Sponsored by TIAA
The Women of Color Task Force is excited to host its 41st annual career conference this year on March 3, 2023. Pre-registration is required to participate in all events and sessions. Morning conference sessions will be presented virtually. The keynote luncheon and afternoon sessions will be in-person at the Michigan Union. All session times are in Eastern Standard Time Zone.
The keynote presentation will take place at 12:00 pm EST at a luncheon in the Rogel Ballroom at the Michigan Union. Please review the information below for workshop descriptions, speaker details, and the full conference schedule.
Please ask your supervisor for professional development leave now so that you may attend this valuable conference opportunity!
All U-M staff, faculty, students, and the public, regardless of gender or ethnicity, are invited to register to attend this inclusive professional development event.
The deadline to register is February 28th, at 12:00 pm EST.
Friday, March 3, 2023
Ritu Bhasin [RIH-thoo bah-SEEN], LL.B., MBA is the CEO and Founder of bhasin consulting inc. (bci) and an award-winning speaker, author and internationally recognized expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), authentic leadership, anti-racism, and personal empowerment for people from equity-seeking communities.
Since 2010, Ritu has worked with hundreds of top organizations and senior leadership teams around the world, and as a professional speaker, she has presented to hundreds of thousands of people globally. Ritu is also a certified cultural competence coach and a certified neuro-strategies coach who has personally coached over a thousand people, and very shortly she will complete a trauma professional certification program. As a passionate advocate for authenticity, inclusion and empowerment, Ritu has won numerous awards for her work, including SUCCESS Magazine’s Women of Influence Award, The Women’s Center Leadership Award, the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) Diversity Award and the City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations. She regularly appears on national television and radio in the U.S. and Canada as an expert on leadership, inclusion, personal empowerment, authenticity, and antiracism.
Ritu’s Amazon-bestselling book, The Authenticity Principle, was released in the fall of 2017. She is also the co-author of the ground-breaking research study, Sponsor Effect: Canada, with the Center for Talent Innovation (now Coqual), which examines the experiences that People of Color, Indigenous peoples, and women have with advocacy and sponsorship in the workplace. She is currently writing her second book, which is slated to be released in 2023.
Before founding bci, Ritu spent ten years in the legal profession, first as a civil litigator and then as the director of legal talent for the preeminent Canadian law firm, Stikeman Elliott LLP.
Ritu, who is also a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, lives in Toronto, Canada, but travels all over the world to eat, swim, hike, dance, and work.
To learn more about Ritu, visit http://www.ritubhasin.com. Follow Ritu on Instagram at @ritu_bhasin.
There is a leader in us all. Learn to identify and uncover your hidden leadership gifts and transform these valuable traits into leadership skills that build business and shape organizations.
Vance K. Jackson, MSW If you want to ”up” your communication using simple but powerful techniques, then this workshop is for you. The key to effective dialogue is everyone hearing and experiencing the message the way the senders intend. Understanding these 5 elements is critical to that happening. Whether you’re struggling with a communication issue or merely want to be a more effective speaker, this session will leave you with improved skills.
Deborah Orlowski, PhDAs the workplace becomes more diverse, discrimination and racism are not as blatant as they once were. This is not to suggest that workplace racism is a thing of the past. In the 21st century, both conscious and unintentional workplace biases are commonly displayed as subtle verbal, environmental, and/or transactional indignities, called microaggressions. Microaggressions, are covert derogatory offenses directed at a member of a marginalized group. Over time, being on the receiving end of microaggressions can negatively impact one’s mental health. This workshop will discuss the various types of microaggressions and provide practical strategies and interventions aimed at decreasing this modern-day tactic.
Tish Wade-Gallon, Ed.DFor anyone starting to think seriously about when to retire, this webinar takes you through five steps to deciding when the time is right, including estimating retirement expenses, closing any income gap, and understanding key milestones that can impact your retirement finances.
We’ll help you think through how to: 1)Estimate what you’ll need, 2) Adjust as needed, 3) Consider key milestones, and 4)Protect your savings.
This session will feature APID/A women leaders on the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus and offer insight into how they make meaning of their own leadership experiences as administrators at U-M. In a moderated discussion, panelists will discuss how historical and current contexts (such as erasure from history, anti-Asian hate, APID/A invisibility, exclusion from diversity conversations) impact the ways they have navigated their careers in higher education. Panelists will also share sources of strength, community and support along this path less traveled.
Marie P. Ting, PhD
Neeraja Aavamudan, PhD
Anne Cong-Huyen, PhD
Mary Lai Rose, PhD, MS
Connie Tingson, PhDAt University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach, developing and sustaining a high performing team has been a multi-year strategic priority. In this session, you will learn about the ways the leadership team learns, reflects, and supports each other and our respective teams to cultivate a caring and effective work environment across our unit and with outreach colleagues. There will be an opportunity to hear about how each team and committee uses ongoing structures and rituals to support high levels of engagement and performance. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and share tested and true practices from their repertoire and organizations.
Kim C. Lijana, PhD
Michael Turner
Catalina Concha-OrmsbyThis 60-minute session will address the systemic challenges impacting women of color when it comes to negotiating their salary. Participants will learn tips and strategies for creating their salary negotiation pitch, and how and when to navigate difficult questions and challenges as it relates to salary in the job search process. This workshop is geared to current college students or early career professionals. This workshop is not for mid-level or advanced level professionals or those working in C-Suite level positions.
Preparing yourself for your next opportunity provides a practical bridge from where you are to where you would like to be as a professional. We will discuss how to prepare your application materials, identify the right people to help you within your network and hone your interview skills (and post-interview skill sets).
Dr. Joslyn Johnson, PhDSelf-care has become a buzzword in recent years, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have taught us to work more efficiently and not necessarily extended hours. Another important highlight of COVID-19 has been the continued inequality of negative impacts on women of color’s mental health. It did not take a pandemic to tell us what we already know; women of color often bear the brunt of society’s woes and are expected to fix them without breaking a sweat; all the while, we are dying inside. In this session, we will learn how to shed the flawed thinking that self-care is selfish, ways to actively and regularly engage in these practices, and how to set healthy limits while still caring for others.
LaNeisha J. Murphy, LPC, NCC, ACSThis session will provide an introduction to the basics of investing including assessing risk and asset allocation, budgeting basics and worksheets. This seminar will also discuss savings options within the University of Michigan Retirement Plan.
How many times have you wanted to do something but didn’t? Received recognition and felt like you didn’t deserve it? Quit the job that you are overworked and underpaid at? Accepted a job offer without negotiating your worth? There are so many things…big and small…that we miss out on throughout our lives…all due to some form of “fear”. What is surprising is that most people do not recognize “fear” for what it is….an ingredient in the Imposter Syndrome recipe. During our session, we will share, overcome, and create a path forward to SMASH our fears while creating our own FEARLESS recipe.
Kimika Garrett, MSHRODAre you starting a new career? Just graduated and ready to explore your options? The first step is to evaluate your skills and get your resume ready by focusing on your strengths, and skills specific to your industry. In this session you will explore key steps for making sure your resume stands out!
Ugochi Emenaha, Ed.DOur relationships with money begins to form during childhood. People of color have unique and often fraught relationships with money due to a lack of generational wealth and systemic inequities. Nonetheless, it is important that we learn all we can about how money works in this country as a means of survival. This session will provide several tips and tricks about how to manage money, investments, and debt because if you don’t manage your money, it will manage you.
Julia Locklear, PhD, MAWhite Supremacy Characteristics in the Workplace is a reflective-based workshop about how white supremacy covertly shows up and impacts our workplace. We will chat about some of the common white supremacy characteristics in office culture, such as perfectionism, a sense of urgency, etc. Dialogue about how we see the characteristics show up and how it impacts us as an individual and community members. Acknowledging, reflecting, and seeking out ways to mitigate the impact of white supremacy traits on our work community is a step towards creating a more inclusive and healthy work environment.
Grace Sekulidis, MSWMost professionals know they need to be on Linkedin, but most don’t know how to harness the power of the large professional social network. In this workshop, participants will learn the strategies I leverage to be named a Linkedin Top Voice in 2020, including: 1) The 8 sections to have an All-Star profile 2) How to strategically engage and the 3 categories of people to engage with 3) How to create content to boost your visibility
Tristan LayfieldMany professionals are effective in managing their external professional lives, but still struggle with their internal dialogue which affects their sense of confidence, clarity, and wellbeing. This can include self-doubt, self-criticism, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism. Racism and other forms of oppression impact our mind-body responses in ways that make these patterns even more common among women and people of color. This workshop will utilize embodied self-reflection and teach effective strategies to calm and coach inner critics and disrupt internalized ‘voices’ and ways of being that interfere with pursuing excellence in healthy, authentic, fulfilling and sustainable ways.
Mishelle Rodriguez, PhDMany scholars have written about anti-Blackness. Sometimes called “the Color Line”, the Negro Question, etc. they explore internalized as well as structural and interpersonal anti-Blackness and MisogyNoir schemas. Einstein wrote on “The Negro Question”, 1946 Their sense of equality and human dignity is mainly limited to men of white skins. Even among these there are prejudices …; but they are unimportant in comparison with the attitude of the “Whites” toward their fellow-citizens of darker complexion, particularly toward Negroes.
This session will explore that as the University enters DEI 2.0, what guidance do women of color and especially Black women offer in creating a more inclusive and equitable campus, to address the question of the 21st Century—anti-Blackness?
Patricia Coleman-Burns, PhDWhere there is a strong culture of appreciation, people are more than twice as likely to report that they feel included in their organization. An intentional system of authentic appreciation can help to build and sustain a culture that is inclusive and celebrates diversity. Additionally, studies show that when we deliberately pursue an appreciation for the goodness in our lives, the result is an increase in our well-being and happiness. This presentation offers ideas on incorporating authentic appreciation and illustrates how you can positively shift culture by doing so. Learning Objectives – Attendees will: Understand the benefits of gratitude on personal well-being Make the connection between appreciation and a sense of inclusion / belonging Learn specific strategies to shift organizational culture through appreciation.
Deborah S. Willis, PhDThe opportunity to grow and develop is highly prized by staff and is a key retention strategy. This workshop focuses on how leaders can co-create effective growth plans with their staff and how to have conversations about their development.
Mark Saine, MA
Karyn Procter-WicksWill or Trust? Which is best for you and how do you decide when the time is right? What about Long-Term Care? As costs continue to rise, how is such care financed, and does the State take your house in the process? Through an upbeat case study approach, Attorney Quinn corrects myths commonly circulated regarding wills, trusts and long-term care planning while helping participants find solutions to these common questions. Have you ever wondered, “What will happen to my children and assets when I die?” Or “If I cannot make decisions for myself, who will – and what will they decide for me?” This session is designed to provide support through experienced legal information for you by addressing these questions. The purpose of this workshop is to help participants leave with reliable information that will assist them as they plan for their own futures and provide care for their loved ones. During this informative and engaging workshop, Attorney Terrence Quinn will work through real life circumstances that may assist in answering these questions and perhaps many more such as: – What will happen to my minor or special needs child after I’m gone? – Why blended families need to plan ASAP – Is joint ownership really that bad? – What about Medicaid and Long-Term Care? Can the State really take my house? – Am I protected from rental property liability?
Terrence G. Quinn, esq.Contrary to popular belief, everybody and anybody can dance! Dancing is a fun and easy way to get exercise as well. And while we all can’t be Beyoncé, spending thousands of hours dancing and working out, we can learn a thing or two about fitness from Ms. Knowles. Come channel your inner Diva and learn tips on how to use dance to enhance your own fitness journey, even while having an office job! Then get ready to slay the stage as you learn the hottest line dances, and a few old-time favorites. You’ll leave charged up, on fire, and with a plan to add dance to your daily life – for fitness & for fun!
Phyllis Taylor
Sherry HawkinsThis program aims to define psychological safety and provide tools for creating a healthier work environment. We will introduce the Four Quadrants of Psychological Safety (Learner, Collaborator, Challenger, and Inclusion) and discuss how psychological safety shows up (or doesn’t) in higher education, citing U-M climate data. Using a panelist format, we will learn how psychological safety has shaped the workplace experience while providing tools for creating environments that promote psychological safety and skills to navigate environments when it is not present for yourself and others. Participants will have a chance to reflect on their own experiences.
Katie Reece, LBSW
Tina JordanDr. Joslyn Johnson
Marlana Landeros
Jessica Burmeister is a Sr. Financial Consultant at TIAA, a Fortune 100 financial services organization, a Fortune 100 financial services organization and leading provider of asset management and retirement services for the academic, research, medical and cultural fields.
In her role as a Senior Financial Consultant at TIAA, Jessica is focused on helping participants plan for their financial well-being and retirement readiness. She meets with employees one-on-one and provides personalized counseling, education and advice, including specific asset allocation and fund selection recommendations based on the plan’s investment options.
Jessica began her financial services career in 2006 and has been with TIAA since 2012. She serves our institutional clients in the State of Michigan from the local Ann Arbor TIAA office. She serves the following institutions: University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University and Albion College.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance from Central Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University. She holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 registrations while maintaining Life, Health and Variable Annuity licenses from the States of Michigan, Ohio and Florida.
Dr. Patricia Coleman-Burns is a University of Michigan Assistant Professor Emerita of Nursing and affiliated faculty in DAAS. PCB began her career in the 70s studying Black & Black Women’s social movements. Appointed by former Dean of the UM School of Nursing Rhetaugh Dumas in 1991 as director of the Office of Minority Affairs; and trended renaming administrative centers as “Offices of Multicultural Affairs”. She founded the GENESIS Projects (1999 – 2011), creating “peer facilitated study groups” and residential boot camps for the recruitment and retention of persons from economically and educationally disadvantaged populations into nursing. After receiving her BA at Wayne State University in 1969, she worked for Motown Records in Detroit from 1969-1972 in public relations before resuming studies that culminated in her MA (1976) and PhD (1987) degrees in communication and rhetorical criticism at WSU. A long-time advocate for the right of all persons, and specifically women and their children, to be free from gender oppression, age discrimination, sexism, racism, and domestic violence, she has served as President of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Justice Center in Detroit and Member (1989-1994), Board of Directors and Executive Board, Washtenaw County SafeHouse Center, Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention and Crisis Services, Ann Arbor, MI. (2011-2017).
Her scholarship focuses on intersecting identities across safe policing, social justice, health equity, social determinants of health, and health promotion and disease prevention. Her research and science center on community impact and access of citizens to evidence based knowledge and skills. She conducts workshops on anti-racism and anti-Blackness narratives & schemas; microaggressions across intra-personal, interpersonal, institutional and cultural domains; and “accomplices & co-conspirator” interventions. She collectively developed the EPIC Model of Giving and Receiving Feedback for empowering people to self-advocate in the process of obtaining skills and competencies in challenging dialogues.
Vance K. Jackson, Jr. serves in the Mayor’s Office as a Social Impact Development Officer. In this role, he serves on a 5-member Development team that has raised more than $1 Billion Dollars in public, private, philanthropic, and corporate investment.
In his role, he integrates his background in Banking and Philanthropy to advise government leaders, corporate executives, and philanthropic leaders on the implementation and execution of Mayoral priorities to strategically serve the residents of the City of Detroit.
Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office in 2018, Vance served more than a decade at J.P. Morgan, where his financial career spanned across the breadth of the global bank. In his last role, he served in J.P. Morgan’s Commercial Bank—Middle Market Treasury, where he specialized in constructing Global Treasury solutions for Multi-National Middle Market Corporations with annual revenues ranging from $100 Million – $2 Billion, as a Treasury Analyst of J.P. Morgan’s Michigan Middle Market Treasury Team.
Prior to advancing to the Commercial Bank, Vance served as a Wealth Management Vice President—Financial Advisor, where he managed a multi-million dollar investment book of business. In this role he led, developed, and coached investment sales teams to provide a vast array of investment solutions for clientele across the Detroit market.
Vance has been fortunate to serve as an Executive Board Member for several National Non-profit and For-profit organizations. Currently, Vance serves as a National Board Member on the For-Profit ‘Emerging Leaders Advisory Board’ of Huntington Bank a $150 Billion Publicly-Traded Bank where he advises on industry insights, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) recommendations, and strategic execution of National Banking strategy.
Vance K. Jackson, Jr. holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Masters of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, and currently serves on the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work Alumni Board of Governors as one of the School’s Board Members. Vance is married to Nina Jackson, for more than 13 years and they reside in Detroit, MI with their 2 children.
Marlana Landeros is responsible for developing initiatives and practices designed to lead and promote a diverse and inclusive workforce in the Division of Public Safety & Security (DPSS), at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Among her core responsibilities, she advises leadership about strategic diversity, inclusive planning efforts and is responsible for the overall design, implementation and management of DPSS student programs.
Marlanna is also an adjunct lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Social Work and Schoolcraft College. She is passionate about serving students and providing them with tools and resources to maximize their potential. Her goal is to widen the array of student experiences that promote leadership development.
Marlanna serves as a board/council member in numerous organizations that support education, social work and the success of women and women of color. Marlanna holds a master of social work and bachelor degree in sociology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Terrence G. Quinn is an expert in estate planning, probate, and elder law throughout the state of Michigan. He trains lawyers on a national level how to navigate the many ins and outs of this practice of law. Terrence attended the University of Michigan where he fulfilled his life-long dream of playing football for the Wolverines when he became a starter for 1997 University of Michigan Championship football team. He graduated Law School in 2002. Since 2015, the National Black Lawyers have consistently named Terrence among the Top 100 Black Attorneys in Michigan. He was also named among their Top 40 Under 40. Terrence also serves as a contributor, speaker, and faculty member for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s (ICLE) Probate and Estate Planning Institute and ICLE’s Elder Law Institute. In addition, he serves on the executive board of ICLE’s executive committee. Terrence has also served on the State Bar’s character and fitness committee.
Terrence is dedicated to spreading the message and awareness of estate planning: “What you don’t know can actually hurt you!” He understands that by providing sound counsel on proper estate planning, such as building a trust and selecting powers of attorney, his clients can protect their assets from probate court and keep their loved ones in charge of financial and medical decisions. He believes in treating people well; that all deserve the peace of mind knowing that their material assets and their loved ones will be taken care of in their absence. Through sharing his personal experiences of starting his own firm during the recession of 2008, his extensive knowledge, and his charismatic presence, he captivates audiences with engaging and informative disquisitions.
Mishelle Rodriguez, PhD has more than 12 years of experience providing counseling in university counseling centers, community mental health settings and private practice. She is often sought out by clients who are reluctant to try counseling (including people of color, men, athletes, and survivors of complex trauma). Mishelle is passionate about working with clients through times of intense difficulty, as well as everyday stressors and goals for growth. Her areas of specialization include family of origin issues, relationship concerns, self-esteem, perfectionism, sport psychology, multicultural issues, and trauma.
Mishelle approaches counseling from a relational cultural perspective, with the goal of understanding each client as a whole person, with an appreciation for their intersecting identities, relationships, roles, and the environments they are navigating. She is trained in multiple approaches that promote healing and growth by focusing on the brain-body connection, including Brainspotting and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. She integrates tools like self-compassion, shame resilience and mindfulness with other therapeutic frameworks including Dialectical Behavioral (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment (ACT). Mishelle is also a Certified Daring Way™ facilitator. She uses the The Daring Way™ methodology, based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown, to help individuals, work teams, and organizational leaders examine the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that are holding them back and identify the new choices and practices that will move them toward living and leading more authentically.
Mishelle served two years as the president of the Metro Detroit chapter of the Association of Black Psychologists. She is the founder of The Melanin Collective, an organization that serves as an online educational resource and host of local events for Black mental health and well-being. Through The Melanin Collective she is able to utilize her passion for incorporating Black films, television shows, music and art as a tool for opening up discussions about Black mental health concerns, and bringing the Black community together to use its internal strengths and wisdom for healing and growth. Mishelle does training and speaking engagements related to Black mental health, cultural trauma, self-care for activists, stress related to the socio-political climate, trauma-informed counseling, and multicultural consciousness/competence.
Kim C. Lijana, PhD, leads the University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach. She is responsible for supporting and advancing U-Ms commitment to pre-college learners and under-served schools in the state of Michigan. Dr. Lijana is passionate about providing life-changing opportunities for students and has developed a strong track record for increasing post-secondary education access and success for low-income, first generation, and underrepresented students.
Dr. Lijana holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Miami University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from The John Hopkins University, and a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Michigan. She also co-authored two books, Left Behind: Urban High Schools and the Failure of Market Reform and Using Action Inquiry in Engaged Research: An Ongoing Guide.
WCTF extends special thanks to TIAA, our Platinum Plus corporate sponsor, for its generous support of the 2023 Women of Color Task Force Conference.
The 41st Annual WCTF Career Conference is organized in partnership with the Office Of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and the following schools, colleges, and units who demonstrate their strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and staff development through their support of this conference:
With additional support from:
U-M Precision Health
U-M School of Social Work
U-M Taubman Institute
The Women of Color Task Force appreciates the support of our conference attendees, presenters, and volunteers. Your participation ensures the success of this event. We also acknowledge our U-M and community sponsors for their special contributions to the annual career conference and our other professional development activities.
The Women of Color Task Force (WCTF) is a University of Michigan staff organization, founded in 1979, that provides professional development, networking, mentoring, and training opportunities for employees, with a focus on addressing the needs of women of color staff.
For more than 40 years, the WCTF has served as a support network and a forum for the exchange of information about the status of women of color staff at the University of Michigan.
For additional information about joining WCTF or participating in its staff development events, please contact Robin Pankey, WCTF Program Coordinator via email at [email protected].