National Town Hall: Creating Equitable Hiring Practices for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and people with Disabilities

Speakers

Brent Mikulski

President & CEO, Services to Enhance Potential (STEP)
Brent Mikulski is the President/CEO of Services to Enhance Potential (STEP), a nonprofit organization with corporate offices located in Dearborn. STEP, since 1972, has provided services to individuals with disabilities and other challenges to help improve their quality of life. Annually 1600+ individuals receive various supported employment services, including job development, exploration, coaching, and post-placement support, support coordination, and various employment, classroom and community-based training. STEP operates three Thrift Stores and Donation Centers, where over 100 individuals receive training and support annually to help assure long-term job success in their careers. STEP’s vocational rehabilitation program also includes young adults transitioning from high school to work. It’s Navigating Employment eXperiences Together (NEXT) program includes working with the individual, parents, and the school’s transition counselor to help identity a field of work that the student is interested in.
“A successful business community is vital to the lives of those living nearby. Local opportunities for employment and commerce helps keep a community vibrant and alive”. He also understands and healthy business community includes a network of diverse businesses working and engaging together, supporting one another to succeed. He believes chamber members and participation help bring a community closer by helping to improve networking between businesses and introducing those business to residents!
Working in Community Mental Health and Vocational Rehabilitation since 1998, Brent’s career has included Executive Leadership and Management roles at Outpatient, Inpatient Hospitals, and Residential organizations throughout Southeastern Michigan and in North Carolina. Brent also is a CARF surveyor, where he has worked with organizations around the county since 2009 in achieving and maintaining their CARF Accreditation.
Brent is the Chairperson for INCOMPASS MICHIGAN, the State of Michigan Association of Rehabilitation Providers. He also serves on the Wayne County Sheriff Youth and Senior Education Fund Board working with other Board Members to help raise funds for outreach events for the Wayne County Sheriff. For the past two years, Brent has served as a member of the City of Detroit’s Workforce Development Board, Disability Sub-Committee, working together to improve the employment options for those individuals with disabilities and challenges in Detroit. He also serves on the State of Michigan Home and Community Based Services-Implementation Advisory Group since its development in 2016. Brent is also a former Board Member of the Arc of Dearborn. In January of 2021 Brent was appointed by Governor Whitmer to serve a three year term on the Michigan Council of Rehabilitation Services.
Brent has been married for over 23 years to his wife Stephanie, a Quality Specialist Supervisor at Starfish Family Services. They are proud parents of two children, Madison (17) and Kyle (15). Brent graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte and continued his undergraduate education at the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated with a degree in Mathematics. Brent continued his education at Wayne State University, where he completed his Master’s Degree in In Business Administration, where he focused on Operational Management and Finance.

Keron R. Sadler

Chief Executive Officer, The Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Keron R. Sadler, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Religion/Theology from the American Baptist Theological College, while simultaneously pursuing studies in the MBA program at Tennessee State University. She is a graduate of Hood Theological Seminary (Salisbury, NC) with a Masters in Divinity. For three years, she matriculated at Pfeiffer University pursuing a second masters in Marriage & Family Therapy. While living in North Carolina, she served as a Chaplain at one of the nation’s leading trauma hospitals. Recently, she earned a certificate from Cornell University, which qualifies her to train organizations on Diversity & Inclusion.

An extension of her corporate experience, Keron exercises her administrative and leadership gifts through collaborative creations nationwide. Having worked in Corporate-America for thirty years, she is a recognized leader adept in organizational, oral and written communications. Keron serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce. A hallmark of her transcendent passion is an unceasing commitment to fulfilling her divine purpose by meeting the varying needs of the community-at-large, irrespective of denomination/faith, race, sexual/gender identity, or class.

Keron is a co-author of the Daily Dose of Direction Devotional for Women in Business. She serves in the United States Army Reserve as a 1^st Lieutenant Chaplain. In addition, Keron is an ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion church and serves as a member of the Hope Springs Executive Board in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the proud mother of one son, Parris James Clark IV.

Nicole Wagner

Corporate Talent Acquisition Manager , Enterprise Holdings Inc.
Nicole has been with Enterprise for 26 years. She is currently a Corporate Senior Director and Talent Leader overseeing the talent strategy and initiatives for the Northcentral, Northeast, and Southeast U.S. operations of Enterprise Holdings and is based out of the Enterprise Corporate Headquarters in Saint Louis, MO. Nicole’s current responsibilities include implementation and oversight of recruitment strategies, legal compliance, HR strategic planning, performance management coaching, companywide vendor management, training and development of field Talent Acquisition Professionals and their managers, and external Corporate representation of the Enterprise employment brand. Prior to her promotion to Corporate, Nicole managed Talent Acquisition and Talent Development for the Southern California Group of Enterprise Holdings.

Wes Becton

Co-founder and CEO, George Washington Street Partners
Wes Becton is the Co-founder and CEO of George Washington Street Partners which is a leading executive leadership, career, and performance coaching and consulting company. Wes Becton provides leadership and diversity coaching to C-level executives and boards. Wes has extensive executive leadership and governance experience in a wide range of industries including banking, education, and healthcare. Wes is the former Board Chair of Northeastern Illinois University and currently serves on the Boards of Elmhurst University and Pan American Bank. Wes is a former Infantry Officer and graduate of the Army’s Ranger School. Wes earned degrees from George Washington University (BA International Affairs) and Lewis University (MBA Health Care Administration). Wes is a certified professional coach (CPC) and also a member of the International Coach Federation and he is a frequent speaker and lecturer on leadership topics.

Moderators

Katie Dykstra, MSHRM, CPC

Diversity Recruiting Manager, American Family Insurance
Katie has over 15 years of Human Resources specializing in the employee experience, employee relations, and leadership development. She has her master’s degree in human resources management from Roosevelt University and her designation in executive coaching. Katie volunteers her time with Best and Brightest executive board along with being Vice President of the Northwest Human Resource Council, a SHRM Chicagoland chapter. In Katie’s free time she spends time with her two kids and exploring the great outdoors.