Doors open at 8:15 AM, please be prompt to ensure entry and seating before the symposium commences. 

Dr. Towanna Burrous

Dr. Delatorro L. McNeal, II – Shift into A Higher Gear

Daily, we have the opportunity to shift. Shift our focus, shift our surroundings, shift our relationships, shift our mental state, and even shift our finances. However, we often don’t recognize how vital even the smallest of shifts can be that make a big difference. In this powerful interactive talk, Dr. Delatorro McNeal teaches the simplicity of making small shifts in every area of our lives that help us perform at higher levels consistently. He empowers us to expose the excuses we make, remove the errors we have become accustomed to, and leverage the minor things that propel us towards major success.

Networking at the CDI symposium is a great way to meet new professionals and make long-lasting relationships.

Sophia Toh – Braving Our Journey with Psychological Safety

No stranger to big career moves, restaurateur turned corporate executive turned leadership coach Sophia Toh talks about what psychological safety is and is not and how one can foster psychological safety on an organizational level while leveraging curiosity and self-compassion to build confidence and break down fear on an individual level. Sophia will leverage stories and her 30+ years of work experience to help the attendees grasp the concepts and activate their action plans toward building a sanctuary of inclusion and an incubator of creativity both collectively and individually.

Jesse Leon – I’m Not Broken: Book for Survivors

Lunch is provided in Ballroom A.

Derek Anderson – Stamina….Don’t Run Out Of Breath Before You Win

Derek’s cloudy upbringing helped him see a vision that would enable him to accomplish things that no one else could ever imagine. He never accepted the idea that childhood trauma would define him, and he truly believed in his ability to learn how to be better than his situation. 

Stamina is inspired by a life journey of a young child finding enough strength and courage to go out into the world and achieve their dreams.

Now, Derek shares his journey in his Amazon Best Selling Book, Stamina. The autobiography shows how he made the decision to self-educate and create a path by himself, for himself. His belief is that committing to working harder than anyone else will ultimately determine your future and whatever you put in your mind is EXACTLY what you will receive in life.

Presented by Dr. Towanna Burrous

Joseph Riddle – Enabling Neurodivergence in the Workplace

Networking at the CDI symposium is a great way to meet new professionals and make long-lasting relationships.

Dr. Joanna Jenkins and Dr. Oyame KenZoe Brian J. Selassie-Okpe  – 

The Future of Work; High Performer vs High Conformer

Major events like the racial reckoning of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have reshaped existing workforce trends and forged new opportunities for the mid 21st century. Inclusive leaders are uniquely poised to choose a more dynamic future and trailblaze paths for the global community. Dr. Jenkins and Dr. O’Kenzoe will delve into what’s next and what we can be inspired by during this time of upheaval, upskill and vast uncertainty.

Dr. Towanna Burrous & Miguel Joey Avilés

Meet other Alumni and establish long-lasting social relationships and/or business relationships in a social environment.