An inclusive workplace doesn’t start on an employee’s first day, and it doesn’t end once the offer letter is signed. From the job posting and interview to onboarding, development, and long term growth, every stage of the employee experience sends a message about who belongs.
In this panel conversation, talent acquisition and organizational development leaders will share how HR professionals can build equity into the hiring process and carry that commitment forward into everyday culture, so employees don’t just get in the door, but stay, grow, and thrive.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES / KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Identify where bias can show up in the hiring process, from job descriptions and sourcing to interviews and selection, and practical ways to reduce it.
- Understand how onboarding and the early employee experience shape belonging, engagement, and retention.
- Explore how Employee Resource Groups, learning programs, and leadership development can sustain inclusion well beyond the hire.
- Leave with actionable strategies HR professionals can apply in organizations of any size or budget.
SPEAKER BIOS
CAT ALMANZOR HANCOCK
Cat is a seasoned Human Resources and Talent Acquisition leader with more than 16 years of HR experience, including 13 years specializing in Talent Acquisition. Throughout her career, she has partnered with business leaders to attract, develop, and retain top talent while fostering inclusive and high performing workplace cultures.
Cat is currently a Senior Recruiter supporting the West Region for Sonepar, where she leads strategic recruiting efforts across a variety of functions and leadership levels. She is deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace and has served on the boards of several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), helping drive programs that strengthen employee engagement, professional development, and community impact.
CESSALEE SMITH STOVALL
Cessalee is a learning, inclusion, and organizational development leader with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations build healthier, more inclusive, and more effective workplaces. She currently serves as Director of Learning and Inclusion at the Seattle Art Museum, where she leads learning strategy, leadership development, and organizational inclusion initiatives.
Cessalee’s career spans the arts, education, nonprofit, and cultural sectors, with experience in organizational development, leadership, employee engagement, and culture change. She is also a consultant, speaker, and facilitator whose work focuses on the intersection of people, culture, and organizational systems. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University and an MBA in Arts Innovation from Global Leaders Institute.
