Creating a Mentoring Culture: Building Inclusion one Relationship at a Time
Creating a sustainable diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative requires a multi-faceted approach. Too often, we focus solely on training or communication to enact a DEI initiative. While these are certainly essential elements, we overlook the transformative impact of creating meaningful working relationships across differences. Mentoring is the ideal tool for this. Together, we will examine how fostering a mentoring culture can help us bridge differences, create more inclusive workplaces, build stronger relationships, and make better decisions.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn why mentoring is an essential element of any DEI strategy.
- Learn the three elements of a successful mentoring initiative.
- Learn ways to foster a mentoring culture in their organization.
- Learn how to coach and guide your business partners to develop the competency of mentoring in all their working relationships.
Lisa Fain
Lisa Fain is the CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence and an expert in the intersection of cultural competency and mentoring. Her passion for diversity and inclusion work fuels her strong conviction that leveraging differences creates a better workplace and drives better business results.
Lisa brings her energy, enthusiasm, and engagement to any group, facilitating lively workshops and training, and delivering interactive speeches with practical steps that can be implemented right away.
As Senior Director of the Diversity and Inclusion function at Outerwall, Inc., Lisa spearheaded the development, establishment, and implementation of its diversity initiative. Prior to assuming that position, she worked as Outerwall’s in-house counsel, coaching leaders and partnering with Human Resources to establish fair and effective policies and practices that would sustain the organization as it grew in size, revenue, and renown.
For almost a decade, Lisa practiced law in the Chicago office of a major multinational firm, where she counseled employers on creating inclusive policies and practices. While in that role, she served as Master Trainer, training thousands of employees at a variety of companies, large and small, on how to create a better workplace.
Lisa is also an executive coach, specializing in individual and group coaching for professional women looking to design and live their best personal and professional lives. She is a certified mediator. She graduated with a B.S. in Social Policy from Northwestern University and holds a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.
Lisa lives in Seattle, WA. She loves to hike and explore the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two daughters.