The Diversity & Inclusion Research Conference focuses on how research can help address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion across society.
DIRC18 By the Numbers
49 Presenters
Nearly 200 Attendees
16 Partners
#DIRC18
Thank you to everyone who came to the first annual 2018 Research Conference on Diversity & Inclusion. With the support of our incredible sponsors, we had nearly 200 attendees and 49 amazing speakers and panelists from within and outside the CUNY community who all helped to make this conference a great success.
Looking for Online Content?
The DIRC18 Agenda below can give you an idea of what you’ve missed, but don’t worry! While DIRC18 was an in person event, DIRC20 was entirely virtual.
You can view many of the talks and workshops from 2020 by browsing the DIRC20 Agenda.
DIRC18 Agenda
DIRC18 was a day packed with exciting content and multiple opportunities for networking during meals and breaks. Panels of external speakers from government agencies, foundations, corporations, investment firms and the media discussed the value of Diversity & Inclusion research across their respective organizations, as well as how it may be of relevance to the CUNY Communities.
Sessions
D&I as a Field of Research
Paolo Gaudiano
Diverse Abilities
Rick Guidotti
Preparing Students as Entrepreneurs
Moderator: Sage Ramadge
Panelists: Jasmine Cardona, Faith Fraser, Lindsay Siegel & Ying Zhou
Preparing Students for Careers
Moderator: Bradley Michelson
Panelists: Nakisha Evans, Jo-ann Rolle, Judith Spitz & Michele Valdez
Government Panel
Moderator: Gilda Barabino
Panelists: Victoria Bowens, Jessie DeAro, Bridget Gonzales & Gary Johnson
Foundations Panel
Moderator: Andrea Shapiro Davis
Panelists: Lee Bynum, Rahsaan Harris, Chris Kasabach & Noorain Khan
Investors Panel
Moderator: Glen Patterson
Panelists: Brian Laung Aoaeh, Jennifer Jones, Marcia Nelson & Alicia Syrett
Corporate Panel
Moderator: Angela Chitkara
Panelists: Rajesh Anandan, Lola Banjo, Brad MacAfee & Greg Reynolds
Media Panel
Moderator: Joanna Hernandez
Panelists: Kate Brodock, Katie Orenstein, Jordan Weiss & Kim Weisul
CUNY Lightning Pitches
Timothy Paglione, Gilda Barabino, Andrew Mendelson & Justin Brown
Ramona Hernández, Marcia Y. Cantarella, Dionne Miller & Barbara Bookman
Join us for DIRC21, taking place on Nov. 17-19, 2021.
Get your ticket today!
Meet The DIRC18 Presenters
Click on any of the images below to learn more about the DIRC18 presenters.
Rajesh Anandan
ULTRA Testing
Barbara Bookman
CUNY Disability Services
Joshua Brumberg
Dean for the Science, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Marcia Cantrella
Co-Director at the Hunter College Brothers for Excellence
(CUNY Black Male Initiative)
Joanna Hernandez
Director of Diversity Initiatives
at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
Jennifer Jones
Co-Founder of Women You Should Fund
Bradley Michelson
Industry Liaison at Tech Works
Dr. Timothy Paglione
Chair, Dept. of Earth & Physical Sciences at York College, CUNY
Dr. Jo-Ann Rolle
Dean of Medgar Evers College,
School of Business, CUNY
Alicia Syrett
Founder & CEO of Pantegrion Capital
Jordan Weiss
Diversity in Action
Brian Laung Aoaeh
Partner at Particle Ventures
Victoria Bowens
Director, Diversity and Inclusion Management at Department of the Navy
Lee Bynum
Associate Director/Senior Program Associate at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Jessie DeAro
Program Officer at National Science Foundation
Dr. Ramona Hernández
Director at the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute
Chris Kasabach
Watson Foundation
Dionne Miller
LaGuardia College
Glen Patterson
CCNY Faculty and Venture Advisor
Martin Ruck
CUNY Graduate Center
Michele Valdez
Director at TechHire
Kimberly Weisul
Editor-at-Large at Inc.
Lola Banjo
Strategic Innovation Executive at Salesforce
Kate Brodock
CEO of Women 2.0
Jasmine Cardona
Director, CSI Tech Incubator at College of Staten Island
Paolo Gaudiano
Co-founder & Chief Scientist, Aleria, ARC, QSDI
Letitia James
Public Advocate for the City of New York
Noorain Khan
Program Officer, Office of the President at Ford Foundation
Marcia Nelson
Managing Director at Alberleen Family Office Solutions
Sage Ramadge
Director of Social Impact at Grand Central Tech
Andrea Shapiro Davis
Associate Chancellor at CUNY
Greg Reynolds
Founder & CEO of g-dii
Dr. Ying Zhou
Tech Incubator at Queens College
Gilda Barabino
President, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Dr. Justin T. Brown
Director at Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies
Angela Chitkara
PR Track Director, BIC at CCNY
Nakisha Evans
Director of the Office of Workforce Partnerships at CUNY TechWorks
Gary Johnson
Director of Strategy and Operations at NYC Mayor's Office | NYCx
Brad MacAfee
CEO of Porter Novelli
Katie Orenstein
Founder & CEO of OpEd Project
Chase Robinson
President, CUNY Graduate Center
Judith Spitz, Ph.D.
Founding Program Director at WiTNY
Lindsay Siegel
Zahn Center
“DIRC was hands down one of the best conferences I've ever attended! As a researcher and advocate of diversity practices in the workplace, the quality of speakers and presentations was incredible and the content was not only well-founded in research, but accessible and engaging.”
— Kelsey Kaul, Northeastern University
Join us for DIRC21, taking place on Nov. 17-19, 2021.
Get your ticket today!
DIRC18 Sponsors and Partners
Interested in supporting this unique event? Let us know.
DIRC18 was co-organized by:
