Course Catalog > Executive Education > Leadership & Management

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Certificate Program

Learning Outcomes Student Profiles Program Schedule Instructor Bio Success Stories Register Now
Overview
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) serve as powerful elements that drive progress and facilitate the mission of an organization. DEI leaders strategically leverage their leadership and organizational capacities to realize and sustain its benefits, apply models that intentionally create conditions to maximize inclusive excellence, engage key stakeholders, and create appropriate accountability and measurements that drive competitive advantage. Offered in partnership with the award-winning Office of Inclusion & Diversity at UVU, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership Certificate Program develops leaders who understand DEI, its importance, and how to apply best practices to their team's fundamental challenges. Participants will create a strategic initiative plan, engage in innovative, interactive approaches, shape more inclusive environments, and affect systemic practices in the workplace that enact positive, sustainable change.
Learning Outcomes
Modules in the program focus on UVU’s I-LEAD model and provide powerful, strategic DEI topics, principles, and best practices designed to provide leaders with knowledge and skill in: Strategic Communication Sustained Cultural & Organizational Change Assessment & Awareness Inclusive Leadership Strategies Policy & Compliance Practical Skills & Approaches to Implement DEI Upon completion of the program you will: Understand your identity and how it shapes your world view, interactions, and leadership style Learn skills critical to effectively lead diverse teams and organizations Build tools to lead organizational change towards equality and inclusion Know basic DEI program management best practices Feel comfortable engaging in discussions about gender, race, sexuality, diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organizations, communities, and homes
Student Profiles
The program is designed for mid-to-senior level managers, team leaders, executives and professionals looking to advance their understanding of DEI concepts and to facilitate more inclusive opportunities. Participants will include individuals with a variety of experience, including current or emerging leaders with direct or indirect responsibility for designing, developing, and/or implementing DEI initiatives on their teams or within their organizations. Participants will benefit from learning how to define, organize, measure, improve and/or more effectively participate in DEI projects in fulfilling their roles.
Schedule
UVU Executive Education has a long-established reputation for delivering high-quality leadership, management, professional, and entrepreneurial education programs and resources. Modules in this program focus on powerful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leadership topics, principles, strategies, and best practices. All sessions are available live online via Zoom. The final session will also be held in person at UVU's Lehi Campus for those who can attend. Sessions are presented in a highly interactive format that enables participants to easily engage with the instructor and other participants, including joining in small group work and networking opportunities. All sessions are recorded and made available to participants unable to attend.
Session 1 :: Strategic DEI Planning and Introduction of Action Plan
This session establishes the importance of DEI and explores experiences from the field. Introduction of a thought framework will bring the group onto common ground in discussion of the business case of DEI. Identification of the lenses one brings to the world and how those lenses affect who and what one sees will support understanding and building of the framework of DEI.
Session 2 :: DEI as a Leadership Skill, Part 1
This session begins the discussion of leadership skills pertinent to DEI initiatives, the first being self-awareness of personal lenses and why participants are a part of the program. This session seeks to begin work in the DEI space for participants by confronting and accepting what exists within participants themselves. A discussion on active listening and empathy moves the change model from self to others.
Session 3 :: DEI as a Leadership Skill, Part 2
This session continues the discussions and efforts of the previous week by continuing to move the focus of change from one’s self to outward efforts toward other individuals and within organizations. Discussion continues around leadership skills needed for DEI efforts, including optimizing leadership teams, and protecting people legally within the organization.
Session 4 :: Leading DEI Change, Part 1
This session goes more deeply into leadership skills in relation to organizational change. Working with stakeholders and pushing real, effectual change requires understanding not only of what works, but also understanding of what does not work, and tying real change into organizational values. The second half of the session will be exploring the current state of the field of the racial equity movement in a panel.
Session 5 :: Leading DEI Change, Part 2
This session focuses on identifying key stakeholders, speaking to a particular audience, and leveraging storytelling in order to communicate need and win support. The rest of the session focuses on the history of patriarchal systems and the current goals and priorities of the gender equality movement. The session then focuses on how to foster and support gender equality in the workplace.
Session 6 ::Leading DEI Change, Part 3
This session focuses on two large protected populations’ histories and contemporary considerations: neurodiversity and accessibility and LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality efforts. Understanding how to embed accessibility in DEI work is essential in understanding and using untapped talent. Discussion of the history of LGBTQ+ change movement as well as promoting LGBTQ+ safety are important considerations in DEI change.
Session 7 :: Community Outreach within DEI
This session returns to the organization and how to help create organizational DEI goals that are relevant and attainable. Holding organizations and stakeholders accountable for said goals is another DEI leadership skill. Continued exploration and discussion of outreach efforts for DEI, including topics such as supplier diversity and community outreach will assist participants in creating their personal DEI action plans.
Session 8 :: Final Insights from the Pros
This session will conclude the program. A panel of Chief Diversity Officers will offer professional insights from the current field. Discussion of building inclusive communities using presented DEI action plans and program reflections will take place, followed by the graduation ceremony.
Instructors
Astrid S. Tuminez PhD MA President \| Utah Valley University Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez PhD MA serves as Co-Lead of the program and as Utah Valley University’s first female President. She previously served as Southeast Asia Regional Director of Corporate, External & Legal Affairs at Microsoft, Vice Dean of Research and Assistant Dean of Executive Education at National University of Singapore, Senior Research Consultant at US Institute of Peace, Director of Research, Alternative Investments at AIG Global, Program Officer at Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Fellow, Center for Science and International Affairs and Director, Moscow Office. President Tuminez earned her PhD in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, her MA degree in Soviet Studies from Harvard, and her BA degree in International Relations & Russian Literature from Brigham Young University.
Kate Toronto MA Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion \| Guidewire Software Kate Toronto currently leads the diversity, equity, and inclusion program for Guidewire Software, a B2B tech company based in San Francisco, California. Before this role, she served as Nu Skin Enterprises’ first Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Prior to her pivot into full-time diversity, equity, and inclusion work, she specialized in organizational learning and development, working across OD and talent management at Nu Skin, Kodiak Cakes, Northwestern Mutual, and as a consultant. Kate believes in the power of community outreach and has volunteered extensively at House of Hope, a women’s home for women overcoming drug and alcohol addiction, and at Independence High School, a high school serving a highly diverse student base in Provo, Utah. Kate earned her MA degree in Psychology in Education from Columbia University. Her graduate research looked at coping strategies and life outcomes of LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints, and was nominated for Columbia’s highest academic honor awarded for graduate research. She earned her BS degree in Business Administration & Management with an in Organizational Behavior & Human Resources from Brigham Young University.
Kyle Reyes PhD MEd Vice President Institutuinal Advancement \| Utah Valley University Kyle Reyes PhD MEd serves as UVU’s first Vice President of Institutional Advancement. He previously served as the President’s Special Assistant for Inclusion & Chief Diversity Officer, developing and implementing UVU’s nationally-recognized strategic inclusion and diversity plan. He also previously served as President’s Chief of Staff, Associate Professor of Multicultural Education, Director of Student Success & Retention, and as Counselor for the Latino Initiative Outreach, GEAR UP, TRIO Outreach, and Navajo Nation Intercultural Immersive programs. He is an award-winning consultant, instructor and author on diversity, equity and inclusion. Kyle earned his PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Utah, and his MEd in Educational Leadership & Foundations and his BA degree in Visual Arts from Brigham Young University.
Amy Allebest MLA Host \|Breaking Down the Patriarchy Podcast Amy McPhie Allebest is a writer and educator whose work focuses on systemic patriarchy. She is the host of Breaking Down Patriarchy podcast, an education project that brings essential texts in Women's Studies to a wide audience every week. She holds a BA from Brigham Young University, and an MLA from Stanford University.
Matthew Eric Nelson MPA Dean of the Sophomore Class \| Menlo School Matthew Nelson currently serves as the Dean of the Sophomore class and teaches interdisciplinary courses in the History Department at Menlo School in Atherton, CA. He hopes to offer a seminar to Menlo students on queer theory and gender studies in the near future. Prior to these glorious years at Menlo, he was the chair of the Theology Department at the Woodside Priory School leading students in explorations of the history of religion, philosophy, and Benedictine Catholic spirituality. Matthew received his M.Div. from Harvard University and is striving to finish his studies in Stanford’s Master of Liberal Arts program. Matthew and his loving husband call their industrial loft in Oakland home.
Success Stories
“The world and DEI’s role within it is evolving every day – companies must be nimble in order to bring DEI to the forefront of its organization’s goals and strategies. UVU’s DEI certificate is crafted with this ever changing world and the necessity of DEI to organizations in mind. The program provided me with new perspectives on this important topic and the issues my colleagues across Utah and the world face. I recommend this program to anyone looking to learn more about DEI and expand their minds.” – Jessica Pantages, Chief Communications Officer \| NSF International
“I very much appreciate the variety of topics and perspectives included in the DEI program. There were so many talented and insightful individuals brought together to share their knowledge and experience with us. There was also a lot of value in learning from the other participants and engaging in discussion surrounding the topics of DEI. I was able to form new relationships with other DEI professionals that will continue into the future both in and out of my organization.” – Haley Summerhays, Nurse Practitioner \| Intermountain Healthcare
“The thing I found most valuable was the in-depth conversations and debates with the other participants inspired by portions of presentations. It was really valuable to have more nuanced conversations with other DEI practitioners. Overall, a fantastic class – I got a ton out of it, and it was more nourishing than I anticipated to be back in a cohort learning together. Thank you!” – Meredith Wilson, Enterprise Communications Specialist \| Intermountain Healthcare
“I really appreciated having open and authentic conversations with colleagues working in the same space as I am. When you are building strategy to change the paradigm of the way organizations work to fully embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, these types of dialogues are crucial and having other people there to challenge and celebrate those ideas is even more important.” – Angela Choberka, Member Equity Consultant \| Intermountain Healthcare

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