Fostering Inclusion and Belonging: Signature Events that Build Community
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Could your organization benefit from additional tactics for fostering inclusion and belonging? Join Penn State University Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council leaders to learn how they established enriching events that built a following among staff members while providing a sense of community with marginalized colleagues. The discussion will include how the council leveraged resources to offer a wide variety of events that engaged staff members in sensitive conversations and inspired them to create action plans to improve workplace culture.
Learning Objectives:
- Receive concrete examples for creating a workplace culture that values inclusion and belonging.
- Discover cost-effective tactics for offering a wide array of events and activities that engage staff members in advancing a sense of belonging.
- Learn techniques for providing a safe space for staff to discuss challenging societal issues and strategies for improving workplace culture.
Karen Armstrong
Karen Armstrong is Director of Penn State Outreach and Online Education’s Office of Inclusion, Equity & Diversity. She is a clinically trained multicultural, LGBTQA+, disability, and special populations counselor with extensive experience in higher education programming and professional development for faculty, staff, and students. She has experience working with higher education leaders to help implement and expand inclusion, equity, and diversity throughout campus organizational structures, policies, strategic plans, and programs.
Armstrong is a graduate of Hofstra University with a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Bridgeport. Armstrong serves on the editorial board of Cases on Leadership for Equity and Justice in Higher Education (CLEJHE) Journal.
Annette Fetterolf, D.Ed.
As an Analysis and Planning Consultant at Penn State, Annette combines her business analysis, project management, and change leadership experience with her passion for putting people first to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She has held various leadership roles in higher education, corporate training, and K-12 education throughout her career with a focus on improving workplace culture. Annette earned a D.Ed. in Higher Education Administration and Leadership Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a M.S. in Workforce Education and Development, and a B.S. in Workforce Education and Development, both at Penn State.
Tamra Fatemi-Badi
Tamra Fatemi-Badi is the co-chair of the Penn State Outreach & Online Education Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Council. She has been involved in diversity and inclusion work for more than thirty years, both personally and professionally. Tamra is also the events coordinator for WPSU, the PBS/NPR station for much of central Pennsylvania and is currently in her final year of an M.Ed program in Curriculum and Instruction with focus on Children's Literature.
Mary Ohashi
Mary Ohashi is the Office Coordinator for Penn State Outreach and Online Education's Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity. She is a graduate of Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Education with a minor in Chemical Dependency Counseling. She has over 20 years of experience providing legal advocacy to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.