Social Responsibility Symposium
The USBG Foundation recognizes the interest in, and need for, a dedicated conference to address diversity and inclusion, interpersonal violence, stress recognition and management, and other health and wellness-related issues that affect the hospitality industry.
Along with education sessions, this event provides interactive workshop sessions and local community organization resources. All of this is provided in a safe and engaging environment that participants can plan to attend no matter what the public health situation brings in the future.
2021 brought the USBG Foundation's Inaugural Social Responsibility Symposium
"Welcoming Inclusion to Cultivate Belonging". Stay tuned for information on our 2022 program in the coming months.
TOPICS
Conflict Resolution
Generosity
Interpersonal Relationships
Working Across Atypical Differences
Interpersonal Violence/Intervention
Stress Recognition & Management
Breaking Down Groupthink
2022 Information
If you are interested in being a speaker or sponsor in 2022, please reach out to foundation@usbg.org.
Thank You to Our 2021 Speakers
SEMINAR: Ontology: Who Are You Being and Why Does It Matter?
Introducing ontology with a focus on how choosing the way we perceive ourselves and who we’re being has a huge impact on how we operate as employees in the restaurant industry. Ontology allows us to look at who we’re being and our intentions when we train our employees, and whether it’s achieving our intended results in alignment with our vision for the culture of our businesses.
Presented By Alison Anne
Alison is the founder of Alison Anne Coaching and Restaurant Revolution, where she works as an Ontological Leadership Coach and Restaurant Consultant. She came to coaching through her 18 years of experience working FOH in restaurants. Basically, she thinks that by working smarter and treating each other more compassionately, we can actually work less and still have thriving businesses. Alison is a member in good standing with the International Coaching Federation and a Program Coach & Trainer for the Accomplishment Coaching Coach Training Program. She lives in Rockville, MD with her husband, Paul, and her dog, Nano, who regularly reminds her what it’s like to choose to relate to a creature as his best self.
WORKSHOP: The Black T-Shirt Experiment: What Branding Can Teach Us About Self-Esteem
Participants will blast through their self-limiting beliefs, see their own value, and step into
their power.
Presented By Keka DasGupta
TEDx and international professional speaker, Keka DasGupta has dedicated her entire working life – first as tenured, award-winning PR/marketing veteran and now as an entrepreneur – to studying the emotional undercurrents that connect people to people and people to brands. Today, as the founder of the Art of Life-ing, Keka helps people DO life on their own terms, and she helps businesses and schools create happier and healthier cultures, through her transformative mental health strategies. She is the author of a soon-to-be-released book: Embraced: 31 Days, 31 Ways to Love Oneself.
SEMINAR: Fundamentals for Developing a Strong Foundation for a Diverse Team
A three-part discussion, identifying individual strengths of team members, using communication styles to optimize understanding and improve communication, and developing team foundation plans with long-term goals.
Presented by Colby Jones
Colby Jones is a native of Washington, PA, and Board-Certified Executive Leadership Coach/Owner of Live2Lead Professional Coaching, LLC. Colby also currently serves as a Behavioral Health Community Based/Outpatient Director for Allegheny and Beaver Counties at a local non-profit, human services organization. She is an alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2007 and became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. In addition to her bachelor’s degree, she obtained her Master of Health Administration in 2009 and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Health Administration with expected graduation in 2023. Colby’s passion for women empowerment, diversity, equity, & inclusion, leadership development, and career advancement for women has led her to invest time and resources into developing training, coaching, and mentorship initiatives to support those who are dedicated to making a positive change.
SEMINAR: Mental Health: It's Time to Talk
Through an interactive quiz, participants will walk away from this virtual keynote with an increased understanding of issues including mental illness, resilience, and wellness. Learn how to create a compassionate environment where individuals are seen, heard, and supported.
Presented by Allan Kehler
Having persevered through his own mental health issues and substance use, Allan Kehler has learned valuable life lessons that have guided him on an incredible path of success with extensive professional experience working in the mental health field. He has instructed various mental health-related courses at the college level and spent years working as an addiction counselor and clinical case manager. Drawing from both professional and personal experiences, Allan confidently conveys how to create a safe, compassionate, and supportive environment that proactively addresses issues of mental wellness and offers a unique style to effectively speak to these very sensitive issues using humor, compassion, and authenticity.
Allan is a best-selling author of four books and currently resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Here, he shares his life with his beautiful wife, four boys, four dogs, and a tank of fish.
WORKSHOP: Using Curiosity and Connection to Sustainably Resolve Conflict
Participants will explore how slowing down and turning inwards is the key to successful conflict resolution, learn to recognize one’s own patterned reactions and socialized responses to conflict, and develop skills that will enable one to engage in uncomfortable conversations. By prioritizing trust and transparency in our interactions, we learn to resolve conflict in a way that leaves everyone feeling heard
and respected.
Presented By Lindsay Lapaquette
As a former Speech-Language Pathologist, Lindsay applies her expertise in the neuroscience of communication and connection to help managers foster an environment of trust and respect in their teams so that everyone can bring their best selves to work. As a recently diagnosed Neurodivergent individual and mom to two neurodivergent children, she has spent much of her career advocating for social justice and challenging her own internalized beliefs and biases that contribute to ongoing social inequities in the world. With a thirst to learn that can never quite seem to be quenched, Lindsay brings extensive experience in emotional regulation, cultural proficiency, trauma-informed de-escalation, collaborative problem-solving, mindfulness, and nonviolent communication to her work today, to help others foster a deeper connection to both themselves and others.
WORKSHOP: Green Dot Bystander Intervention Workshop
Discussing Alteristic’s bystander intervention training, providing realistic options that can motivate people to safely and effectively intervene when they see harassing behaviors. There are more people willing to help than those causing harm.
Presented by Alberto Lorenzo & Melissa Emmal
Alberto is an Assistant Director, Trainer Development. Alberto has worked on violence prevention initiatives, alcohol and drug education and outreach as well as crises response on college campuses for many years. Alberto also holds a Master’s degree in English Literature with a concentration in Latino studies and literacy from Georgetown University. He is a proud immigrant from Cuba; he was born on the island and raised in the U.S.
Melissa is the Director of Training at Alteristic. She provides training and technical assistance in power-based personal violence prevention and contributes to curriculum development. A native Alaskan with 14+ years of experience working to prevent and intervene against interpersonal violence, she was previously the Deputy Director at Alaska’s largest provider of domestic violence intervention and prevention services, Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis. From 2012 to 2015, Melissa took a leadership role in Alaska’s statewide implementation of the Green Dot initiative.
SEMINAR: Whad'll Ya Have? Avoiding Drama and Legal Action in a Highly Charged Workplace
An interactive presentation that will help participants create a workspace where healthy and respectful relationships are paramount.
Presented by Elaine Pasqua
A 6’5″ 250-pound man once looked at Elaine Pasqua standing at 5’3″ and said: “You are the biggest little thing I’ve ever seen!” For 25 years this funny, passionate, and energetic woman has been traversing the country, helping her clients obtain peak performance through positive relationships and choices. She has worked with countless businesses and associations, 31 professional sports teams across the NFL, NBA, and MLB, hundreds of college campuses, our military leaders, and high schools and parent groups. Elaine has been featured in USA Today, NY 1 News, Time Warner TV, NPR, NBC Sports Radio, CBS Sports, and Knight Ridder News Service. She is an author, columnist, and producer, and director of public service videos. Her passion lies in transforming people to create stronger, more innovative teams. When Elaine is not traveling for fun or singing with friends, you can find her home in her gardens with plenty of dirt under her fingernails!
SEMINAR: Fire Up So You Don't Burnout: How to Prevent, Break Through, and Extinguish Burnout
Burnout is like a wildfire—spreading quickly and affecting everything in its path. Learn how to handle stress to improve focus, performance, and team dynamic through resiliency.
Presented by Jessica Rector
Jessica’s vision is simple: Transform Lives. Because her brother died, her mission is to help others truly live. As the top burnout and mind wellness expert, Jessica Rector, MBA is the authority on breaking through burnout and tackling your inner game, and turning it into outer success and positive action! As a former TV talk show host and award-winning #1 sales performer at a Fortune 100 company, Jessica uses her company’s research to help organizations, leaders, and teams to fire up their thinking and extinguish burnout. When she’s not traveling around the world for work, Jessica spends her time learning about the exciting world of Transformers, so she can carry on real conversations with her eight-year-old son, Blaise, who is a #1 best-seller author and the youngest published author in the United States.
SEMINAR: The Art of Retention and Recruitment of Black Talent
Explore issues of institutionalization, wage gaps, and preference of white applicants to blacks as something that has bled into a gap of cultural competency with employers.
Presented by Calista Phair Tucker
Calista (Phair) Tucker, known as the Talent Fairy Godmother, is the CEO & Founder of Calista Phair, LLC. Calista is a graduate from Bennett College one of the only two all-women Historically Black Colleges in the world with Bachelor’s in Political Science and Global Studies. Her passion lies in the visibility for underrepresented talent and has been successful at increasing highly qualified minority candidates by over 70% for companies while increasing inclusiveness and retention by over 50%. Calista is an active member of the Pregnancy Collaborative apart the Pittsburgh Study providing women of color within Allegheny County better access to health and wellness with a mission to combat infant mortality. She lives in Pittsburgh with her lovely husband and 1-year-old son Dillon.