Companies can’t afford to treat diversity, equity and inclusion as afterthoughts. And DEI is much more than policies or headcounts. By implementing thoughtful DEI initiatives that generate meaningful change, companies can positively impact their brand, create a more engaged and productive workforce, and earn deeper trust from their team and the community. DEI can also impact the bottom line. A recent study found that more ethnically and culturally diverse businesses are as much as 36% more profitable than the least diverse companies.
Join Venture Connectors on Wednesday, December 1, for a panel discussion featuring four Louisville founders on why DEI efforts are good for business. Register for the event here.
Jeremiah Chapman is co-founder & CEO of Fresh Fry LLC. A Louisville native, he has been recognized by Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Louisville.
Spencer Jenkins is the founder and executive director of Queer Kentucky. He is a 2012 graduate of Western Kentucky University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. He is passionate about community journalism, specifically underrepresented identities such as LGBTQ people. He is an activist and advocate for the LGBTQ community and educates the Louisville community and beyond about LGBTQ lives. He was recently named one of Business First’s Forty Under 40.
Aaron Jordan is the CEO and founder of the Black Complex and Recording Arts and Sciences Bootcamp (RASB), as well as an activist and advocate for community empowerment. He is a graduate of the historically Black Tennessee State University, with a bachelor’s degree in integrated marketing Communications.
Lecresha Sewell is the CEO and founder of Melanated Healthcare LLC. She is a doctorally prepared women’s health nurse practitioner who is passionate about eliminating health disparities and improving health outcomes for all.
The panel will be moderated by Kayla Meisner, licensing and new ventures manager for Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV) and Venture Connectors board member. At KCV, she is dedicated to the commercialization of technologies from partner universities and colleges that moves great ideas and research to products on the market for public benefit. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in bioengineering and biomedical engineering from the University of Louisville.
The event will be held at TEN20 Craft Brewery, located at 1020 E. Washington St. Doors open at 11:45 a.m., with the program from noon to 1 p.m. and networking afterward. Members attend free, and guests are $40. For questions, email us at contact@ventureconnectors.org.