Conference

Thank you to all who attended the 2019 “Our Stories” Conference

2019 Annual Conference & Diversity Awards

Fostering Conversations that Ignite Change!

Friday, November 15th 2019

7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Sheraton Grand Downtown Phoenix

340 N 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004

#ourstories19

Event Details

“OUR STORIES”, Fostering Conversations that Ignite Change is this year’s conference theme. Storytelling is a unique and powerful way to teach, persuade and understand ourselves and others. It is a uniquely human trait and has been with us nearly as long as we’ve been able to speak. Whether it evolved out of necessity or was simply a by-product of our own intellectual development, stories are deeply embedded in our DNA. Across time and across cultures, stories have proven their worth not just as works of art, historical perspective or amusement, but as catalysts for change. Come listen and learn while you share your story, setting aside judgments and biases and exploring the possibilities that come when we are truly connected.

Registration and Breakfast starts at 7:00 a.m.
Program begins promptly at 8:00 a.m.
Please arrive early and allow additional time for parking and networking.

“I believe that for someone to show respect, they should respect themselves first.”
Student, Trevor Browne

2019 Schedule

7:00am – 7:50am Registration, Continental Breakfast & Networking

8:00am – 8:50am Opening Ceremony, Welcome, Logistics

8:50am – 9:00am Break (Transition to workshops)

9:00am – 10:15am Workshops Session #1 (3 workshops)

10:30am – 11:45am Workshops Session #2 (3 workshops)

11:45am – 12:00pm Break, Youth Speaker

12:00pm – 1:15pm Conference Luncheon and Diversity Awards

1:15pm – 1:30pm Break (Transition to workshops)

1:30pm – 2:45pm Workshops Session #3 (3 workshops)

Workshops

DLA Conference Workshop 1 Presenters and Moderator
Workshop #1

OVERCOMING – Breaking Barriers to Create our Own Stories

Panelists: Capt. Lynn Ripplemeyer, Adonis Watt, Kelly Falardeau
Moderator: Jezreel Ramirez, Program Administrator, Department of Veterans Affairs
read more »
DLA Conference Workshop 2 Presenter
Workshop #2

BELONGING – Owning our Stories

Presenter: Calvin Terrell
read more »
DLA Conference Workshop 3 Presenters and Moderator
Workshop #3

YOU ARE NOT ALONE: The Power of Allyship in Transformation

Panelists: Claire Sarnowski, Angelica Lindsey, Julian Melson
Moderator: Jacque Starks
read more »

“The work of Diversity is about critical conversations. See the value of talking, listening and connecting in a moment when there isn’t a crisis.”
Dr. Neal Lester – ASU Project Humanities
2018 DLA Diversity & Inclusion Award recipient

Our Partners

Champion Partner

$20,000
Partner

$10,000
Advocate Partner

$5,000
Supporter Partner

$3,000
Friends of DLA

$1,000

Accolade
Boeing
Chubb
City of Phoenix-Equal Opportunity Department
City of Phoenix – Water Department
City of Scottsdale
Coconino County
Coconino County – Public Works
Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply
Girl Scouts – AZ Cactus Pine Council
Harvest
Liv Communities
Nationwide Insurance
Scottsdale Community College
Terros Health
Vanguard
YWCA
Partnership Opportunities

Available

Become a DLA Partner today to help support all of DLA’s programs.

LEARN MORE

Partnership Opportunities

2019 Annual Conference Partnership Levels

Champion Partner $20,000 (2 available)
Partner $10,000 (5 available)
Advocate Partner $5,000 (10 available)
Supporter Partner $3,000 (10 available)
Friend of DLA $1,000 (Unlimited Friendships)

Download Partnership Packages

Please contact Joanna De’Shay about partnerships with DLA using the web form below.

“Growing up as a Muslim in America post 911 you have two choices, you either embrace your identity or you fold. I decided to embrace it and go out and develop my own faith, confidence, education and knowledge and then share it with others.”
Yaser Ali – Yaser Ali Law and “Greater Arizona” Founder
2018 DLA Diversity & Inclusion Award recipient

2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award Nominees

Listed below alphabetically, are all of the individuals and companies that were nominated this year.

ARIZONA SHRM
BREANNE IFFERT
CHANTEL WEST
CHUBB
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE
COCONINO COUNTY
DR. SARA BONFIG
EDWARD JONES
GIRL SCOUTS
GOOD WILL INDUSTRIES
INDIA ASSOCIATION
KATE GOLDMAN
KELLA PRICE
KOVILAKONDA BABU
LAYN ABBOTT
LUCINDA ANDREANI
NAACP
NADIA MUSTAFA
PAT GILLUM
ROY TATEM
SARAY LOPEZ
SISTERHOOD EXTRAVAGANZA
TOM FRANKLIN
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX
VANGUARD

2019 Conference Co-Chairs

Elouise Nathaniel
ASAP Recruiting

Reid DeSpiegelaere
National Director
Velo Tutoring Program
Valley of the Sun United Way

We are extremely grateful and honored to have the opportunity this year to work in the capacity as the Conference Co-Chairs. This year we have been blessed with some incredible volunteers that contributed without hesitation by jumping right in to serve. Many of them sacrificed their time to meet after a long day at work and we are incredibly thankful for each and everyone of them. They did an amazing job helping us to pull the conference together and have made this year’s conference one of the best ever!

2019 DLA Conference Planning Committee

Not all committee members pictured above. See full committee list below

Thank you for your support.

- Joanna de’Shay, Executive Director
- Marion Kelly, DLA Co-Founder & Executive Board
- Essen Otu, DLA Board of Directors
- Phil Pangrazio, DLA Board of Directors
- Lee Barnett, DLA Board of Directors / Youth Committee Dominic Bartola, DLA Board/Youth Committee
- Michelle Gray, DLA Board of Directors
- Barry Stratford , DLA Board of Directors
- Dr. Mallary Tytel, DLA Board/Education Committee Chair Francisco Lucio, DLA Board of Directors
- Tina S. Drews, DLA Board of Directors
- Leslie Scott, DLA Board of Directors
- Elouise Nathaniel, Conference Co-Chair
- Reid DeSpiegelaere, Conference Co-Chair and DLA Board
- Dr. Brent Scholar, Education Committee / Website
- Alethea Session, Education Committee/Website
- Betty Thompson, Education Committee
- Tyree Boze, Education Committee
- Shannon Walker, Education Committee
- Suzanne Martin, Education Committee
- Kristen Walker, Conference Committee
- Chantel West, Conference Committee
- Victoria Stinson, Conference Committee
- Sam Dias, Conference Committee
- Kellee Salas, Conference Committee
- Jacque Starks, Conference Committee
- Marcia Edwards, Conference Committee
- Kara Saliba, Conference Committee
- Ronda Lewis, Conference Committee
- Dr. Sara Bonfig, Conference Committee
- Shauniece High, Conference Committee
- Gina Read, Conference Committee
- Gabriela Woody, Conference Committee
- Kamana Khadka, Conference Committee
- Jeff Shewan, Conference Committee
- Tikki Carmichael, Conference Committee
- Julie Fink, Conference Committee
- Kim Phillips, Conference Committee
- Tondra Richardson, Conference committee
- RJ Shannon, Conference Committee
- Terry Mitich, Conference Committee
- ASDdesign, Graphic Design

OVERCOMING - Breaking Barriers to Create our Own Stories

In this powerful workshop, participants will learn the important skills needed to shift and change your mindset about set-backs, life-altering tragedy, adversity, outdated and unfair policies and still shine! Life is all about how we accept and deal with challenges and move through them. This workshop takes a fresh new approach to overcoming by teaching you how to use Inclusion to gain self-awareness of barriers physical, mental, traumatic or even status quo that we put up in our own lives. Our diverse panelist will share their motivation and steps they took to promote positive action and Equity in their fields in order to overcome barriers, increase confidence and celebrate their unique abilities.

Panelists

Capt. Lynn Ripplemeyer - First Female Boeing 747 Pilot

Lynn Rippelmeyer is the first woman to fly the Boeing 747 and also became the first woman to captain the "Jumbo Jet" across the Atlantic Ocean. Lynn believes that you can do anything even when there is no one that has done it before. She believes strongly that it takes 4 things which she calls the 4 C's to become successful: Character, Connection, Competency and Celebration.

Adonis Watt - Visually Impaired Teen Athlete

15-year old Adonis Watt suddenly lost his vision at the age of 5. Following 11 surgeries, he has accepted his "diagnosis" and is ready to move forward and focus his energy on his passion, playing football. He currently plays football for Brophy Prep and hopes to play for the NFL. He is an inspiration to everyone he meets and lives life removing others' blindfolds. Adonis strongly believes that he has to help people "see" him and his capabilities rather than his "diagnosis" .

Kelly Falardeau - TEDx Speaker / Author / Coach

At the age of 2, Kelly was severely burned over 75% of her body in her childhood home. Her life was forever changed in that moment. It led to numerous surgeries, scars and a life of being highly visible, bullied, shunned and sometimes avoided. Kelly found a way to go from near-death to success; from the ugly scar-faced girl to one of the most Powerful and Influential women today. She believes in helping people love their imperfect selves and to see that their tragedies can actually be gifts.

Moderator

Guided in a conversation by:

Jezreel Ramirez, Program Administrator, Department of Veterans Affairs

In this workshop participants will leave knowing how to:

Apply 3 ways to shift mindset from block to rock.

Identify barriers holding you back from your excellence.

Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Conference

Thank you to all who attended the 2019 “Our Stories” Conference

2019 Annual Conference & Diversity Awards

Sheraton Grand Downtown Phoenix

340 N 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004

#ourstories19

Event Details

“I believe that for someone to show respect, they should respect themselves first.” Student, Trevor Browne

2019 Schedule

Workshops

OVERCOMING – Breaking Barriers to Create our Own Stories

BELONGING – Owning our Stories

YOU ARE NOT ALONE: The Power of Allyship in Transformation

“The work of Diversity is about critical conversations. See the value of talking, listening and connecting in a moment when there isn’t a crisis.” Dr. Neal Lester – ASU Project Humanities 2018 DLA Diversity & Inclusion Award recipient

Our Partners

Champion Partner

$20,000

Partner

$10,000

Advocate Partner

$5,000

Supporter Partner

$3,000

Friends of DLA

$1,000

Partnership Opportunities

Available

Partnership Opportunities

2019 Annual Conference Partnership Levels

2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award Nominees

2019 Conference Co-Chairs

2019 DLA Conference Planning Committee

** Not all committee members pictured above. See full committee list below **

Workshop #1

OVERCOMING - Breaking Barriers to Create our Own Stories

Panelists

Capt. Lynn Ripplemeyer - First Female Boeing 747 Pilot

Adonis Watt - Visually Impaired Teen Athlete

Kelly Falardeau - TEDx Speaker / Author / Coach

Moderator

Jezreel Ramirez, Program Administrator, Department of Veterans Affairs

Workshop #2

BELONGING - Owning our Stories

Presenter

Calvin Terrell, Social Centric Institute

Objectives

Workshop 3

YOU ARE NOT ALONE: The Power of Allyship in Transformation

Panelists

Claire Sarnowski - Teen who helped pass Genocide Bill

Angelica Lindsey-Ali - Muslim Women's Health Advocate

Julian Melson - Mayo Clinic, LGBTQI Advocate

Moderator

Jacque Starks

Objectives

“I believe that for someone to show respect, they should respect themselves first.”
Student, Trevor Browne

“The work of Diversity is about critical conversations. See the value of talking, listening and connecting in a moment when there isn’t a crisis.”
Dr. Neal Lester – ASU Project Humanities
2018 DLA Diversity & Inclusion Award recipient

Not all committee members pictured above. See full committee list below