Under his leadership, The Diversity Movement has earned numerous accolades, including Inc. Magazine’s 2021 Best in Business List in DE&I Advocacy and Fast Company’s 2022 “world-changing ideas.” In addition, Donald is a three-time Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies winner, named to the Forbes Next 1000 List, the Business North Carolina Power 100 List, and winner of the 2023 Independent Press Distinguished Favorite Book Award in Leadership. 

He serves on twelve boards across various industries, including marketing, health, and finance. Don is also the author of the book Underestimated and hosts the podcast “High Octane Leadership in an Empathetic World,” both of which provide valuable insights for business leaders. With his competitive learning mindset, Don delivers actionable insights and is the perfect partner for anyone looking to take their business to the next level. 

Why DEI? Because I believe it’s my responsibility to take my experiences and use them to create positive change in the business environment when I can and while I can.

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Jackie has earned extensive recognition for her accomplishments including being named to the 2023 Inc. Female Founders 200 list, the 200 women leaders across America who are “shaping the world into a better place.” Her team also created TDM’s MicroVideos library, recognized as a “World Changing Idea” by Fast Company. In 2021, the company was named “Best In Business” in DE&I Advocacy by Inc. Magazine.

A certified diversity executive, Jackie is a member of the Forbes Business Council, National Diversity Council, and has published in or been an expert commentator for numerous publications, including Forbes, WRAL TechWire, Almanac, Fast Company, Well + Good, and others. She is an in-demand keynote speaker on diversity and belonging topics. Jackie is an alumna of the University of South Florida and lives in North Carolina with her husband and daughter.

Why DEI? I have been advocating for social and economic equality for more than twenty years, firm in the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue love, happiness, and success to the standards that make their lives feel most fulfilled. Leaving the world a little better for my daughter is an incredible motivation.

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She is the Chief Revenue Officer for The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options company. In this role, she leads the client acquisition strategy and execution while supporting each TDM business unit’s development. She focuses on enhancing customer value, building competitive differentiation, and driving revenue and profit growth.

Shelley speaks at various business events and leadership conferences, coaches and consults aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners, and is a frequent on-air contributor to CNBC.

Why DEI? I can’t imagine any forward thinking company that wants to position itself for growth not embracing the value of DEI. The business case is clear. DEI initiatives increase the bottom line, drive innovation, attract more talent, and create more opportunities for growth. Simply, it just makes good business sense.

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Kurt has worked for global brands like Discovery, AOL, and Procter & Gamble in product development and business development leadership roles. He is an avid speaker, a workshop leader, and a patent holder. Kurt holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is a SXSW Pitch Advisory Board member and recently served on the American Marketing Association (AMA) nomination committee.

Kurt is a lover of jazz and plays piano when he can find time. He lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Valerie and has four children: Kayla, Miles, Ellis. and Reese.

Why DEI? I have a passion to uplift the underestimated and underrepresented. Not just because it’s the right thing to do. I also believe a life-changing and perhaps history-making concept is waiting to be birthed by an unlikely group of people who learned how to work together in extraordinary ways.

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Susie’s career includes eighteen years in public education and in 2015, she founded With Pride Consulting to create actionable change for the LGBTQ+ population in workplace and educational institutions. Today, her unique perspective and future-ready business strategies are amplified as the Director of Client Success at TDM where she drives awareness and shared accountability across all diversity traits including gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, and mental and physical abilities. Susie’s expertise has deepened recruitment pools, increased employee productivity, and boosted companies’ bottom lines.

Susie is also an accomplished artist. Her contemporary artwork is created in her studio at the Cary Innovation Center in Cary, NC. Her work has been featured in numerous venues throughout North Carolina and on HGTV’s Love It Or List It. Susie lives in Cary, North Carolina, with her wife, two children, and a dog named Clark Griswold. When she is not consulting or speaking,  Susie enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, painting, and baking delicious treats!

Why DEI? I am passionate about educating others on DEI and supporting actionable change in the workplace. I strongly believe that everyone has a responsibility in creating an inclusive and equitable workplace and it’s my personal mission to inspire organizations to create and embrace their own unique culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.

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She has previously worked as an editor, writer, graphic designer, and copy editor, most recently for a regional lifestyle magazine in Cary, N.C. Amber also co-hosts the Peak City Podcast, a public affairs program in Apex, N.C. She is a wife, mother, yogi, and a voracious reader.

Why DEI?: Because, no matter how old I get, I will always be that small child crying, “It’s not fair!” But unlike that child, I can and will work to make our world a more just and equitable place.

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Melanie (she/her) is a Certified Diversity Executive and Senior Consultant at The Diversity Movement. Previously, she spent more than 20 years as a television journalist in markets around the United States. Drawing on her years of broadcast experience, Melanie facilitates executive media, presentation, and workplace communications trainings with organizations of all sizes from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups in the U.S. and across Europe.  As an expert communicator, Melanie trains our clients on equity, inclusive language, unconscious bias, and more.

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She has previously worked as a media planner, marketer and has done client, project, event and promotions management. She loves volunteering, especially at the local food bank. Michelle is a mother, foodie, and fitness enthusiast.

Why DEI? As I strive to be an advocate and help others, it is important for me that everyone is seen, heard, feels that they are welcomed, and that they belong. DEI propels this mission.

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Andy most recently spent 7 years serving NC State’s GLBT Center under the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity. In those roles, they gained extensive background in diversity, equity, and inclusion, managing long-term projects and programs, performing research, and creating curriculum for continuing education around gender and sexuality. They are thrilled to join TDM and evolve their DEI experience.

Andy graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor of science in psychology and NC State in 2015 with a master of social work. They are continuing their education with doctoral studies in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at NC State.

Why DEI?: My own gender and sexuality were doors to the world of DEI, and I didn’t want to stop there. I can’t just stop at my own liberation. I want to bring others like me along on a journey to put new skills and ways of being into practice to create interpersonal and cultural change.

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