Keynote Speaker: Lesley Slaton Brown
Lesly is a transformative executive leader, widely recognizes for driving business results through the power of equity, inclusion, culture, and economic sustainability. As a chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, STEM co-founder, and trusted advisor, she has spent her career turning bold dei strategies into measureable outcomes - while building inclusive systems that fuel innovation, unlock talent, and deliver long-term economic growth. In her previous role as Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Office for the NBA she was responsible for driving ongoing DEI efforts for the NPA and its teams. She worked alonside the league's Chief People Officer and the teams' diversity and inclusion leaders to implement and advance DEI processes, including the recruitment and retention of diverse talent, the development and enhancement of employee resource programs, and setting and assessing metrics for success.
She previously worked at HP, Inc, where Lesley served as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer since 2015. At HP, she developed the company's 10-year DEI and Racial Equality and Social Justice strategy, yielding the internal movement and advancement of mor ethan 78% of underrepresented employees. As part of this role, she led inclusive and equitable talent acquisition programs and partnerships, and developed training and education for 5,500 leaders and hiring managers globally. In addition, Slaton Brown worked closely with leaders to develop industry-leading practices to drive accountability with key partners for greater DEI Impact.
Lesley Slaton Brown was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity by Black Enterprise, a Top Influential Woman in Corporate America by Forbes Magazine, and DEI trailblazer by Business Insider. Most recently, she was named Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year by Girls in Tech. Slaton Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Boise State Univerisity, where she played basketball. She also completed the Black Leaders Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is currently a member of the University of California Merced Board of Trustees, Curated Pathways to Innovation's (CPI) Board of Directors, and the Historically Black Colleges and Univeristies (HBCU) Business Dean's Roundtable's Advisoty Board. Slaton Brown is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
