Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice, and Your Job Search

This webinar is focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, and identity in the job search process.
By Alumni Career Team

For many job seekers, the job search is fraught with all manner of challenges not least of which is unconscious bias in application and job search processes and opaque understanding of prospective employer culture. Join us for a transparent conversation with Dr. Deborah S. Willis, senior program lead for the DEI certificate program and program manager for professional and academic development at Rackham Graduate School of the University of Michigan, Payal Beri, motivational and leadership coach, and Mary Larkin, DEI Consultant, as we unpack both the challenges and best practices for our alumni and students as they job search in the face of such adversity.

About the panelists

Dr. Deborah S. Willis is the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Certificate Program lead senior and the program manager for professional and academic development at the Rackham Graduate School of the University of Michigan. She is also a member of the Graduate Career Consortium an organization providing a national voice for graduate-level career and professional development leaders. Prior to her role at Rackham, Deborah served as Women of Color project coordinator for the Center for Education of Women at the University of Michigan. Deborah has her Ph.D. in sociology and is a contributor to Inside Higher Ed. She thrives on empowering both students and those she serves to grow in their professions and careers.

Payal Beri, M.A. is a former clinical therapist and current Leadership & Motivational Coach for Emerging Women Leaders of Color. She holds a Masters in Clinical Psychology, Marriage, and Family Therapy and is currently a Ph.D. candidate (2020) with research focusing on leading with empathy and psychological safety to create dual accountability in the workplace. For over a decade, Payal Beri has empowered women stepping into positions of leadership to lead with confidence, authenticity, and purpose, preventing them from making mistakes made by most first-time leaders. Her unique complement of mental wellness and leadership development, allows her to tap into the deepest element of our human psyche with practical steps to improve engagement and communicate change.

Mary Larkin is a Strategy Consultant within Diversity and Inclusion at Trinity Health. She helps to create and sustain inclusive and welcoming environments for all patients and colleagues, with specialized training and expertise in working with LGBTQ+ individuals. Additionally, she works across the system to deliver Unconscious Bias education and provide system-wide consultative services in alignment with Trinity Healths Diversity and Inclusion strategy. She has spent her professional career supporting diversity and inclusion efforts through social justice education and influencing equitable policy and practice. Prior to coming to Trinity Health, she spent 15 years in Higher Education supporting marginalized students and staff from many different backgrounds and experiences. Mary also serves as an adjunct lecturer in Educational Leadership at Eastern Michigan University. She received a Master’s degree in Health Education from EMU and is deeply connected to the Ypsilanti community.

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