Written by Deb Dorshorst

What will it take to make Wisconsin inclusive to all?

A statewide conference on April 28–29, 2020, in Green Bay, WI, will seek answers to this question — bringing together individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds to examine the most persistent barriers to inclusion and to highlight what is working and what is promising on the horizon.

This will be the 2nd Toward One Wisconsin inclusivity conference presented by the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS).

As part of the University of Wisconsin System, the mission of WIPPS is:

“To bring together those with differing views, listen civilly, and find common ground to address the tough issues facing our country, our states, and our communities.”

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Eric Giordano, WIPPS Executive Director, shared:

“While many organizations have worked hard in the past decade to create diversity, we still have much yet to accomplish to make the environment inclusive and equitable. The conference aims to create space for cross-cutting conversations and insights into best practices in providing the same opportunities for everyone in Wisconsin.”

Conference Theme & Tracks

In April 2019, more than 500 attendees converged in Milwaukee for the 1^st inclusivity conference, with over 100 presentations on the conference theme, “Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion.” (Click here to view a photo gallery with highlights from the 2019 conference.)

Building on the momentum from last year, the 2020 conference will examine “Building Communities of Equity and Opportunity.”

Over 60 panels and presenters will highlight collaborative and innovative approaches, best practices, cutting-edge research, and success stories that focus on these 4 conference tracks:

Track I: Increasing Opportunities for Inclusion in Wisconsin’s Workforce
Track II: Creating Inclusive Communities
Track III: Cultivating Equity in Education
Track IV: Building Health Equity in Wisconsin

Who Should Attend?

The Toward One Wisconsin Inclusivity Conference is open to all, including those from:

Early childhood through higher education
Business & industry
State & local workforce development
Youth programs
Health care
Vocational rehabilitation
Community & neighborhood associations
Nonprofit, government, & faith-based groups

New for 2020: Poster Presentations

Conference attendees will have the chance to display and present a poster on a subject pertaining to one of the conference tracks. For details, please visit https://inclusivity-wi.org/poster.

Deadline to submit a poster is February 1, 2020.

Keynote Speakers, Co-chairs, & Sponsors

Headlining the Toward One Wisconsin conference are 2 nationally recognized speakers:

Hilary Ware is Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Litigation and Regulatory Affairs at Netflix in San Francisco. An openly gay attorney who has navigated to the top of her profession, she is a frequent speaker on diversity issues and work–life balance. She has been recognized as a “Woman Leader in Tech Law” by the Recorder and received the Corporate Counsel Award from Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom. A Wisconsin native, Ware received her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and her juris doctorate and master’s in education degrees from Harvard University.

Nikole Hannah-Jones is an award-winning investigative journalist with The New York Times Magazine focusing on racial injustice. Her extensive reporting on the ways segregation in housing and schools is maintained through official action and policy has earned her the National Magazine Award, a Peabody, and a Polk Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in history and African-American studies from the University of Notre Dame and her master’s in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Conference co-chairs are:

May Yer Thao, Assistant Deputy Director, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
Jessica Cavazos, President and CEO, Latino Chamber of Commerce
Rich Poirier, President and CEO, Church Mutual
George Koonce, Senior VP, Marian University

WIPPS is one of the track sponsors for the conference, along with founding sponsor Church Mutual Insurance, and Associated Bank.

For more details, including sponsorship opportunities and how to register for the conference, go to inclusivity-wi.org/register.

Deb Dorshorst

Marketing Communications Coordinator | Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS)

Deb Dorshorst manages marketing communications for the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service in Wausau. Previously, she worked for 6 years in health care communications, and has also been a communications consultant to businesses, nonprofits, and academia in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New York. A graduate of UW–Stevens Point, she serves on the UWSP Alumni Board of Directors. In her free time, she enjoys running, traveling, and tackling new adventures. Email Deb Dorshorst.

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