Published on Out & Equal Workplace Advocates (http://outandequal.org)

2010 Executive Forum

LGBT executives from the nation's largest corporations explore actions to advance LGBT workplace equality

April 21, 2010 | Download as PDF [1]

NEW YORK CITY – The third annual Out & Equal Executive Forum convened nearly 50 high-ranking and emerging lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender corporate leaders from across North America to explore concerted actions to advance LGBT workplace equality.

Over the course of the two-day event, held April 20-21 at the Le Parker Meridien New York, participants focused on building their strengths as executives in the country’s largest corporations and furthering their skills as LGBT leaders.

Participants discussed the unique challenges of being openly LGBT in high-level positions, the barriers to more equitable LGBT representation at the senior executive level, how corporations can act as agents of social change and the roles they can play in moving LGBT workplace equality forward.

"Our goal is for all executives to be able to fully be themselves in their workplaces,” said Out & Equal Executive Director Selisse Berry. "We have created a foundation that will allow more and more LGBT executives to be open about who they are – taking their whole selves to work, and becoming examples for millions of people around the world on how to be successful while being true to oneself."

Well known LGBT leader Urvashi Vaid highlighted the Executive Forum’s impressive two-day program, talking to participants about the LGBT equality and human rights movements in this country and abroad.

Vaid, executive director of the Arcus Foundation, has spent the last two decades devoting much of her life to the LGBT equality movement. She is the former executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and past deputy director of the governance and civil society unit of the Ford Foundation’s Peace and Social Justice Program.

Event Co-chair George Kalogridis, who attended the Executive Forum in both 2008 and 2009, called the Executive Forum “an incredible conference, connecting innovative business leaders in our community.”

“I've had the opportunity to be a part of other executive leadership conferences, and the Out & Equal Executive Forum is one of the most powerful and significant,” said Kalogridis, President of Disneyland Resort.

HP Vice President Tara Bunch, the Executive Forum’s other Co-chair and who attended the conference in both 2008 and 2009, added: “More than anything, the Forum creates a special unity - a coalition - of business leaders from varied backgrounds who are gathered here for a common purpose - to grow as leaders and further LGBT equality.”

Kevin Brockman, executive vice president of global communications for Disney-ABC Television Group, also addressed the participants in a lively discussion on the impact of media on LGBT workplace equality.

Christie Hardwick served as lead facilitator; Vicky Keith served as facilitator.

Participants included:


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[1] http://outandequal.org/../../documents/ExFoReleaseFinalKJJEO_420.pdf