Change as a Choice - Transforming culture through conversations and commitments

Part of the IKNS Conversations that Matter series

We invite you to join us for a talk about cultural change in organizations and in society.  Solomon and Flores write that trust is a choice of actions.  It is built step by step, commitment by commitment, on every level (2001).  Like building trust, cultural change in organizations is a choice that is built step by step, commitment by commitment, on every level. 

Join Columbia University’s MS in Information and Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) program on March 30th at 4pm ET for a panel discussion with leaders implementing cultural shifts in their organizations aimed at gender parity, racial equity, work-life balance, multi-disciplinary & multi-cultural collaboration, and sustainability. During this conversation, you will hear how these speakers achieve cultural change in their organizations through intentional commitments to fostering courageous conversations, reflection, and action. 

Following the conversation, the event will be opened for a question and answer period, where attendees can ask questions directly.

Speakers 

Julie Langford, Director, Nike North America Marketing Technology; Co-founder of Global Tech DEI Accelerator, Nike

Julie Langford is an alumni from the IKNS program and currently serves as Nike's Director, North America Marketing Technology.  Julie is an amazing communicator and motivator who works to implement Nike's strategic view of expanding human potential in a global world through socially responsible marketing, marketing that not only causes organizational growth but a positive societal impact building a more inclusive and global community.  Julie lives in Beaverton, OR with her spouse Andrew and two young children.

Beatrice Opoku-Asare, Senior Director, Global Talent Management, Inclusion and Diversity, Newmont Corporation

Beatrice Opoku-Asare is currently Senior Director, Global Talent Management, Inclusion and Diversity at Newmont Corp.; the world’s largest gold mining company. She is originally from Ghana and has worked in Newmont's global headquarters in Denver, Colorado for the past 6 years and a total of 11 years at other operations. She is a charismatic change maker and her role involves partnering with the Board of Directors, executives and each operating region globally to build an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. Her role was most recently expanded to include a focus on Newmont’s Talent Management efforts globally which includes Talent and Leadership Development, Succession Planning, Performance management, University Strategy and Newmont’s Graduate Development Program, etc.

Beatrice has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce and as one of the Elite100 black women in Corporate America by Diversity Woman Magazine. She is  a board member of the Colorado Diversity Council and non-exec Board member of the International Women in Mining. Beatrice is an environmental scientist by training,  Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) certified by the Human Resources Institute and a graduate of Yale School of Management’s Women’s Leadership Program.

Carla Renfield-Miller, Senior Vice President, Business Connectivity & Diversity, Citi

Carla Renfield-Miller is an International Banker supporting Citi's Country Heads. Carla works to establish business connectivity, develop and ensure adherence (taking into consideration aspects of each culture where they operate) to Citi's values across all global offices (100 countries).  She has lived for 2 years in South Korea, 3 years in China and now lives in New York City.   

Moderated by:

Nara Altmann, PhD, Lecturer in the M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy; Youth Health Coalition

Nara is a lecturer in the MS in Information and Knowledge Strategy program, teaching the course Leading Collaboration.  With a background in engineering, Nara was driven to the IKNS program after her experience in engineering showed too many projects failed to deliver or be completed on time or budget due to ineffective collaboration and knowledge sharing. Currently, Nara also leads a strategic initiative combining collaboration and use of data analytics to generate shared understanding and drive growth towards equity and inclusion in schools for the Youth Health Coalition in Douglas County, Colorado.

About the Conversations that Matter series

“One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever.“ - Linda Lambert

Conversations that Matter is a series of public education events that bring the thinkers, doers, and experts of the IKNS community together with a broad audience of curious minds across the globe. These conversations tackle topics that are not only timely and relevant, but also at the core of our Information and Knowledge Strategy curriculum. Through the fruitful exchange of ideas and the sharing of knowledge by industry experts, distinguished academics, and thought innovators at the leading edge of their fields, we hope to ignite further discussion and action leading to positive change in organizations, communities, and industry.

This series is brought to you by Columbia University’s M.S. in Information and Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) program as part of the University’s ongoing commitment to advancing knowledge with the purpose of moving careers, communities, and markets forward.

For questions, please contact Michael Karbowiak at mk3866 [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu (mk3866[at]columbia[dot]edu).

For additional information about program offerings at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies, please contact an Admissions Counselor at 212-854-9666 or inquire [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (inquire[at]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu).