Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on Nonprofit Boards – Are We There Yet?

The events of the past two years have fundamentally altered our world. The Alliance’s Board of Directors determined in 2019 that DEI should be a basic building block of the organization. In 2021, after two years of occasional training on the subject, we launched a more comprehensive program, designed to help members assess where their organizations are on the DEI spectrum and create a plan for moving forward. Join us as we discuss that program and share some of the latest research in this vital area.

Charles J. Harris has been CEO for Central Florida Community Action Agency (CFCAA) since November 2013. Prior to this, he served as the University of Florida private sector representative on the CFCAA Board, serving as board chair, vice chair, and treasurer, and numerous committees over a 20-year period. Harris currently serves on the boards of FACA, The Alliance, CareerSource of Citrus, Levy, Marion counties and NE Florida. In his spare time, Harris serves as president of Role Models Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of young people.

Janet Hamer is a principal in Hamer Consulting which provides community and economic development services in Florida. Prior to this, she was VP, Community Development Manager for TD Bank in north and central Florida. Before joining TD Bank, Janet was the Regional Community Development Manager at the Jacksonville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. She has over 40 years of experience in housing, community and economic development, financial services, and urban planning. Hamer currently serves as Chair of the Board of the National Disability Institute and is a long-time board member of the Alliance.

 

Terry Chelikowsky received her start in community development at the Ohio CDC Association where she developed and coordinated training and technical assistance programs in affordable housing, microenterprise and economic development. After five years, she established her own consulting firm, working primarily in organizational strategic planning and microenterprise program development. Since coming to the Florida Alliance for Community Solutions, Terry has worked steadily to build the structural capacity of member organizations. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize, Central America, holds an M.A. in International Development Studies from Ohio University, Athens and is a NDC certified Economic Development Finance Professional.