About Us

Emerging Leadership Consultants (ELC), LLC was co-founded by managing associate Dennis DePaul and principal, Dr. Stacey Miller; and is committed to the values of embracing diversity in the pursuit of building inclusive and equitable organizations. The backgrounds of its co-founders and associates allow us to bring unique perspectives, experiences, and knowledge to this work.

Our Team

  • Dr. Stacey Miller (she/her)


    Dr. Stacey Miller is co-founder and principal for Emerging Leadership Consultants (ELC), LLC. She is nationally recognized for her educational workshops on diversity, equity and inclusion, leadership development, affirmative recruitment of staff and is sought out for her knowledge and expertise in the use of Restorative Practices in collegiate residential settings.

    She spent 29 years in higher education formerly serving as the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Director for the John Lewis Institute for Social Justice at Central Connecticut State University, the Associate Provost for Inclusion and Equity at Valparaiso University, and the Director of Residential Life for the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Vermont (UVM); positions she held from 2003 to 2022. Formerly, she served as the Chair for the Board of Trustees for the International Institute for Restorative Practices Graduate School in Bethlehem, PA, and currently serves as a Board of Trustee for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, VT.

  • Dennis DePaul (he/him)


    Dennis DePaul is co-founder and managing associate for Emerging Leadership Consultants, LLC, a consulting firm that works with organizations to promote inclusive and equitable work environments through intentional facilitation of intercultural, diversity and Restorative Practices trainings regionally and nationally.

    In his full-time work, Dennis serves as the Executive Director for Vermont’s Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, a year-round camping program that supports children with cancer. Previously, he served as Associate Dean in the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Vermont. With more than 30 years of professional experience in higher education and non-profit work, Dennis’ core experiences are in leadership, human resource development and business operations. He was also recently elected as a Board of Trustee for the International Institute for Restorative Practices.

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Area of Focus: BiPoC affinity group and healing space

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Area of Focus: diversity, equity and inclusion strategy

    Amarildo “Lilu” Barbosa is a Senior Lecturer and Program Director in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership program at Tufts University. Prior to joining Tufts University, he worked at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where he was the Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer, and he had also served as the Chief Diversity Officer at Lesley University prior to that. In Chief Diversity Officer at both institutions, Lilu worked with campus partners to help ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Part of his role involved issues related to assessment of inclusion and belonging, campus climate, and the teaching and learning environment. 

    He has experience in the higher education and nonprofit sectors the past 15+ years, with interests in leadership, applied diversity and equity change strategies, residential education, academic support, youth activism, youth development, and community engagement. He holds certifications in restorative justice facilitation, social justice conflict mediation, and is licensed as an Intercultural Developmental Inventory (IDI) Qualifying Administrator.

    As a DEIJ practitioner in the community and higher education, his scholarly and research interests focus on strategic diversity leadership, organizational learning & development, and behaviors and practices that harness cultural assets and funds of knowledge of Black & African communities for the purpose of societal impact.

    He received his PhD in Human Development & Learning from Lesley University, and an M.Ed in Higher Education Administration from the University of Vermont. He enjoys time with his family and relatives, listening to music, engaging in athletic activities, and spending time in the Cabo Verde Islands with family and loved ones.

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Area of Focus: DEI organizational development, intercultural competence, restorative practices, and intergroup dialogue

    Alex serves as the Intercultural Training Director in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Wayne State University. In this capacity, he leads efforts for individual, group, and system-level change for equity and inclusion. He provides vision and leadership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of activities that enhance awareness, understanding, and integration of diversity, equity, inclusion and intercultural competence. This involves partnering with staff and faculty across campus to create opportunities for reflection, dialogue, and action related to a variety of topics including inclusive leadership, implicit bias education, intergroup dialogue, and intercultural competency. He also co-leads the DEI Council at Wayne State.

    Alex is an Intercultural Development Inventory Qualified Administrator and has been trained by the International Institute of Restorative Practices. He is a doctoral student in Eastern Michigan University’s Educational Leadership Ph.D. program. He holds a Master of Education from The University of Vermont and a Bachelor of Science from Loyola University Chicago. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, and catching up with friends.

  • ASSOCIATE: (she/her)

    Area of Focus: Diversity, equity and inclusion, leadership development, intercultural competence and hiring

    Jackie believes the health and sustainability of our organizations, societies and planet depend on the flourishing of curiosity and compassion. She empowers leaders to cultivate mission-aligned, values-driven cultures that leverage the strengths of diverse stakeholders for maximum outcomes.

    With a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a Master of Business Administration in International Business, Jackie loves all things culture and language. She speaks Spanish and German. She has consulted for Fortune 500 companies and non-profits on international change projects in Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, China, Costa Rica, Spain and Germany.

    To help teams develop a shared language with which to talk about difference, Jackie uses tools such as the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and the Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory (ICSI). With over two decades of consulting, coaching and strategy experience, Jackie has helped leaders at universities, nonprofits and for-profit organizations reach their goals: from recruiting and retaining diverse and qualified candidates, to co-creating more inclusive organizational culture, to developing strategy that achieves data-driven, sustainable change.

    While based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a free-range human and lover of animals, she can be found pet sitting around the world.

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Dr. Julia Collett is the Assistant Director for Residence Life at SUNY Buffalo State College. She earned her M. Ed. In Higher Education and Student Affairs at Iowa State University in 2015 and her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration at George Washington University in 2022. Her dissertation focuses on how students of minoritized religions cultivate sense of belonging on their college campuses. Dr. Collett’s work focuses on supporting religious, secular, and spiritual student identities through policy work, programming, and education. Her research focuses on sense of belonging, White Christian Supremacy, and the ways those systems of oppression impact the lived experiences of students of minoritized religions. Julia lives in Buffalo with her partner and two basset hounds. She enjoys hiking with the dogs and playing board games with her partner. On Sundays, you can find her cheering on the Bills.

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: Restorative Practices in K-12 and Community Organizing and Policy, Affinity Space, and Integrative Holistic Community Healing for BiPoc Women

    LaToya spent 13-years in California as a Restorative Practices change agent and community activist. She got her start as a K-12 Educator and used the framework to become a record-breaking teacher and administrator. LaToya expanded her skills in building affinity spaces as a community organizer and Equity Officer within local municipalities and state government. Upon her return home to the East coast she became the Restorative Justice coordinator within the state of Connecticut providing training in juvenile detention facilities and DCF group homes to staff and youth. LaToya is a restorative practices champion who has inspired transformational justice within education spaces and community. 

  • ASSOCIATE (they/them)

    Areas of Focus: Restorative Practices

    Jeff joined Cornell University as the Assistant Dean for Flora Rose House in 2018. Jeff supports the educational mission of Flora Rose House through the supervision of professional, graduate, and undergraduate staff and the administration of the Rose Scholars program. They have served in various roles in residence life and student affairs throughout their professional career, specifically in the advancement of living-learning community programs, residential curricula, and Restorative Practices. Jeff has also served in various leadership roles within the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I) Academic Initiatives Conference committee and is a member of the National Learning Community Collaborative and the Restorative Practices in Higher Education Learning Collaborative. Jeff’s passion for exploring issues of social justice in connection to critical pedagogy, Restorative Practices, Intergroup Dialogue, critical theory, and student development theory strongly influences their professional practice.

    Through their consulting practice, Jeff has implemented restorative frameworks at numerous institutions of Higher Education. As a trainer, Jeff facilitates spaces where teams and individuals can practice vulnerability to understand more about themselves and others, opening doors for communication across difference. They are also currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Community Research and Action at Binghamton University's College of Community and Public Affairs, where they hope to research the affective and meaning-making processes surrounding interpersonal conflicts among college students.

    Jeff earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from the College of the Holy Cross and a Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration from the University of Vermont.

    Website: jpgodowski.com

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: White affinity space, Mens Health & Restorative Practices

    Michele is a licensed social worker, facilitator, mediator and educator with over a decade of experience providing direct support to students, staff and faculty. Most recently, Michele worked at Northwestern University from 2013-2020 as the Assistant Director in the Social Justice Education office, providing hundreds of workshops for thousands of people each year, overseeing the Sustained Dialogue program, and creating Deconstructing Whiteness. Michele has worked with national companies, non-profit organizations, school districts, higher education institutions, and communities to provide education and strategic consulting on topics like white accountability, anti-oppressive practices, cultural humility, facilitation, and engaging in healthy conflict. In addition to her consulting work, Michele is a licensed social worker currently serving as a therapist for both individuals and groups at Meghan Finn Therapy and Consultation in Evanston, IL. Michele holds a BA in journalism from Santa Clara University, a M.Ed in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago and a MSW from The University of Chicago.

    www.dynamiccooperative.com

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: Restorative Practices

    Nicole Little Special Education Teacher at ACES R.E.G.I.O.N.S and Team Lead Bio and experience

    Nicole Little has been working in the field of education since her graduation from Central Connecticut State university. She has worked with youth directly since the age 16. As a Special Education Teacher her focus has been to provide quality education to diverse groups of students with a variety of needs. She’s spent time working in a Charter School environment where she learned the power of community and responsive teaching. As her skills in and out the classroom developed, she decided to change the environment and students she was working with and began working at a Clinical Behavioral school for four years. While there she applied her knowledge of specialized education and grew as a teacher. She has developed her teaching style as a Restorative Justice Practitioner within her classroom. 

    Currently Nicole is working at ACES R.E.G.I.O.N.S. as a Lead Teacher. ACES R.E.G.I.O.N.S. is located in Hartford, Hamden and Plainville Connecticut. REGIONS is an Educational Program that collaborates with Connecticut Court Support Service Division, Yale Clinical Services and Community Solutions Inc, to support adjudicated youth ages 14-18. Nicole has built a strong Leadership development curriculum which she facilitates to the students within the R.E.G.I.O.N.S. community. It remains her passion to provide quality educational experiences while teaching and promoting leadership development to all her students. Through her work, she wants to provide students the opportunities to grow and excel through character and leadership building skills in a range of formats. It is her hope to make available a wide range of concepts and vocabulary that are necessary to become a leader and build confidence to support success in their future.

    Over the course of her career, she has presented professional developments on the following topics:

    Co-facilitation and planning (Bridging the gap between Special education and General Education) Vocational and Transitional Planning and Curriculum

    Incorporating Leadership and SEL learning into the classroom Uses for Dialectical Behavior Therapy within the classroom
    Using Restorative Practices for Addressing Hate Speech
    Building a Community: Restorative Practices within your Classroom

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Area of Focus: LGBTQ+ Rights

    William “Will” Mann is a retired professor, LGBTQA+ activist and consultant. He offers workshops, lectures and consultations on LGBTQ experience, culture, and history. During his eight years as assistant professor of history at Central Connecticut State University (2014-2022) and four years (2018-2022) as campus LGBTQ Center director, he developed and taught courses on LGBTQ History, History of AIDS, LGBTQ Public History, LGBTQ Film, LGBTQ Fiction, and American Popular Culture. His courses were taught using an intersectional lens, understanding that LGBTQ issues are not separate from race, class, ethnicity, age, ability, or religion.

    As former LGBTQ Center director, he facilitated campus-wide conversations on queer issues, such as understanding gender identity, pronoun usage, implicit bias, racial injustice, and allyship. He developed ally trainings for departments, classes, offices, and cultural centers. His goal is to make the LGBTQ experience accessible and familiar.

    Before his time on college campuses, he was the coordinator of Your Turf, the first LGBTQ support group for queer youth in Connecticut. In the 1990s. He was also a member of ACT UP, confronting homophobia, sexism, and racism in the response to the AIDS crisis. As editor of Connecticut’s queer Newsweekly, he covered politics, culture, and health. He also worked as a journalist for many national publications and used pop cultural history background to pen articles and best-selling biographies of political and Hollywood figures, many of them queer, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Katharine Hepburn, James Baldwin, and Marlon Brando.

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Areas of Focus: Diversity, equity and inclusion, strategic & organizational planning and assessment, worth with faith based orgs

    Dr. Byron R. Martin currently serves as the Assistant Provost for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). He is also an associate with The Consortium for Inclusion & Equity (C.I.E.) LLC. He also consults with universities, faith institutions, and organizations in both the public and private sectors, both national and international, in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Grounding his work in systems thinking and a justice-informed framework, Byron has activated change in organizations from an individual and systemic level.

    Dr. Martin is originally from Mesquite, Texas holds a Ph.D. from Cardinal Stritch University (C.S.U.) and a master’s and bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian University (A.C.U.). Through effective systems analysis and an intentional focus toward underrepresented populations, Byron helps to advance the institutional mission by building support structures that increase the recruitment, retention, and development of the entire campus community.

    Byron is the Co-founder of the “Creating and Nurturing Inclusivity (C.A.N.I.) series.” This multilevel training curriculum gives participants the tools to answer “YES” to the theoretical question of “Can I work to create and nurture an effective inclusion culture in my community?”

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Area of Focus: BiPoC and affinity group healing space work

    As a storyteller, I create heart-centered spaces through workshops, community engagements, culinary food, and more! My intention is to make a collective difference within my local Vermont community (and beyond) one story at a time. I’m excited to spread love, gratitude, and affirmations through my various offerings, showing up with ALL HEART! Breathing in and affirming one another’s stories matters to me. We all have stories worthy of telling. So what’s yours?! Join me and my amazing family for upcoming storytelling adventures!

    allheartinspirations.com

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Areas of Focus: Restorative Practices

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of focus: research, statistics, and evaluation

    Dr. Michele Parker is from Brooklyn, New York. She double majored in Sociology and Political Science at SUNY Stonybrook. After college, Michele obtained a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration. Later, she earned a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Statistics, and Evaluation at the University of Virginia. At UNC Wilmington, Michele is a Professor in the Educational Leadership Department. Since 2007, she has taught research and evaluation courses for undergraduate and graduate students. In 2020, Michele received the UNCW Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award and the Graduate Faculty Mentor Award. She is the Program Coordinator for two post-baccalaureate certificates: College Teaching and Learning and Coaching & Mentoring.

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Areas of Focus: Diversity, equity and inclusion, intercultural competence, and restorative practices

    Dr. Rafael Rodriguez became NYU's inaugural Associate Vice President and Dean of Students on October 25, 2021.

    Dean Rodriguez’s breadth and depth of professional experience and volunteer involvement on and off campus have earned him a reputation of being a connected, caring, and strategic leader. Throughout his career, Rafael has developed an expertise and proven track record in crisis response; organizational development and change management; recruitment, training, and retention of diverse staff; and implementing data-informed best practices that bolster the student experience. His work also focuses on providing holistic support to first-generation and marginalized students, fostering student leadership development, mentoring and developing professional staff, and developing quality assessment instruments.

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Areas of Focus: Diversity, equity and inclusion, organizational development and strategic planning

    Centering deep engagement and a strategic focus, Domonic Rollins successfully coaches organizations through diversity and inclusion change efforts. As the President of Rollins Consulting, Domonic works will clients to start, continue, and refine their efforts to make their organizations as inclusive as possible. Previously, he served as the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at The Dalton School and as the Senior Diversity & Inclusion Officer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Both inaugural chief diversity officer posts affirm and catalyze a necessary condition for diversity, equity, and inclusion work in organizations: engagement.

    A hallmark of Domonic's work is translating big ideas regarding diversity and inclusion, into practical solutions and considerations for organizations and interpersonal relationships. Previously, he served as the Senior Education and Training Specialist in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Maryland. His research focuses on issues of professional socialization, structural barriers to inclusive environments, social justice training in universities, and pathways to senior leadership for minoritized university administrators. His dissertation research investigated how Black male administrators navigate racism in higher education.

    Domonic serves and keeps connection with Academic Impressions, Leadershape Inc., the Social Justice Training Institute, Washington Consulting Group, and other professional organizations dedicated to inclusion. Passion areas for Domonic include diversity, social justice, organizational dynamics, and supervision. Domonic earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy from the University of Maryland-College Park.

    rollinsconsulting.org

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: Executive leadership coaching and development, student engagement, retention and success, organizational development, assessment and strategic planning,

    Dr. Sachedina brings a dynamic approach to leading and serving through the lens of empathy, compassion, and spirituality. Raised internationally in the State of Kuwait and of South Asian descent, she came to the United States as an International student; that experience shaped her passion and commitment to student service and fostered her embrace of the importance of cultural and interpersonal understanding between people and environments. A student of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), Shadia works to incorporate the Course’s teachings of love and forgiveness into the way she does her work and engages with life.  She is a Gallup-certified Strengths coach, and has worked with many people to help them uncover their talent potential so they can become stronger leaders and better managers. Shadia is a Level 2 Reiki Healer & practitioner as well as a certified trainer in Restorative Practice through the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP). She holds a Grand Diplome in Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute, and has often used her knowledge as a chef to address food and nutrition needs for campus communities.

    Shadia has more than 30 years in higher education and was most recently a Consultant at Keeling & Associates, a higher education consulting firm. She is a practitioner at heart, and has served as the Associate Vice President for Student Success and Dean of Students at the Fashion Institute for Technology in the State University of New York (SUNY), where she oversaw several key areas within student affairs. Earlier, she served as the Director of Student Life at Baruch College in the City University of New York (CUNY) and worked in various student affairs functional areas at the School of Visual Arts, Stony Brook University, and SUNY Cortland. She has served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor, taught graduate courses, and guest lectured on topics that include leadership, change management, and decision making. She has dedicated her career to developing impactful programs that produce demonstrable improvements in student success at the institutions she served.

    Dr. Sachedina is a contributing author in Munin & White’s Keep Calm and call the Dean of Students: A Guide to Understanding the Many Facets of the Dean of Students’s. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Stony Brook University, a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Baruch College, and her doctorate in Higher & Postsecondary Education from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development of New York University.

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Areas of Focus: Anti-racism

  • ASSOCIATE (he/him)

    Areas of Focus: Interfaith dialogue, Emergent facilitation

    Robert Taylor Jr. (he/him) is an intuitive facilitator and educator committed to supporting individuals' connections to their bodies, communities, and the world around them through a breath-centered mindfulness practice. 

    Presently, he works alongside students and community partners as they endeavor to cultivate a sense of belonging for religious, spiritual, secular, and interfaith communities at NYU. In this vein, he orchestrates holistic wellbeing initiatives and facilitates workshops on a number of issues concerning interfaith dialogue, mindful leadership, conflict resolution, and diversity within religious/spiritual spaces.

    Robert holds a B.A. in History and Gender & Sexuality Studies and an M.A. in History from New York University where he is the Program Administrator for MindfulNYU and Global Spiritual Life.

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: Diversity, equity, and inclusion work

    Janelle White, is Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of Chicago and as an Associate for the Consortium for Inclusion & Equity, LLC. As a DEI consultant, she has had the opportunity to work with education professionals, non-profits, and private companies to explore concepts of justice, inclusion, and equity within their organizational leadership, curriculum development, and community engagement initiatives. Janelle is the Co-founder of the “Creating and Nurturing Inclusivity (C.A.N.I.) series.” This multilevel training curriculum gives participants the tools to answer “YES” to the theoretical question of “Can I work to create and nurture an effective inclusion culture in my community?”

     Janelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Ball State University and a Master of Science in Education CSPA from Illinois State University She is is actively involved with (NASPA) as a co-chair for the African American Knowledge Community and as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor for her professional region.

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: Organizational and leadership development and Restorative Practices

    Patience Whitworth serves as the associate vice provost for Operations and Strategic Initiatives for the Office of the Provost at Carnegie Mellon University. In this role, Whitworth supports day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives, including partnerships with offices of vice provosts and other reporting units, deans, department heads, faculty, students, community, university and external organizations.

    First joining Carnegie Mellon as the director of the Office of the Vice Provost for Education, Whitworth served on the accreditation leadership team, provided administration oversight of the new academic programs process and coordinated academic leadership efforts in support of diversity, equity and inclusion and student success.

    Previously, Whitworth was the assistant dean of students in the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Vermont. Prior to UVM, she served as assistant director of the Student Life Research and Planning at The Ohio State University where she was responsible for divisional strategic planning and assessment.

    Whitworth’s research focuses on the application of restorative practices in higher education and she is a certified trainer and practitioner of restorative practices. She is active in Mortar Board National Honor Society and currently serves as section coordinator for Pennsylvania chapters.

    Whitworth earned both her master’s degree in Educational Policy and Leadership and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at The Ohio State University. She also holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of Vermont.

  • ASSOCIATE: (she/her)

    Areas of Focus: HR management, leadership development hiring and retention

    Dr. Harriet Williams is a SHRM certified human resources professional and Gallup Strengths Certified Coach who has spent the past 16 years engaging professionals around their leadership. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stony Brook University and holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Vermont. Harriet currently serves as the Director of Talent Management for the Division of Campus Life at Wake Forest University. Harriet has worked in higher education, nonprofit, and governmental agencies. She is specifically interested in how people manage transition and aids them in identifying their passions and attaining opportunities to discover and engage in their “heart work”. 

    Harriet deeply believes that our strengths and talents help to shape how we see ourselves within organizations and is skilled at identifying the mental barriers that are sometimes created when opportunities for change and growth present themselves. Dr. Williams works from a framework of leadership and organizational development and helps individuals, groups and teams strategically identify and solve organizational pain points. Using a variety of tools and assessments, Harriet engages teams using positive psychology to identify their best work and ways to create positive change and growth. 

    Harriet is originally from New York, and currently resides in North Carolina where she is learning how to be a really good empty nester!

  • ASSOCIATE (she/her/they/them)

    Area of Focus: Restorative Practices - Responsive Practices

    Kris identifies as white and was born in 1980 to a middle-class family in racially segregated Southern Oregon. Kris explains that like so many white “progressive” homes, they were taught to be color-blind and anti-Race, instead of an Anti-Racist. Now at age 42, Kris is committed to continuously interrogating the privileges their white skin gives them and using their power to fight white supremacy.

    Professionally, Kris began their career focused on ending gender violence, by teaching social emotional programs to public school students. In 2017, Kris received a Master of Science Degree in Restorative Practices from the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP).

    As an independent consultant Kris provides training to schools, organizations and community groups seeking to develop restorative cultures and eradicate systemic oppression from their policies and practices. Her dream is to one day open a Community Conflict Center in New London to provide residents with access to services and support in addressing and resolving conflict outside of the criminal legal system. Kris is grateful to call New London, Connecticut home where she lives with her stunning wife, Laura, brilliant daughter, Lize and six naughty chickens who think they run the neighborhood.

What makes us different?

Becoming a more inclusive and equitable organization is a journey and ELC believes in experiential learning and the reality of the ever-changing landscape of this work. We all carry privileged and marginalized identities that impact and shape our understanding of the communities we live in and serve. As facilitators, we strive to share our journey in this work through multiple identity lenses, which include, but are not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, immigrant status and ability. As we share our stories, we build trust by exposing our own struggles, truths, and successes.

As life-long learners, we engage our clients in meaningful dialogue that explores leadership and organizational development through the lens of diversity, intercultural competence, human behavior, and Restorative Practices. Using our facilitation skills, research, theory-based education, and storytelling, we help organizations strengthen interpersonal relationships so that they can better serve their clients. This work is a journey, and we believe that simply being on the journey will bring individuals, organizations, and communities to a place of mutual understanding in pursuit of inclusivity.


Our
Mission

Is it possible to help individuals become more aware of the societal dominance they carry and how it impacts the way in which they interact in the world? Is it possible to help individuals within organizations communicate more effectively with each other around difference and social inequity? Is it possible to provide staff members of different ages, genders, races, religions, sexual-orientations, socio-economic class etc., a work environment where they feel safe and secure; an environment that affirms their multiple and intersecting identities? ELC believes it is possible to move individuals and groups forward in their understanding of each other, their differences, and the societal constructs that keep us guarded and less productive.

ELC’s mission is simple: We believe by partnering with organizations, we can provide them with the foundational awareness, knowledge, skills, and language needed to create more inclusive and equitable work environments for all its members and the people they serve.

  • ELC's service model summary

    Using the Integrated Model for Inclusion and Equity (IMIE)©, ELC offers the following services to organizations and learning institutions.

  • community engagement

    Engaging the members of your organization as well as the people they serve is critical to changing culture and sits at the heart of the CIE’s model. Only by intentionally engaging all voices can you begin to find out the strengths and challenges of your organization, but this must be done through relationship building and authentic engagement. CIE promotes the Harvard Business theory of Fair Process as a way for those in positions of authority to engage its membership in transformative dialogue. When leaders know better, they can do better; and listening and using impact- based data is the only way an organization can change and/or develop new policies, procedures, and practices that better support their organization’s members and those they serve. 

  • educational & professional development

    Organizations and learning institutions seeking to diversify or become more inclusive and equitable may have trouble doing so without a shared language, and a foundational understanding of difference and how it impacts the ways in which we operate. CIE educates and helps organizations develop their ability to be more inclusive and equitable through a curriculum design that utilizes the frameworks of intercultural competence, social justice and equity, and neuroscience and human behavior. We meet learners where they are, but also “level the playing field” by providing a shared language, core concepts, and a foundational understanding and awareness of differences. When these frameworks are integrated and used synergistically, they create a more equitable environment for those who work and benefit from the organization.

  • search process management

    Recruitment and hiring practices say a great deal about an organization and are directly correlated to its values. Hiring is a critically important and multilayered process that when done well, can increase the compositional diversity of its members, which we know can have significant impact on its success. CIE helps organizations understand the most common obstacles to affirmative recruitment and hiring while teaching fundamental best practices that support the recruitment and retention of diverse talent.

  • systems analysis & policy review

    Systems analysis and policy review is just another way to help evaluate the inclusivity of any organization. Inclusive, culturally sensitive, and equitable organizations take into consideration the impact that policies, practices, processes, procedures, marketing, and the physical environment have on individuals and groups. CIE assists organizations by reviewing their systems, i.e., policies, procedures, processes as well as their communication tools, marketing materials, websites, publications, and physical space with an eye for inclusivity and openness.

  • strategic planning & assessment

    Assessment plays a critical role in organizational success, especially when that organization decides to make a commitment to becoming more inclusive and equitable. Examination and evaluation of individual and group level dynamics such as power and privilege are crucial in determining the current strengths, challenges, and potential growth areas for an organization. CIE assesses organizations through its partnership with Abundant Sun, as well as using intercultural assessments like the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) which focus on individual and groups level sensitivity to difference. Using the Integrated Model for Inclusion and Equity, CIE provides organizations with a strategic framework in which to build and map out a course for their work strategically.

testimonials

  • “Stacey’s leadership and facilitation style is rooted in a combination of authenticity, generating connections, and strategic planning. She is thoughtful in her approach to creating change, clear about her values, and welcoming to both individuals and communities. Stacey’s work results in organizational change that is more inclusive and equitable in its practices, policies, and people.”

    Dr. Tomas Sanchez
    Director of Residential Life
    University of North Texas

  • “Dr. Stacey Miller is an outstanding professional and consultant. With years of experience in higher education and in leadership positions, she brings vision, compassion, and a social justice perspective to her work. She is organized, flexible, and willing to work with your organization’s specific needs and goals. Working with Stacey has always been a true pleasure. She understands the challenges often faced by leaders and connects with employees at every level of the organization. She is genuine and forthright in her work and often uses humor to illuminate the realities of today’s work environments’. Her insight and talents are invaluable.”

    Dr. Annie Stevens
    Retired Vice Provost for Student Affairs
    The University of Vermont

  • “Stacey worked with UNT’s Division of Student Affairs leadership (approximately 40 individuals) on better understanding our intercultural competency using the Intercultural Development Inventory. Stacey met us where we were developmentally and provided a training that left us eager to improve and learn more. She was able to return after the height of COVID and even with staff changes, was able to pick up right where we left off, and build on our prior learning, as well as introduce new staff members to previously facilitated content. Stacey presents an ethic of care in her approach, along with the perfect balance of humor and content that is effective.”

    Dr. Melissa McGuire
    Vice President for Student Affairs
    University or North Texas

  • “Dr. Stacey Miller is a sought-after consultant and facilitator. Having witnessed her expertise in various settings and across a myriad of audiences, Dr. Miller centers content while also developing an excellent rapport with the groups/organizations she works with. I have enjoyed partnering with Dr. Miller and my teams have benefited greatly from her workshops/presentations.”

    Dr. DeMethra LaSha Bradley
    Higher Education Administrator

  • “Working with Dr. Stacey Miller has been a highlight of our first year Orientation Program for several years. Stacey delivers a message that is inviting and also challenging for students as they begin their college career at Champlain. She helps to set the stage for how our community comes together to create the welcoming and inclusive environment that is Champlain. Using her amazing skills combined with her vulnerability and candor leave students wanting more. Dr. Miller helps young people broaden their understanding of themselves and their role in their community. She is an asset to our Orientation program and has made the difference in so many students first year experiences and beyond.”

    Lisa B. Mazzariello
    Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs
    Champlain College

  • “I have had the opportunity to work with Stacey in a variety of organizations, among individuals with significant background in multicultural awareness as well as those seeking clarification and support. Her working models create a safe setting within which to explore the nuances of human difference, share personal experiences and learn without shame. In my experience, working with Stacey and her colleagues enables organizations to effectively unravel complex individual and team interactions to create a culture of wholeness.”

    Barbara Johnson, Ed.M. (she/her)
    HR Administrator
    Population Media Center, Inc