Tentative Schedule
5:30 – 6:30 Arrival of guests and networking
6:30 – 7:30 Program featuring Charlene Strong
7:30 – 8:00 Q & A
8:00 – 8:30 Networking and departure

Logistics: Parking is available in nearby garages. Highly recommend utilizing Uber for your preferred car share. Light appetizers, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages provided.

Address:
Uber Seattle Engineering Office 12th Floor
1191 2nd Ave Suite 1200
Seattle, WA 98101

Title: Branding, Bias & Building Identity: How your individual journey intersects with your professional life.

(Out & Equal Q1 Educational Roundtable)

Description: Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace has been shown to be a contributing factor for employee attraction & retention, overall quality in the workplace, and career growth. 67% of LGBT employees report being very welcomed by their Employee Resource group. However, 91% of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual individuals report downplaying their identities at work. 53% of all LGBT employees nationwide hide who they are in the workplace. 48% of employees state their company has a cultural expectation that employees cover their true selves at work. How can we impact change in our workplace? How can we foster an inclusive environment at work? For large companies, diversity is a competitive differentiator. Attracting top talent, improving employee engagement, increasing retention and driving a stronger bottom line are just a few of the benefits of a welcoming inclusive work environment. Learn from the personal experiences of Charlene Strong through her advocacy work and through her understanding of the LGBTQA space. Through Charlene’s work, she is will be speaking on marriage equality and non-discrimination policies in the workplace and society.

Speaker Bio:
Charlene Strong is a nationally respected advocate for social justice and civil rights issues including marriage equality and non-discrimination policies in the workplace and society. She is a widely published writer and sought after speaker, presenting to universities, companies, public forums, nonprofits and government agencies across the country including the CIA, the Washington State legislature and the World Affairs Council.
Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire appointed Charlene to the prestigious Washington State Human Rights Commission; she is currently serving a new five year term.
Charlene is the subject of the award-winning documentary film, “for my wife…” which tells the story about how Charlene became an advocate for equality following the loss of her wife, Kate Fleming (a renowned audio book narrator), in a flash flood in Seattle in 2006. At the hospital Charlene was initially denied access to be with Kate in the moments before she passed away. This discrimination led Charlene to help champion legislation that later became Washington State’s Domestic Partnership Law.
Charlene’s advocacy for equality has led her to The White House where she was invited to a private meeting with President Obama and other dignitaries to talk about marriage equality. Charlene has taken her personal tragedy and created a life mission to advocate for equality and social justice issues.