Oakland County Diversity Council hosts Women in Leadership Summit

The Oakland County Diversity Council will host its 8th annual Workplace Diversity Forum, "Women in Leadership Summit," Friday, October 30, 2009, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel - Troy. The program runs 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The summit objective is to provide attendees with up to date information about the current status of women in leadership in the workplace. The session will energize and provide human resource professionals, diversity and inclusion practitioners and others with effective tools to use in their workplaces and personal lives.

Summit topics will include understanding the barriers that contribute to a lack of women in leadership roles; increasing awareness of the vital contributions women make to leadership; sharing best strategies of successful women; sharing best practices and lessons of progressive companies; and creating long-term strategies that increase representation of women in leadership roles.

WDIV Local 4 Anchor Carmen Harlan is the program's keynote speaker. She will focus on "Creating a New Inclusive Balance in Today's Workplace."

Participants also will experience an interactive panel discussion among a diverse panel of women from government, education and leading industries. Confirmed panelists include: Juliette Thorpe Okotie-Eboh, senior vice president public affairs of MGM Grand Detroit; Denise Yee Grim, executive director of the Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Haifa Fakhouri, president and chief executive officer of the Arab American & Chaldean Council;

Sue Marx, filmmaker and chief executive officer of Sue Marx Films, Inc.; Jan Stevenson, vice president and chief financial officer of Between the Lines; and Dr. Gloria D. Thomas, director of the Center for the Education of Women at the University of Michigan.

To register for the session, please call the Oakland County Employment Diversity Council (OCEDC) at (248) 858-5204 or visit online at www.ocedc.net. Tickets are $50 per person or $45 per person in groups of five or more. A table of 10 is available for $400. Lunch is included in the price. Society for Human Resource Management credits will be available for human resource professionals.

Oakland County Michigan Works! is the presenting sponsor of this event. Other sponsors include: Oakland County Human Resources Department; JobLink Service Center of Pontiac; Baker College of Auburn Hills; Arab American Chaldean Council; Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital Regional Medical Center, Women's LifeStyle Magazine; MGM Grand Detroit; The Pontiac News and William Beaumont Hospitals.

About The OCEDC:
The OCEDC exists to help increase awareness of diversity in the workplace and to assist in building an inclusive work environment. The OCEDC is a leader in creating forums to advance employment diversity for governmental agencies, private business, community service agencies and residents.