue?’ and ‘7 ways to practice active allyship’, and a Tedx speaker. Her third book, ‘Leading through Bias.’ Lu…

Rick Hammell is the Founder and majority shareholder of Atlas, a groundbreaking company he established in 2015. With more than 20 years of experience in human resources, employee management, and global workforces, Rick's accomplishments have garnered recognition from prominent analyst firms, including Nelson Hall, IEC Group, and Everest Group. Toge…

The best allies understand that allyship is about progress over perfection. That means there will be mistakes and failures along the way. Afterall, that is how allies learn to be better. Yet, most hopeful allies wonder if they are getting it right. It is common to wonder, “I think I'm a strong ally, but what if my colleagues of diverse backgrounds …

Organizations deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work understand it's a long game. DEI is a journey rather than a destination. Yet, having tangible priorities and expected outcomes is key to long-term success. Industry leaders in DEI often build a road map of activities for the coming year. It is connected to an overall strat…

In the ever-evolving landscape of business and technology, it's no secret that each generation brings its unique perspectives, values, and expectations to the table. Generation Z, born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, currently make up 30% of the world's population and are expected to account for 27% of the workforce by 2025. What makes …

The relationship between diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and Human Resources (HR) is often complicated. While there is overlap and the need to work together, there are stark differences. Many HR practitioners get involved or voluntold (volunteered without being asked) to manage DEI at their organizations without the skills and resources to ge…

Effectiveness of DEI programs can be measured in multiple ways. The most common measurements of participation rates, number of programs and ERG activities are ineffective at measuring impact to the organization. Yet, there are better measurements that do address impact. To better assess impact, start by asking the question, “What problem is our DEI…

Rarely do people aspire to be non-inclusive. More often, people claim they want to be inclusive, yet they don't know how to demonstrate it effectively. There are gaps in lived experiences and knowledge that can lead to unintentional, yet harmful non-inclusive behavior. In an interview with Mita Mallick, author of Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 M…

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and allyship, terms often discussed in the same conversation, are very different in practice. DEI is about issues of representation, dismantling bias in systems and creating spaces where everyone feels they belong. Julie unpacks the 3 key distinctions in this week's episode. Follow Julie on Forbes to get the la…

Dr. Suzanne Wertheim is a former professor of linguistic anthropology and a national expert on inclusive language. After faculty positions at Northwestern, University of Maryland, and UCLA, she left academia to start her own consultancy. Dr. Wertheim applies social science to real-world problems, and gives people access to useful concepts that were…

Given the recent pushback on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, many organizations are retreating from the conversation on inclusion at the very time we need it the most. Yet, what is inspiring is the organizations that were already authentically committed are deepening their commitments to DEI as a long-term competitive advantage. Rath…

Tis the season for annual budgeting. For active diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leaders, this is the time when you know if your organization is truly committed to inclusion. Investment is necessary for true commitment. Budgets are essential to drive positive change. For those leaders putting together their budgets and plans for the upcoming y…

If you think diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is just a fad, or you're not “diverse,” so you shouldn't do the work, you're mistaken. DEI is for everyone, especially today's emerging leader. DEI work is important for your career to: Stay relevant Connect with purpose Be more innovative Learn more from Julie Kratz in this episode and at https://…

In diversity work, it is critical that allyship focuses on the most marginalized communities first. When we focus on issues that affect people with one dimension of diversity, we can help all marginalized communities, yet the impact is far less. When we start with an intersectional approach to allyship, we likely make it better for a larger collect…

Gen Z has an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion. Did you know that… 83% said that a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is important when choosing an employer 74% have taken some form of action in the past year to support social and political causes 31% identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or othe…

With diversity and inclusion issues dominating the news cycle, many parents, caregivers and educators are wondering how to create inclusive spaces and continue inclusive conversations with young people this back-to-school season. From the removal of AP African American Studies in some school districts, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, book bans, and drag q…

With this summer’s SCOTUS ruling against affirmative action, it is predicted that enrollment of students of color will decline at universities, leading ultimately to declines in workforce participation. This is problematic because younger generations are increasingly more diverse. The lack of representation in the workforce creates a disconnect bet…

Political division and anti-woke legislation have backed many C-suite leaders into a corner related to DEI efforts: forcing them to walk a fine line between accommodating employee expectations and addressing customer needs while still avoiding controversy. Yet, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) mandates will further establish a need for DEI s…

Chéla Gage is back on the Diversity Pivot Podcast by popular demand. Chéla is responsible for developing and creating the strategic long-term hiring plan and initiatives to advance diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging for Reformation. Together on this episode, we discuss how: Industry and organization size influences DEI work and how to pivot t…

Zenica Chatman is a certified personal and executive coach, helping women rediscover their inner strength and confidence in the aftermath of workplace-related trauma. On this episode, Julie and Zenica discuss: Zenica's own personal story of trauma that led her to DEI work What bullying behaviors to look out for and how to intervene as an ally How t…

Catarina Rivera is a public speaker and DEI consultant with over 14 years of experience in the public sector. Catarina works with companies to improve accessibility and inclusion, retain employees, and design better products. She is the founder of Blindish Latina. On this episode, Julie and Catarina discuss: Why captions are critical to accessibili…

Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community needs to happen year-round. Turquoise Peart joins the podcast to share: How religious beliefs shape DEI work and how to respond to different spiritual perceptions Intersectionality and how it builds opportunities for allyship Finding your path as an ally to communities you are not a part of Connect with Turquoise at…

For the last 15 years, Chris Clarke has provided inclusive leadership expertise to organizations in the public and private sectors. He is passionate about issues related to belonging and is skilled in the areas of organizational assessment and evaluation. Chris has been recognized twice as a 40 Under 40 by the Congressional Black Caucus Health Brai…

Dr. Parker is the Co-Owner of Epic Leisure Management LLC., the Owner of Parker Personal Training LLC., and the co-founder of a podcast host and guest connector platform, F.EM. Dr. Parker is a featured writer and presenter for national fitness organizations. Dr. Parker is also the host/creator of Dr. D's Social Network, a podcast devoted to genuine…

Staci Hegarty is the VP of Equity and Inclusion for Envision RISE. Envision RISE creates paths and programs for lasting inclusive and equitable workplace cultures. On the show we discuss: Why intentions are not enough, DEI execution is what matters What woke really means and how to address backlash associated with the term How to reward organizatio…

Carice Anderson has been doing diversity work for over two decades and is the author of Intelligence Isn't Enough. She shares how the conversation has changed in DEI over the decades of her career, including: 3 practical strategies to elevate your DEI efforts How to proactively engage with underrepresented groups before they quit and questions to a…

Kenji Yoshino is the Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at the NYU School of Law and the Director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. He is the author of the new book Say the Right Thing. We discuss how to: Shift from a cancel culture to a coaching culture Apologize in a productive, respectful way wh…