Today’s guest believes in celebrating and embracing diversity.

With a unique and practical approach to diversity and inclusion, she helps leaders and teams promote a more inclusive work environment. She brings a fresh and uniquely positive approach to diversity keynote talks, while still challenging the status quo.

Her work has been featured in USA Today, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Fast Company. She’s appeared on CNN, the Today Show, the BBC, and National Public Radio. She has been named one of Chicago’s Notable LGBTQ Executives by Crain’s Chicago Business and one of the Top 25 Women in Meetings by Meetings and Conventions Magazine.

She is the CEO of Equality Institute and an award-winning author of 4 books including “Inclusive 360: Proven Solutions for an Equitable Organization.”

Please join me in welcoming Bernadette Smith.

In this episode we discuss:

• her thoughts on leadership: “Leadership is someone inspiring and guiding a team towards a shared sense of purpose and goals.”
• how she used her vision to get into Woodstock ‘94 with her friends and raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
• how she found her voice in her late teens.
• the origin story of her event planning business focused on gay weddings during the start of the fight for marriage equality.
• how event planning for LGBTQ couples led to a DEI-focused transition.
• how the universe humbled her at the precise moment she wasn’t being true to herself.
• how writing a weekly newsletter can be a great way to build relationships.
• how she nurtures and sustains her network.

Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.OnTheSchmooze.com.