Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee
The committee that makes inclusion a design principle, not a sidecar.
The DEI&B Committee is responsible for ensuring that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are intentionally built into who joins, who leads, who speaks, who is featured, who gets introduced to whom — and who feels they belong here.
What's Changing
About diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging this term
DEI&B becomes a standing committee.
It has historically been described as a portfolio that runs across the chapter's other work. Under this presidency, it is its own committee with its own chair, its own deliverables, and its own seat at the leadership table — coordinating with every other committee rather than being absorbed into them.
We will define what we mean and measure it.
Women of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, members with disabilities, emerging businesses, and next-generation leaders. The committee will set clear, public definitions of who we are intentionally including, and what success looks like for each group.
We will audit the chapter's own surfaces.
Speakers. Spotlights. Awards nominees. Board pipeline. Committee leadership. Partner introductions. Photography. Storytelling. The committee will look at every place the chapter shows up and ask whether the people we feature reflect the membership we want to grow.
We will work with — not over — the other committees.
DEI&B is not a compliance check that lives outside the work. It is a partner to every other committee, helping them embed inclusion into the things they were already going to do — programming, partnerships, membership, communications, public policy, roundtables.
Asks
What this committee will deliver
- A published chapter definition of who DEI&B is intentionally serving, and what equitable outcomes look like for each group
- An annual audit of who is featured, recognized, introduced, and elevated across all chapter surfaces — with the results shared with the board
- Embedded partnerships with Programming (speakers and topics), Membership (recruitment of underrepresented owners), Communications (storytelling), Corporate Partners (supplier diversity, mentorship), and Public Policy (equitable economic policy)
- A standing inclusion lens applied to board recruitment, committee leadership, and the Visionary Awards process
- A safe and trusted channel for members to raise inclusion concerns — and a defined response process
Who It's For
Members who…
- Have lived or professional experience with the communities the chapter is committing to serve more intentionally
- Work in DEI, HR, organizational development, community engagement, or social impact
- Want to build inclusion into systems rather than into statements
- Are willing to ask uncomfortable questions of the chapter's own practice and stay at the table for the answer
You do not need a DEI title to serve on this committee. You need conviction, curiosity, and the willingness to do the work.
Next Step
How to get involved
To join the DEI&B Committee or learn more about current openings, visit the main committees page on the chapter site, or contact the DEI&B Vice President.