Philadelphia Society of People and Strategy: JEDI Forum

JEDI Forum

We are offering a full day of sessions with a Keynote. It’s a pick your own adventure with the sessions in the morning repeated in the afternoon so you can attend as many as you like. The sessions will be recorded so if you miss one and would like to watch it at a later day you may.

Members: included with membership; Guests: $10

This program has been pre-approved for the following Professional Development Credits.

PSPS is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDC) for SHRM-CP ® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

Here are the sessions and keynote we are offering.

8:30 – 9:00 am

• Opening Remarks/Networking

9:00 – 9:45 am

• Disability Justice: Moving Beyond Compliance to True Inclusion
  Speaker: RoMaine Jones-Wise, Sr. Consultant, Exude Human Capital
  • Shifting from accommodation to universal design principles
  • Centering disabled voices in organizational decision-making
  • Creating cultures that recognize and value diverse abilities
  • Innovative approaches to workplace accessibility beyond legal requirements
• Intergenerational Leadership: Bridging Experience and Innovation for Workplace Equity
  Speaker: Dr. Kristin Austin, VP, Culture & Community Impact, Rewriting the Code
  • Addressing age-based stereotypes and bias
  • Creating mentorship programs that value both traditional and emerging perspectives
  • Designing policies that support employees across life stages
  • Measuring and enhancing intergenerational collaboration outcomes
• Geographic Diversity: Addressing Urban-Rural Divides in a Remote Work
  Speaker: Kaela Blanks, Global Manager, People Access & Belonging, Global Payment
  • Leveraging remote work to create opportunities in underserved regions
  • Understanding and mitigating location-based biases in hiring and advancement
  • Building inclusive company cultures across distributed teams
  • Case studies of successful geographic diversity initiatives

10:00 – 10:45 am

• Religious Inclusion: Creating Respectful Workplaces for Diverse Belief SystemsSpeaker: Jennifer Joseph, Lead Consultant, Jennifer Joseph Enterprises
  • Developing faith-inclusive policies and practices
  • Addressing religious stereotypes and microaggressions
  • Balancing individual expression with organizational culture
  • Strategies for meaningful religious accommodation beyond holidays
• Socioeconomic Inclusion: Breaking Down Class Barriers in Professional Spaces
  Speaker: Dr. Joanna Vazquez, Director of Organizational Development, Children’s Crisis Treatment Center
  • Examining how socioeconomic background influences career trajectories
  • Designing equitable compensation and benefits structures
  • Creating pathways for advancement regardless of educational pedigree
  • Building truly inclusive networking and mentorship opportunities that transcend class divides
• Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Harnessing Cognitive Differences as Organizational Strengths
  Speaker: Kevin Davis, Principal, EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants; Motivational Speaker
  • Understanding and valuing different cognitive processing styles
  • Creating sensory-friendly work environments
  • Developing recruitment and management practices that support neurodiverse talent
  • Measuring the innovation benefits of cognitively diverse teams

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

• Keynote: The Infusion of Technology & Empathy as a Tool
  Speaker: Marius Mathisen, CEO/Co-Founder, Pletly & EmpathyTech
  • How organizations can audit AI systems for hidden biases
  • Strategies for inclusive AI development that represents diverse perspectives
  • The ethical implications of AI in hiring, healthcare, and public services
  • Creating governance frameworks that prioritize equity and accessibility
  • Real-world examples of successful inclusive AI implementation is would make for a compelling keynote as organizations are increasingly relying on AI systems for decision-making processes, making the conversation about equity and inclusion within these systems particularly urgent and relevant in 2025.

12:00 – 1:00 pm

• Lunch with Community Partners: Women’s Resource Center, Salvation Army, Blood Cancer United & Covenant House

1:00 – 1:45 pm

• Religious Inclusion: Creating Respectful Workplaces for Diverse Belief SystemsSpeaker: Jennifer Joseph, Lead Consultant, Jennifer Joseph Enterprises
  • Developing faith-inclusive policies and practices
  • Addressing religious stereotypes and microaggressions
  • Balancing individual expression with organizational culture
  • Strategies for meaningful religious accommodation beyond holidays
• Socioeconomic Inclusion: Breaking Down Class Barriers in Professional Spaces
  Speaker: Dr. Joanna Vazquez, Director of Organizational Development, Children’s Crisis Treatment Center
  • Examining how socioeconomic background influences career trajectories
  • Designing equitable compensation and benefits structures
  • Creating pathways for advancement regardless of educational pedigree
  • Building truly inclusive networking and mentorship opportunities that transcend class divides
• Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Harnessing Cognitive Differences as Organizational Strengths
  Speaker: Kevin Davis, Principal, EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants; Motivational Speaker
  • Understanding and valuing different cognitive processing styles
  • Creating sensory-friendly work environments
  • Developing recruitment and management practices that support neurodiverse talent
  • Measuring the innovation benefits of cognitively diverse teams

2:00 – 2: 45 pm

• Disability Justice: Moving Beyond Compliance to True Inclusion
  Speaker: RoMaine Jones-Wise, Sr. Consultant, Exude Human Capital
  • Shifting from accommodation to universal design principles
  • Centering disabled voices in organizational decision-making
  • Creating cultures that recognize and value diverse abilities
  • Innovative approaches to workplace accessibility beyond legal requirements
• Intergenerational Leadership: Bridging Experience and Innovation for Workplace EquitySpeaker: Dr. Kristin Austin, VP, Culture & Community Impact, Rewriting the Code
  • Addressing age-based stereotypes and bias
  • Creating mentorship programs that value both traditional and emerging perspectives
  • Designing policies that support employees across life stages
  • Measuring and enhancing intergenerational collaboration outcomes
• Geographic Diversity: Addressing Urban-Rural Divides in a Remote Work
  Speaker: Kaela Blanks, Global Manager, People Access & Belonging, Global Payment
  • Leveraging remote work to create opportunities in underserved regions
  • Understanding and mitigating location-based biases in hiring and advancement
  • Building inclusive company cultures across distributed teams
  • Case studies of successful geographic diversity initiatives

2:45 – 3:00 pm

Closing Remarks