2018 Diversity Issues in Higher Education Conference

Annual Conference of Diversity Issues in Higher Education

Register Today !

2018 Diversity Issues in Higher Education Conference

Stockton University, Campus Center

November 16, 2018, 
Program - 
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast starts at 8:30 a.m

  • Parking: Conference participants may park in the Lots 0 through 7 (and the North Lot if needed and take the shuttle bus in).  Do not park in Admissions or Visitor Parking in Lot 3. 
  • Campus Map
  • Area hotels

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

Absecon-Atlantic City
655 White Horse Pike Route 30 East
Absecon NJ 08201
609-383-9070

Seaview 

Booking link

401 South New York Rd.
Galloway, NJ 08205
855-894-8698 

Comfort Suites Atlantic City North

342 East White Horse Pike
Absecon NJ 08205
609-272-8700
Group Name: ACOD
Group Code: JZ22C3

Guest is responsible for all charges

Hampton Inn Atlantic City/Absecon.

Booking Link
Group Name: ACOD STOCKTON
Please note, the entire URL must be copied and pasted for it to work properly.

 

Please join us at Stockton University to experience the premier event addressing critical diversity and inclusion challenges in academia, the community, and the workplace. In addition to networking and strategy-exploring opportunities, this full-day conference will feature dynamic speakers, breakout sessions, and more!

Since 2000, the American Conference on Diversity has partnered with New Jersey’s leading institutions to host this conference. Our conference brings together educators, students, business leaders and community members to discuss issues central to educating and empowering leaders and emerging leaders in higher education and the workplace.

Return to this website as the conference day develops.


Registration

$65.00 non-student,  $35.00 student - Registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, and conference materials.

Non-student Registration  Student Registration

For more information, email ide@stockton.edu or call 609-652-4693


Keynote Speaker

Wayne Boatright

Wayne Boatwright, MHA, CDM
Vice President
Diversity & Inclusion
Hackensack Meridian Health

 

Welcoming Remarks

Harvey KesselmanHarvey Kesselman, Ed.D.
President
Stockton University

President's Message

Eliiziabeth Williams Riley Elizabeth Williams-Riley
President & CEO
American Conference on Diversity

Conference Agenda

8:30 a.m - 9:00 a.m.

Registration

8:30 a.m

Continental Breakfast

9:15 a.m - 9:30 a.m

Welcome, Opening Remarks and Introductions
Valerie Hayes, Chief Officer for Institutional Diversity and Equity
Harvey Kesselman, President, Stockton University
Elizabeth Williams-Riley, President and CEO of the Amercian Conference on Diversity

9:30 a.m - 10:00 a.m

Keynote Address
Wayne Boatwright, MHA, CDM
Vice-President, Diversity and Inclusion
Hackensack Meridian Health

10:00 a.m - 11:00 a.m

Keynote Response Panel
Audience Question and Answer

Moderator: James Harris
James E. Harris is the immediate past President of the Montclair Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and First Vice President of the State Conferences of NAACP branches. Mr. Harris has received numerous awards for his social policy work and leadership in education, including Community Service Awards as President of the Montclair NAACP; and recognition from the New Jersey Association of Black Educators, the New Jersey Black United Fund, and the New Jersey Alliance of Black Educators. Harris is Associate Dean of Students and University Ombudsman at Montclair State University. He earned his B.A. in Social Studies with a New Jersey Secondary School Certification from Montclair State College, now Montclair State University. He holds masters degrees in Personnel Service and in Public Administration. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Public Administration at New York University. Harris is a retired Major of the New Jersey National Guard.

Panelists:
Hester Agudosi, Chief Diversity Officer for the state of New Jersey
Suzy Domenick, founder of Emerging You Coaching and Healing, LLC
Tyree Orieden, Garden State Equality
Kaleem Shabazz, Councilman, City of Atlantic City, NJ 
Amee Shah, Associate Professor of Health Science at Stockton University

11:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m

 Concurrent Workshops - Full Speaker Bios here.

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm  

 Lunch

 Campus Center Event Room A                 

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm  

Student Panel Discussion: Stories Worth Telling

2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  Closing Remarks 

Conference Workshops Descriptions

Keynote Response Panel with 

Audience Question and Answer 

Moderator: James Harris
James E. Harris is the immediate past President of the Montclair Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and First Vice President of the State Conferences of NAACP branches. Mr. Harris has received numerous awards for his social policy work and leadership in education, including Community Service Awards as President of the Montclair NAACP; and recognition from the New Jersey Association of Black Educators, the New Jersey Black United Fund, and the New Jersey Alliance of Black Educators. Mr. Harris is also Associate Dean of Students and University Ombudsman at Montclair State University. He earned his B.A. in Social Studies with a New Jersey Secondary School Certification from Montclair State College, now Montclair State University. He holds masters degrees in Personnel Service and in Public Administration. He is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Public Administration at New York University. Mr. Harris is also a retired Major of the New Jersey National Guard.

Panelists:

Kaleem Shabazz
Kaleem Shabazz, the Third Ward Councilperson was elected in November 2015. He won the Democratic Primary with over 81% of the vote and was unopposed in the General Election. Shabazz said, “My goal is to represent the people of the Third Ward with intelligence, vigor and dignity. I want to be effective in my advocacy for Atlantic City, efficient in my response to constituent concerns and responsible to insure that government works to the maximum benefit of our residents and citizens.”

A graduate of Rutgers University and Atlantic City High School, he won numerous awards including The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award, The Father Thom Schivago Humanitarian Award (from Beth El Synagogue), The Community Service Award from the Mainland NAACP, and The Community Service Award from the Fellowship of Churches. One of his proudest moments was helping to lead a successful effort to keep a South African-based casino from coming to Atlantic City during the time of apartheid, by speaking at the United Nations.

Kaleem Shabazz

Tyree Oredein
Since 2005, Dr. Tyree Oredein has dedicated her career to the LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities. Prior to joining Garden State Equality in August 2018, she worked with Hudson Pride Center where she served as the Health Educator and Trainer for nearly 13 years. There she was largely responsible for developing and delivering LGBTQ+ Sensitivity, and Cultural Competency workshops to educators, administrators, social service & medical providers, officers, students, and community members to create safe spaces for sexual minorities. Dr. Oredein has worked extensively with ethnic and sexual minority youth facilitating workshops on HIV/AIDS, PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), STIs, sexuality, healthy relationships, consent, media and health literacy, social justice issues and other pertinent subject matters. She worked with Select Media/The HEAR ME Project whose major programming included CDC-approved HIV-prevention curricula, and was instrumental in launching their national HIV story-writing competition targeting at-risk youth to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. A graduate of Wellesley College, she earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) from Hunter College, and her Doctorate of Public Health (DrPH) from Rutgers University in the Health Education & Behavioral Sciences track. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Say Ah!, a non-profit agency dedicated to increasing health literacy, is an adjunct professor at Montclair State University in the Department of Public Health, and is a member of the Wellesley College Racial Justice Initiative Leadership Collective.

 Tyree Oredein

Suzy Domenick
Suzy Domenick brings 35 years of human resources and leadership experience to her role as a coach. Throughout her career, she has been a leader of teams responsible for coordinating all aspects of human resources for businesses within Fortune 500 companies. During her tenure in corporate human resources, she and her teams oversaw and partnered with the business to further the talent strategy, focusing on right work, right role, right people and right environment. They helped build a performance management culture, further succession management, focus on leadership capability and culture. Her teams have included consulting through HR business partners, performance and effectiveness consultants, labor relations and diversity expertise.

As a champion and advocate for all associates, Domenick influenced leaders to focus on a broader definition of diversity, driving diversity education and changing compensation processes to include diversity results. She also helped the organization navigate through major changes in its business model, hiring practices and creating a performance culture.

During her career, Domenick has helped create a subsidiary in Ireland for software development, as well as lived in Tokyo for six months to enable an acquisition. She has spent much of her career helping to develop leaders through formal education, as well as leadership and executive coaching.

Domenick is now the founder of Emerging You Coaching and Healing, LLC, which is focused on helping individuals reach their goals and transform their lives. In her current business, she uses coaching, centering and meditation, along with Reiki and intuitive healing to help individuals step into their power, clearing out negative energy blocks and propelling them forward, transforming their lives. She recently chronicled her own transformation in the book "The Morning Butterfly," which is also the name of her weekly blog.

 Suzy Domenick

Amee Shah
Dr. Amee P. Shah is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences and Director of the Cross-Cultural Speech, Language, & Acoustics Lab at Stockton University. Dr. Shah is certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) and has practiced as a bilingual speech-language pathologist for over two decades spanning India, New York City, Montreal, and Cleveland. She is a leader and pioneer in Speech-Language Pathology in creating an evidence-based area of practice around cultural-linguistic diversity and accent management. The communication programs developed and tested under these three industry-specific models made a significant impact in leading organizations such as Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Medical School, Towers Watson, Airgas, Boston University, KeyBank, and Cleveland State University to name a few. She is a noted keynote and seminar speaker on the topics of cultural competence, managing communication barriers for impact and ROI, foreign accents and regional dialects, accent modification, bilingual concerns, and multicultural diversity, presenting on these topics at nationally- and internationally-recognized platforms. Her many contributions have been recognized by her profession, for which she has been honored with major awards, namely “2015 Trailblazer,” “2017 Trailblazer” and “2017 Media Champion Award” from the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association. She has been interviewed and featured on many media outlets including NPR, MSNBC, NBC News, Huffington Post, The Atlantic, Today's Show, Fox News, Slate.com, Reddit.com and more.

Amee Shah
Hester Agudosi  

Hester Agudosi, Esq. is the state of New Jersey’s first Chief Diversity Officer. In this significant role, she leads the Governor’s effort to promote a more diverse workforce and increased opportunities for women and minority business participation in public procurement. Shei has spent 19 years serving the State of New Jersey in various senior management roles. She currently serves as the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Public Contract Assistance at the Department of Environmental Protection. In her current role, Agudosi oversees the Department’s Affirmative Action Program and monitors employment policies, practices, and department programs to ensure fairness and consistency with the Department’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy.

Agudosi previously served as Deputy Director in the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at the Department of Law and Public Safety, where she was responsible for administering and enforcing the state’s anti-discrimination policy while conducting investigations concerning discrimination and retaliation in the workplace.

 Hester

Safe Spaces: Hate Crimes and Violence 

Sexual victimization continues to plague colleges and universities across the United States of America. Unfortunately, binge drinking and increased alcohol use continue to be the leading cause for victimization on campuses. Current literature focuses on the victimization of women; however, gay males, bi-sexual, unsure and transgender students experience an increased risk of hate crimes and violence compared to other populations (Johnson, Matthews, and Napper, 2016). The purpose of this session is to explore how college and university administrators can create Safe Spaces on campus to address these concerns. Topics include: Sexual Assault, Campus Protests, Gun Violence, Hate Crimes

Reference: Johnson, L. M., Matthews, T.L., Napper, S.L. (2016). Sexual orientation and sexual assault victimization among college students. The Social Science Journal. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2016.02.007


Moderators:

Dallas Reed
Dr. Dallas Reed was named Vice President, Student Development and Campus Life, in 2013. In this role, she provides vision and leadership for all student success programs including student development, student activities, athletics, residence life and counseling.

Dr. Reed previously served as Berkeley College Associate Vice President, Student Development and Campus Life, and Dean, Student Development and Campus Life, New York. Before coming to Berkeley College in 2011, she served as Associate Vice President for Student Life at Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, MS.

Dr. Reed recently participated in the HERS Bryn Mawr Summer Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration. She was the recipient of the Berkeley College Associate of the Year award in Leadership. She was recognized by the YWCA at the 42nd Annual Academy of Women Leaders Salute Luncheon.

Dr. Reed holds a Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University, a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Pfeiffer University, and a B.A. in General Arts and Sciences with an emphasis in Public Relations and Management from Pennsylvania State University.

Dallas Reed

Ashante S. Connor
Ashante Connor serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of Student Development and Campus Life at Berkeley College. Ashante has spent the past 12 years building a comprehensive portfolio in Student Affairs and Higher Education Administration. More specifically, Ashante has spent the last nine years at Berkeley College serving in various capacities including the Coordinator of Student Activites, Director of Student Development, and Assistant Dean of Student Development and Campus Life. In these roles, Ashante has developed her passion for serving contemporary college students from diverse and disenfranchised backgrounds. Connor serves as the Lead Title IX Investigator and Equal Opportunity Coordinator for students. In these roles, she works to ensure students are experiencing a fair and equitable experience while enrolled at the college.

Connor serves as the co-chair of the New Jersey Title IX Administrators Working Group and as a Board Member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the City of Orange Township.

Connor is pursuing her Doctorate of Organizational Leadership, in Higher Education, at Abilene Christian University. She earned her Master of Science in Human Resource Development from Towson University and her B.A. in Public Administration from Kean University.

She is a results-driven expert in urban-serving education committed to student development, social justice, restorative justice, and advocating for first-generation college students. Her enthusiastic, yet focused approach, has yielded augmented numbers and success in student development, civility, retention, technology, engagement, student learning outcomes, inclusion and cross-cultural generational knowledge.

Ashanti

Panelists:

Laurie Dutton  MA, LPC, LCADC, ACS
Laurie Dutton is Director of the Women's, Gender & Sexuality Center (WGSC) at Stockton University and has worked in the field, first as a domestic violence prevention advocate and then as a mental health counselor. Prior to her appointment as the WGSC Director, Laurie was Associate Director of Counseling Services from 2011- 2015. She is licensed in the state of New Jersey as a Professional Counselor, a Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. She is a Disaster Crisis Counselor and has served in that capacity with the American Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy relief. She lectures across the country on issues related to power-based personal violence and stalking. Laurie is a member of Stockton's Title IX Practitioners group.

Laurie Dutton

Perry Mays
Perry Mays is Chairman of the Atlantic County Coalition for a Safe Community. This group was formed in August 2010 by concerned citizens, public officials, law enforcement agencies, faith-based/social/religious organizations for the betterment our communities at large. He started his career in the Emergency Room and worked his way quickly up through the organization and held several key positions at AtlantiCare. Mays is an accomplished professional with a career that includes Total Quality Management Fellowship, in which he worked directly with the CEO of AtlantiCare. The Fellowship focused on organizing communities to become more aware of their environment, both in clean air, preventative programs, and a sense of community. Mays organized and trained individuals to take their communities back from “drug dealers” and coordinated over 200 drug marches in Atlantic County. His work resulted in Pleasantville and Atlantic City earning a Weed and Seed Grant to “weed" out the bad elements and “seed” with the good programs/resources. Mays became the Director of Atlantic County Weed and Seed.

Mays' other accomplishments included work with Pennies for the Homeless, Young Ladies at Peace Program, Community Expos, 5 Gun Surrender Programs, in which over 3,500 guns were retrieved off of the streets of Atlantic County, HIV/AIDS Seminars, and a Healthy Cities Basketball Team, where “x-gang members” were recruited to shot hoops instead of each other.

Mays won several awards and recognitions and founded Faith At Work, where he seeks to positively impact: a Re-entry program, Recovery Court Clients on 2nd Chance Programs, Drug/Alcohol Referrals, and a Job Interview Training Program. Mays is a retiree from AtlantiCare Health System, where he worked for 32 years.

Perry Mays

Kaleem Shabazz
Kaleem Shabazz, the Third Ward Councilperson was elected in November 2015. He won the Democratic Primary with over 81% of the vote and was unopposed in the General Election. Shabazz said, “My goal is to represent the people of the Third Ward with intelligence, vigor and dignity. I want to be effective in my advocacy for Atlantic City, efficient in my response to constituent concerns and responsible to insure that government works to the maximum benefit of our residents and citizens.”

A graduate of Rutgers University and Atlantic City High School, he won numerous awards including The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award, The Father Thom Schivago Humanitarian Award (from Beth El Synagogue), The Community Service Award from the Mainland NAACP, and The Community Service Award from the Fellowship of Churches. One of his proudest moments was helping to lead a successful effort to keep a South African-based casino from coming to Atlantic City during the time of apartheid, by speaking at the United Nations.

Kaleem Shabazz

Adrian J. Wiggins
Adrian J. Wiggins is director of Campus Public Safety at Stockton University. Wiggins recently served as the executive director of Campus Safety and Public Safety at Morgan State University. He served as Morgan State’s chief of police for seven years. Before working at Morgan State University, Wiggins served 11 years with the City University of New York Public Safety Department, advancing through the ranks to deputy director of Public Safety at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York City. He earned a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Security Assessment and Management and a Master of Science in Integrated Homeland Security Management from Towson University. He is a graduate of the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy in Emmitsburg, M.D.

Adrian Wiggins
Frank C. Merckx, II

Frank C. Merckx, II is Vice President of Campus Life and Student Affairs & Dean of Students for Drew University. He has over 15 years’ experience in serving a diverse population of students at Drew University. Frank has extensive experience in Title IX, Human Rights, Threat to Self, and Critical Incident and Crisis Response in student affairs. He earned a masters in Public Administration from Seton Hall University and a B.A. degree from Anderson University.

Frank Merckx

Political Landscape Shaping Diversity & Inclusion Engagement

Given today's provocative and easily ignited climate, how do we navigate political and social land mines that serve to block constructive discussion or actions in our advocacy for diversity and in support of disenfranchised groups? What actions can we take that give voice to the voiceless in a way to effectuate positive change?  Participants who attend this engaging workshop will hear from activists who have made a difference via legislative, grassroots and corporate efforts. Meet our panelists and be inspired to be proactive in your own community, social and/or professional circles.  

Topics include: Diversity engagement, race, religion, gender, culture, LGBTQ, and D&I in the political landscape


Moderators:

Helen Higginbotham
Helen Higginbotham, Esq., MBA is a New Jersery licensed attorney, seasoned manager and former Director of Affirmative Action and Workplace Compliance at Ramapo College. She has a J.D. from Rutgers School of Law, with an emphasis in labor and employment law, a Master of Business Administration from Howard University and a B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Spanish from Rowan University, including a semester abroad studying Spanish at the University of Valencia, Spain.

Higginbotham

Panelists:

Luanne Peterpaul
Luanne Peterpaul is one of the state’s champions for LGBT rights and equality and was the Chair of Garden State Equality (GSE) Action Fund. One of her most notable accomplishments is co-authoring the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, which sailed through both the State Assembly and Senate, and was signed into law by Governor Chris Christie in January 2011.

Peterpaul has played an influential role in most, if not all, of the over 250 laws and local ordinances passed with the guidance of Garden State Equality. She was one of the pioneers in the fight for equality, while also advocating for greater emphasis on educating our youth on diversity, equality and respect for their peers. “Garden State Equality has evolved from a single mission organization – Marriage Equality – an important one at that – to an organization that makes an impact on the lives of the LGBT community and its allies every single day,” said Peterpaul. “I am confident that with the GSE’s executive director, staff and board members, GSE will continue the great work being accomplished. We all must be mindful that we can’t continue to make strides forward and justice will not be served until, as Benjamin Franklin said, ‘those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.’”

She was the recipient of the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award from the LGBT Rights Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Peterpaul served as a board member and chair for 12 years with Garden State Equality.

Luanne Peterpaul

Kaleem Shabazz

Kaleem Shabazz, the Third Ward Councilperson was elected in November 2015. He won the Democratic Primary with over 81% of the vote and was unopposed in the General Election. Shabazz said, “My goal is to represent the people of the Third Ward with intelligence, vigor and dignity. I want to be effective in my advocacy for Atlantic City, efficient in my response to constituent concerns and responsible to insure that government works to the maximum benefit of our residents and citizens.”

A graduate of Rutgers University and Atlantic City High School, he won numerous awards including The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award, The Father Thom Schivago Humanitarian Award (from Beth El Synagogue), The Community Service Award from the Mainland NAACP, and The Community Service Award from the Fellowship of Churches. One of his proudest moments was helping to lead a successful effort to keep a South African-based casino from coming to Atlantic City during the time of apartheid, by speaking at the United Nations.

 Kaleen Shabazz

Jennifer Dunkle
Dr. Jennifer Dunkle is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Stockton University. She earned her Ph.D. from Fordham University, her M.S.W. from Monmouth University and her B.A. in Sociology from Marshall University. Her academic areas of interest include aging, social policy, qualitative research, environmental justice, and community health and well-being. Dr. Dunkle is serving on the Board of Directors for the South Jersey AIDS Alliance and partnering with Garden State Equality and Monmouth University to conduct a statewide needs assessment of LGBT Elders.


Jenny Dunkle 

Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion

We currently live in a political environment in which the case is being made to limit immigration and deport countless immigrants because they are often perceived as criminals, and burdens on our economy.   Yet the foundation of our country’s strength is built on our diversity. The fabric of the United States is intertwined with the culture of many other countries, this diversity of thought, experience, education, knowledge, and values helps to shape and creates opportunities for growth in our economy. This panel we will explore why it is important to foster an environment of inclusivity in order to foster and encourage diversity. 

Moderator:

Marilú Marcillo
Dr. Marilú Marcillo is an Associate Professor of the School of Business at Saint Peter’s University, working with students studying all areas of Business Management, Business Ethics, Marketing and Sustainability.

Under the auspices of the Consulate generals of the governments of Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Chile & Uruguay, Dr. Marcillo works on issues related to educational needs of these immigrant communities in the U.S. She is a special envoy for education and social entrepreneurship for the United Nations office of El Salvador serving a five-year term. She was a panelist at United Nations and spoke on the topic of “The gender perspective in promoting prevention of violence around the world.” Dr. Marcillo was an invited lecturer at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana de Mexico/ International Relations Program. She was a board member of GLACO Foro Educativo.

Dr. Marcillo is director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Saint Peter’s University, reporting directly to the University President. She is chair of the advisory council for The Center for Undocumented Students at Saint Peter’s University. She serves on the four faculty senate committees: Curriculum; Inclusion; Diversity, Equity & Access; and Honors. She is involved in a STEM committee which helps to encourage more under-represented students to pursue STEM degrees at Saint Peter’s University. She is a member of the Sustainability Council and Latin American and Latino Studies Advisory Committee at Saint Peter’s.

Dr. Marcillo graduated from Alfred University with a B.S. in Business Administration. She earned her Master in Business Administration from Centenary College and her Doctor of Management from the Institute for Advanced Science at Colorado Technical University where she concentrated in Environmental and Social Sustainability.

Marilu Marcillo

Panelists:

Jack B. Lewis, DSW. LCSW
Dr. Jack Lewis is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Stockton University. He teaches primarily in the Master of Social Work program. His research interests include teaching cultural competence and cultural humility in higher education, self-care for emerging and professional social workers, and mental health and wellness in minority populations. Dr. Lewis spent 15 years working as a clinician, administrator and educator at the University of Pennsylvania. He began teaching as a part-time lecturer and served in that capacity for eight years at various institutions including University of Pennsylvania, Villanova, Temple, and Rutgers. He earned a B.A. in Psychology from Johns Hopkins, a M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctor in Clinical Social Work.

Jack Lewis

Enilda Mahrer 
Enilda Mahrer is Manager of Diversity and Inclusion at AtlantiCare, a member of Geisinger. She has over 20 years of experience as a Human Resources professional, with a focus on recruitment, employee relations, and most recently diversity management. As Manager of Diversity and Inclusion, she leads Atlanticare’s diversity strategy which includes the design and implementation of practices and programs that foster an environment of inclusion for the workforce and patients. The strategy includes establishing external strategic partnerships and collaboration with business units to effectively manage company-wide inclusion initiatives. She is responsible for the design of workforce cultural competence and diversity education.

Mahrer manages AtlantiCare’s Employee Resource Groups (ERG): Asian-Pacific, African-American, Disabilities, Hispanic, Interfaith, LGBT, Military, Women, Recovery, and Fitness/Well-Being. She provides direction and guidance to the ERGs to enable them to effectively contribute to AtlantiCare’s strategic objectives, while supporting their respective communities. She is a member of the Association of ERGs and Councils.

Under Mahrer’s leadership, and for the seventh year in a row, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has designated AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (ARMC), a member of Geisinger, as a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.” AtlantiCare earned a spot on DiversityInc’s list of Top Hospitals & Health Systems further demonstrating Atlanticare’s commitment to its diversity and inclusion programs.

Mahrer earned a B.S. in Organizational Leadership and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Thomas Edison State University. She has certifications as a Diversity and Affirmative Action Professional and a certificate in Equal Employment Opportunity studies from Rutgers University. She is a member of Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society. She was a member of the Atlantic County Chapter Board for the American Conference on Diversity, where she served as the Vice Chair, Public and Advocacy, and currently serves on its Advisory Board.

 Enilda Mahrer
Suzy Domenick

Suzy Domenick brings 35 years of human resources and leadership experience to her role as a coach. Throughout her career, she has been a leader of teams responsible for coordinating all aspects of human resources for businesses within Fortune 500 companies. During her tenure in corporate human resources, she and her teams oversaw and partnered with the business to further the talent strategy, focusing on right work, right role, right people and right environment. They helped build a performance management culture, further succession management, focus on leadership capability and culture. Her teams have included consulting through HR business partners, performance and effectiveness consultants, labor relations and diversity expertise.

As a champion and advocate for all associates, Domenick influenced leaders to focus on a broader definition of diversity, driving diversity education and changing compensation processes to include diversity results. She also helped the organization navigate through major changes in its business model, hiring practices and creating a performance culture.

During her career, Domenick has helped create a subsidiary in Ireland for software development, as well as lived in Tokyo for six months to enable an acquisition. She has spent much of her career helping to develop leaders through formal education, as well as leadership and executive coaching.

Domenick is now the founder of Emerging You Coaching and Healing, LLC, which is focused on helping individuals reach their goals and transform their lives. In her current business, she uses coaching, centering and meditation, along with Reiki and intuitive healing to help individuals step into their power, clearing out negative energy blocks and propelling them forward, transforming their lives. She recently chronicled her own transformation in the book "The Morning Butterfly," which is also the name of her weekly blog.

 Suzy Domenick

Call and Respond: Dealing with Social Issues on Campus

This workshop will focus on the following two major social issues: 

  1. How New Jersey colleges and universities are addressing the challenges confronting immigrant and undocumented students and their families. 
  2. What steps are being taken and can be taken to address the social problem of food waste as we strive to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger.

Panelists will share what actions are being taken on their own campuses regarding immigration issues and what strategies are being used to minimize food waste and to improve access to food in their communities. 

Topics include: Immigration, DACA, Sanctuary churches/campuses/cities, ICE Campus Programs: Significant, sustainable, and well-vetted measurable outcomes


Moderator: 

Eileen Poiani
Dr. Eileen Poiani is Special Assistant to the President at Saint Peter’s College. She spent over 40 years at Saint Peter’s College as a faculty member and then Vice President of Student Affairs. She was appointed to the Vice President position, making her the first woman Vice President in the history of Saint Peter’s College. During her time as the Vice President, she was a strong supporter of athletics as she oversaw the athletics department. Before becoming Vice President she directed the College’s self study that led to unconditional NCAA Division I certification.

Eilleen Poiani

Panelists:

Brigid D'Souza
Brigid D'Souza is an Assistant Professor with the School of Business at Saint Peter's University and serves on several non-profits in the Jersey City area, including Team Wilderness, Hudson Hospice, and Positive Impact Development. She has published and advocated from a fiscal literacy platform at CivicParent.org which offers content about public finance, including property taxes, municipal budgets, and public-school funding in NJ. As a parishioner at St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church, Brigid was part of a social justice ministry team that helped found the St. Aedan’s Migrant Center, an independent interfaith organization that aims to empower immigrants through education, skills development, and capacity building. She is a licensed CPA with an MBA in Accounting from The George Washington University and has a professional background in public accounting, formerly working for Deloitte and Ernst & Young.

Brigid D'Douza

Jason C. Hernandez, Esq.
Jason Hernandez is a graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. He is an Immigration Rights Attorney at Rutgers Law School and established the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project (RICAP). The RICAP offers free legal consultations and individual representation to Rutgers students and provides community immigration and know-your-rights presentations throughout New Jersey. Hernandez was Director of the Asylee Outreach Project at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a refugee resettlement and immigration legal services nonprofit organization in Philadelphia. He served as co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, connecting Delaware Valley residents to free legal services. He earned his B.A. in Philosophy with a minor in Anthropology from The College of the Holy Cross followed by a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

Jason C. Hernandez 
Leila Costa 

Leila Costa is the Sustainability Manager for Sodexo Universities in the US and Canada. Working on Sodexo's Offer Development team, she designs and pilots new sustainability offers, while also supporting existing corporate responsibility initiatives to meet Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow 2025 Objectives. Costa earned her Master of Environmenta

Costa 

Student Panel Discussion: Stories Worth Telling

The experiences of students in the academy is contextualized through the lens of society. Like past generations, todays college students are challenged to understand and identify their values, passion, beliefs and ethics. The landscape that they encounter is rife with conflicting societal values about gender, race, and religion. Events in the world challenge today’s student to define who they are, what they believe, and the impact they will have on the world. For many this transformation occurs in college.

This workshop provides a forum for students to provide their narrative to examine student experiences. These narratives will explore how student

1) How have your college experiences impacted you?

2) What are your “lived” experiences on and off campus?

3) What is the narrative for your campus from the student stakeholder perspective?

Moderator:

Rev. Forrest Pritchett
Rev. Dr. Forrest Pritchett is Program Director of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Program at Seton Hall University. He is a Faculty Mentor in the Freshman Studies Program.

Rev. Pritchett was acknowledged for his involvement in the community and recognized for his contributions to Seton Hall University. He was awarded the University McQuaid Medal, Employee of the Year, the University Faculty Pirate Pride Award, and the University Human Relations Citation, all at Seton Hall University. The New Jersey Association of Black Educators awarded Rev. Pritchett the Black Educator of the Year Award. The Association for the Study of Afro American Life and History awarded him the Frederick Douglas-Sojourner Truth Award. The Jersey City Library awarded him the Paul Robeson Award. The New Jersey Educational Opportunity Programs awarded him the Educational Champion Award. The New Jersey Convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awarded Rev. Pritchett the Distinguished Educator Award. He earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cooperation for National and Community Service and office of the President of the United States.

Rev. Forrest Pritchett

Da'Niyah Goodwin 
Da'Niyah Goodwin is a junior at the College of Saint Elizabeth, majoring in Business Administration and Communications. She is president of the Black Student Union there and an aspiring journalist.

Dani

Sa’Miyah Wright 
Sa’Miyah Wright is a senior at Stockton University. Her major is Literature with a Concentration in Secondary Education and a minor in Africana studies. She is the Vice President & Educational Chief of the Unified Black Students Society on campus, as well as a Residential Assistant. She is an avid member of Greek Life. Her goal is to liberate black and brown students through teaching Literature in public high schools in underprivileged communities.

Wright

Emani Miles
Emani Miles is a senior at Seton Hall University where she majors in Africana Studies and Political Science. She the founder and president of the Council of Africana Scholars and the president of the Educational Opportunity Program Student Organization. She is also a Martin Luther’s King Scholar and an organizer for the student movement known as the “Concerned 44”. Forty-four (44) percent of Seton Hall’s entering class of approximately fifteen hundred (1500) entering students, identify as “people of color.”

 Miles

Taylor Newkirk
Taylor Newkirk is a junior Psychology major with a minor in Africana Studies. She is the current president of the Seton Hall Black Student Union, delegate of the Black Caucus, member of the National Council of Negro Women, Imani Chapter, and the SHU Inclusion Committee. From Prince George's County, Maryland, Taylor came out to SHU to experience life outside of a predominantly Black community and found that even in the whitest spaces, you can find comrades if you look hard enough.

 Newkirk
Corey Ingram

Corey Ingram Jr, is a young African American man who was raised in Trenton, NJ. He always utilized the tools and education he was given to make a difference in my community whether it be at College of Saint Elizabeth or Trenton. He illustrates diversity by accepting all ideas while trying to have cultural awareness. He is aware that everyone in our society has a different story to tell when it comes to their experience of living. One of his goals in life is to help people from different backgrounds get equal opportunities when it comes to having equal and proper justice in our community as an attorney and later a judge.

 Ingram

Please note this is a preliminary schedule, subject to revision as the Planning Committee has more information.  Please continue to check the web page for additional information.