PROVIDENCE – Six organizations and one individual will be honored by Providence Business News at its second annual Diversity & Inclusion Summit & Awards Program. Their efforts will be recognized during the paper’s annual summit discussing diversity and inclusion on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick.
Providence Business News is once again recognizing organizations and an individual committed to promoting and enhancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
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Linda H. Newton, founder of Providence-based nonprofit Diversity & Inclusion Professionals and principle of consulting firm Newton & Newton LLC, was named the Overall Diversity Champion for this year’s program.
Newton worked for more than 25 years in the health insurance sector as vice president of community relations and diversity for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. There, Newton developed, integrated and managed the company’s corporate social responsibility and diversity business strategies, where she achieved noticeable improvements over a three-year period.
Newton has also served on panels and committees to help foster diversity and inclusion. She served on the National Board of the American Lung Association from 2004 until 2008 where she was involved with strategic planning and chaired the board’s cultural diversity committee. She also was recently part of a panel discussion at Brown University’s Alpert School of Medicine Symposium on diversity within the patient-centered medical home.
The organizations to be recognized at the event are:
- Education: Roger Williams University
- Financial Services: Fidelity Investments
- Health Care: CVS Health Corp.
- Insurance Services: MetLife Auto & Home Insurance Agency Inc.
- Legal Services: Nixon Peabody LLP
- Nonprofit/Social Service Agency: Amos House
A panel discussion will be held at the start of the event at 8:30 a.m. The experts will share their personal stories of struggles and successes in implementing successful diversity and inclusion programs within their organizations. The panelists are:
- Nirva LaFortune, Providence city councilor and assistant director of scholars programs and university initiatives, Brown University
- Kim Lee, vice president of diversity and inclusion, International Game Technology PLC
- Marianna Monte, chief people officer, Shawmut Design and Construction
The panelists will discuss:
- The corporate role of diversity and inclusion in 2019 and beyond
- Overcoming unconscious bias in the workplace
- Building an inclusive environment through corporate-wide, ongoing initiatives
- Leveraging employee resource groups
- Developing employee retention programs
- Challenges to employee recruitment
- The value of diversity in leadership roles
Winners will receive their honors at 10 a.m. after the discussion. The event is sponsored by Bank of America N.A. and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Tickets cost $75 in advance and $80 at the door, and may be purchased on the PBN website.
James Bessette is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Research@PBN.com.
