Author: alejandro@stoa.agency

Diana File founded DF Analytics to bring rigor and accountability to DEI efforts around the world. A research and organizational psychologist, she has spent 15 years adapting her proprietary data science methodologies to drive results for Fortune 500 corporations, start-ups, government agencies, non-profit institutions, and small businesses around the world.

Diana uses data science to empower companies to build highly diverse, inclusive teams that break records in productivity, collaboration, and profit. Her proprietary analytics methodologies uncover the deep neuroscientific factors that dictate success or failure. From there, she translates assessment into strategy and drives cross-functional implementation across the matrix. This integrated approach helps companies stay competitive in the face of dynamic generational and cultural shifts for employees and customers.

A former consultant to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Diana has transformed decision trees in complex hierarchies and spearheaded global research on how to inspire the resolution of intractable conflicts. Her expertise spans workforce analytics, team building, project management, organizational effectiveness, conflict resolution, and best practice research.

Diana regularly delivers workshops and keynotes for the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Columbia University School of Professional Studies, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the National Libraries of Medicine, the HR Leadership Forum, and other industry associations.

Diana holds a B.A. in Psychology cum laude from Yale University and an M.A. in Psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is fluent in English, Hebrew, and Russian.

For nearly a decade, Rory has applied his expertise in psychology research and knack for data-driven insights to help executives unravel complex employee behavior and organizational culture issues.

Rory specializes in project management, negotiation, change management, and people analytics. He is adept at collecting, mining, and analyzing data through advanced statistical software (Python, R, and SQL) and machine learning techniques, as well as data storytelling to translate analytical findings into actionable insights.

At GE HealthCare, Rory pioneered the first enterprise-wide, behaviorally anchored culture survey for over 50,000 employees, maintaining a consistent ~80% response rate over three years. Leveraging innovative, AI-based virtual focus groups, Rory helped the company increase employee retention and mitigate risks by identifying key drivers of team effectiveness and employee engagement.

Rory is dedicated to educating the next generation of professionals by serving as President of the Baruch MSIO Association and guest lecturer in several data analytics master’s programs. As captain of the Baltimore Charm City Soccer League, he actively works within his community to enhance the player experience through technology and process automation.

Rory holds an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from CUNY Baruch and a B.A. in Psychology (with a minor in Spanish) cum laude from Loyola University Maryland. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Born and bred in Los Angeles, Meshayla has spent over a decade fighting for racial equity. She believes that the workplace is the best place to impact community-based change. To that end, Meshayla aims to create a society where racially marginalized people are nurtured and valued for their inherent dignity.

Meshayla holds a BA in African American Studies from the University of Montana. Her experiences in the classroom and on campus fueled her fire to begin leading anti-racism education and building a community for Black people on campus. In 2019, Meshayla received a Defending Democracy Fellowship from the Western States Center to fight against growing white nationalism throughout the country. Since then, she has educated over 1,700 people on racial equity in organizations across the philanthropy, technology, and conservation industries.

As a consultant and expert facilitator, Meshayla works with small and mid-size firms to build cultures that nurture and value the inherent dignity of every person.

A Certified Diversity and Inclusion Professional through Cornell University, Meshayla regularly delivers workshops and trainings on racism, equity, DEI, and organizational transformation across the nation—including as a TEDx speaker.

In 2012, the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre sent shockwaves through Lee’s neighborhood and community, taking the daughter of a dear friend.

Prior to this life-changing event, Lee held a 28-year career in IT consultancy, successfully leading over twenty Business Process Improvement and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects at Dell Services, Venetia Partners, IBM Global Financing, Nortel Networks, Pennzoil-Quaker State, Beiersdorf Inc. and others before ascending to SVP of Delivery Operations at a private equity-focused consultancy.

Upon returning from a 2-month career hiatus, Lee leveraged a lifetime of program management experience to co-found Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), the first national non-profit organization stemming from a violent mass casualty event. The following year, Lee lobbied CT state lawmakers to pass the strictest firearm safety legislation in the country.

Lee continues to advocate for victims of violence, collaborating with Newtown Action Alliance and serving as Executive Director of the Sodina Project at The Avielle Foundation, where he focuses on raising public awareness of the scope, scale and proximity of violence by curating first-hand accounts from survivors and affected families.

Additional advocacy efforts include organizing a strategy summit comprising multi-sector, national public health experts interested in collaborating on the root cause of violence, and proposing a national campaign for equity as an inclusive leadership and DEI consultant with several firms.

Ana Duarte McCarthy has 25 years’ experience providing advisory consulting services on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy, policy, and practices to Fortune 500 companies across the financial services, insurance, pharmaceutical, and legal industries.

During her tenure as Chief Diversity Officer of Citi, Ana led the company’s global diversity and inclusion strategy for hiring and developing diverse talent, fostering an inclusive work environment, and ensuring management accountability. She established a framework of policy and practices that advanced the organization’s recognition as a top company for diversity and inclusion. Most recently, Ana served as Senior Director of Corporate Partners for Forte Foundation, managing more than 60 companies and driving measurable efforts to increase advancement of women in business leadership roles.

Passionate about learning and development, Ana has held leadership positions in higher education, supporting underrepresented communities at Passaic County College and the New School for Social Research. She served as an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, lecturing on Women in the Global Economy. She is also a featured “Ask the Expert” speaker within three of Cornell University’s online certificate programs.

Ana has been recognized for her leadership and impact by organizations, including, among others, Hispanic Business Magazine’s 25 Elite Women, the YWCA of NYC’s Women of Influence, the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates’ Champion Award, and the Eleanor Roosevelt Service Award for Somerset County.

As a change agent, Ana places a high commitment on service to organizations in her community. This includes, among other roles, serving on the New Jersey Advisory Commission on the Status of Women, the Bernards Township Committee as an elected official, and the Greater Somerset County YMCA Board of Directors, for which she chaired the Diversity and Inclusion task force.

Ana holds a B.A. in biology from Lafayette College and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University Teachers College.

Haley Moss is an attorney by profession, and a DEI educator, author, and policy wonk by choice. She has over a decade of experience advocating to ensure people with disabilities have more than just a seat at the table. Fueled by her lived experience as an autistic person, Haley left private practice to become a neurodiversity educator.

Haley consults on equal employment opportunity, accommodations (Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), and other accessibility-related issues. As a DEI and disability policy expert, she collaborates with organizations and community partners to design policies that are approachable, inclusive, and accessible to all employees. She is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, trainer, and educator for workshops, keynotes, and academic settings, and works as an adjunct psychology professor at Taylor University.

Haley’s original writings include four books on neurodiversity and autism and several published articles for outlets such as The Washington Post, Law360, HuffPost, and Fast Company. She serves on the Board of Directors at Disability Rights Florida, Florida Lawyers Assistance, and the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities.

Haley holds a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, as well as a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in criminology from the University of Florida.

For the past 16 years, Darren Thompson has been creating and sustaining innovative sales, marketing, and business development processes for emerging technology firms and organizations with a vested interest in making the world a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive place today and for years to come.

Darren advises small businesses and growth-minded individuals at large companies to develop and manage scalable business development strategies. His proprietary, relationship-focused approach to standing up, repairing, growing, and scaling sales teams builds bridges of communication between product and consumer. He has grown teams and brand equity at two DEI-focused emerging technology start-ups by an average of 47% in 16 months and 37% year over year.

Darren holds a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Arizona and a Harvard Business School certificate in “Essentials to Managing Start-Up Capital.”

Dr. Monica Sylvain has spent 30 years consulting and coaching executives at multinational corporations across financial services, higher education, commodity chemicals, and non-profits. Her expertise spans inclusive culture transformation, identification and retention of diverse talent, corporate social responsibility, ESG, and board diversity.

As the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer of IBERIABANK, Monica convened the board and C-Suite to generate buy-in and directional agreement. From there, she established a baseline by conducting a 12-state listening tour with 1,000 associates, performing qualitative and quantitative assessments, and assembling multi-layered talent maps. Through that process, she guided the CEO to define high-level goals for the entire organization. By aligning associate feedback with business objectives, she identified the key internal and external DEI business drivers and crafted the first-ever enterprise-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) vision, mission, values, and strategic plan.

Monica regularly speaks for the American Bankers Association DEI Summit, American Alliance of Museums, Women Empowerment Conversations – Leadership River Region, the Talent Development Association, the Consumer Bankers Association, and the Louisiana Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Diversity and Inclusion Summit.

Monica earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering magna cum laude from Howard University and a Ph.D. with honors in Analytical Chemistry from Louisiana State University. She was the founding Director of the LA-STEM Research Scholars Program, recognized as a national model for diversifying and transforming STEM undergraduate education.

For over two decades, Dr. Shindale Seale has employed leadership development, performance optimization, and change management to help organizations identify and reach their culture goals. She provides DEI, leadership, and staff training across industries such as law, education, and utilities, as well as emerging tech and research companies across the nation.

Dr. Seale’s work across the corporate, academic, and non-profit arena focuses on business performance optimization, staff development, and creating sustainable and equitable working environments. She is a sought-after speaker on creating equitable solutions in gender, race, age, and ability.

In addition to her coaching and consulting services, Dr. Seale is the inaugural Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Program Chair at the University of California Santa Cruz – Silicon Valley Extension, where she also develops and teaches courses on DEI in the workplace and academia. Dr. Seale is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Redlands where she teaches Leadership, Organizational Change, and Business Communication.

Dr. Seale holds an M.Ed. and Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California (USC). She earned her B.A with a focus on Language and Linguistics from California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH).

For the past 15 years, Caitlin Harper has advised leaders on communication strategy for all manner of organizational change. She has executed change initiatives around DEI, M&A, company rebrands, and headquarters moves for clients such as Johnson & Johnson, Business Insider, and Nike.

Caitlin’s strategic and creative approach to change management communication blends coaching, strategy, and implementation to help leaders and teams know what to say, when to say it, who to say it to, and—most importantly—why. She leverages organic organizational tools and techniques to engage change-makers at all levels. Her approach makes change management not just an event-specific exercise, but part of an organization’s DNA.

Caitlin’s proprietary peer coaching program has taught thousands of people to drive change and achieve business goals by using professional coaching techniques in everyday workplace conversations. She is also a frequent speaker, workshop facilitator, panelist, and podcast guest on topics of organizational change, internal communication strategy, DEI, leadership and learning, management and coaching, women in the workplace, mental health and wellness at work, and company culture.

Caitlin holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing summa cum laude from The New School in New York City and a B.A. in English summa cum laude from the University of Florida with minors in Psychology, Linguistics, and Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Solange Charas has been quantifying the material impact of human capital on corporate performance and ROI for over 30 years. She has completed over 70 human capital due diligence efforts for M&As and is an expert in the human capital disclosures that are required by a variety of ESG governance frameworks, SEC, EFRAG, and ISO.

In her corporate career, Solange served as CHRO for three global public companies and as National Director for both Ernst and Young and Arthur Andersen. She became a sought-after expert in salary design and administration, including base salary, annual and long-term incentive design, and materiality analysis, and has created a proprietary technology that quantifies the impact of DEI and other human capital metrics on the bottom line.

Solange is an Adjunct Professor in the Human Capital Master’s Programs at Columbia, USC, and NYU, a Distinguished Principal Research Fellow at The Conference Board, and a frequent speaker on human capital governance issues. She is co-author of the book Humanizing Human Capital: Invest in Your People for Optimal Business Returns and has been published or cited in over 200 publications, including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Agenda Magazine, Financier Worldwide, Fast Company, USA Today, LA Times, Boston Globe, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Solange holds a Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Management, an M.B.A. in Accounting and Finance from Cornell University’s Graduate School of Management, and a B.A. in International Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Solange Charas has been quantifying the material impact of human capital on corporate performance and ROI for over 30 years. She has completed over 70 human capital due diligence efforts for M&As and is an expert in the human capital disclosures that are required by a variety of ESG governance frameworks, SEC, EFRAG, and ISO.

In her corporate career, Solange served as CHRO for three global public companies and as National Director for both Ernst and Young and Arthur Andersen. She became a sought-after expert in salary design and administration, including base salary, annual and long-term incentive design, and materiality analysis, and has created a proprietary technology that quantifies the impact of DEI and other human capital metrics on the bottom line.

Solange is an Adjunct Professor in the Human Capital Master’s Programs at Columbia, USC, and NYU, a Distinguished Principal Research Fellow at The Conference Board, and a frequent speaker on human capital governance issues. She is co-author of the book Humanizing Human Capital: Invest in Your People for Optimal Business Returns and has been published or cited in over 200 publications, including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Agenda Magazine, Financier Worldwide, Fast Company, USA Today, LA Times, Boston Globe, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Solange holds a Ph.D. in Management from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Management, an M.B.A. in Accounting and Finance from Cornell University’s Graduate School of Management, and a B.A. in International Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.