Diversity Professionals Gather for The Pennsylvania Diversity & Leadership Conference

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2^nd Annual Pennsylvania Diversity & Leadership Conference, which will be held September 16 in Pittsburgh and September 22 in Philadelphia, allows professionals the opportunity to network, grow, and learn in an environment of leaders devoted to promoting diversity in their fields. Wal-Mart is serving as the title sponsor for the Pittsburgh event.

“The Pennsylvania Diversity and Leadership conference presents a tremendous opportunity for the state of Pennslyvania to improve its community, by educating leaders on the importance of diversity and inclusion best practices”

“The Pennsylvania Diversity and Leadership conference presents a tremendous opportunity for the state of Pennslyvania to improve its community, by educating leaders on the importance of diversity and inclusion best practices,” said Dennis Kennedy, Founder and CEO of the National Diversity Council.

This year’s theme is “"DiversityFIRST™: Creating New Opportunities for Your Community." As the Pennsylvania area experiences demographic changes, new opportunities have risen to embrace diversity and inclusion practices, not only in the workplace, but in the community as well. The Pennsylvania Diversity and Leadership conference is dedicated to educating both corporate and community leaders in these aspects, in order for everyone to learn to value and respect differences.

The conference will consist of over 12 excellent sessions dedicated to diversity and leadership, along with nationally known keynote speaker Donna Brazile at the Pittsburgh event, and Dr. Cornell West in Philadelphia.

Awards will also be presented at the conferences for Most Powerful and Influential Women of Pennsylvania, and Multicultural Leadership.

Most Powerful Award Winners

Patricia Andrade-Gordon				Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical R&D
Charlene Newkirk				Community College of Allegheny County
Helen Pudlin				PNC Financial Services Group
Cheryl Parzych				First Commonwealth
Olga Lagunova				CA Technologies
Nicolle Bagnell				Reed Smith
Catherine Caponi				EDMC
Lisa H. Barton				Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Sara Oliver-Carter				Highmark
Jennifer L. Cairns				McguireWoods
Linda Drago				Duquesne University
Julie Coletti				BayerHealthCare
Tina Waters				Comcast Cable
Eloise Young				Philadelphia Gas Works
Nancy Rogers				Lincoln Financial Group
Kristina Gilbert				Accenture


Multicultural Award Winners

James Barnes				Reed Smith
Vincent Johnson				PNC Financial Services Group
Zauyah Waite				Chatham University
Howard Ishiyama				LaRoche College
Larry Turner				Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Korry Greene				Eckert Seamans
Simon Cao				Comcast Cable
Lucretia Clemons				Ballard Spahr