Subject/title: The Chesapeake Bay Trust and Chesapeake Bay Funders Network are offering a FREE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training Opportunity
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training Opportunity – Organizational Leadership and Leadership Culture
The Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, through the Capacity Building Initiative, will offer two Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trainings, facilitated by Francisco “Paco” Ollervides, for non-profit organizations working on natural resource topics within the Chesapeake region. The purpose of these trainings is to assist non-profit leaders with their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). Through structured engagement, including small break-out groups, participants will have the opportunity to discuss organizational leadership and culture regarding DEIJ, specifically focused on:
- how organizations can and should diversify their boards and leadership,
- how to overcome common (real or perceived) obstacles to doing so, and
- how to develop and maintain a leadership culture that ensures leaders and/or board members of color not only stay with the organization but feel they have agency and power to make change where necessary.
It is recognized that each individual and organization will be at a different stage in their DEIJ journey; regardless of starting point, participants will come away with tools to lead a DEIJ Task Force within their organization and conduct a future Executive Director Equity Evaluation.
Each organization must register 2 representatives that will attend the virtual training. One person should represent the Board of Directors (e.g. President, Chair, or Chair of DEIJ Committee) and the other person should hold a significant leadership, management, or decision-making role for the organization (e.g. Executive Director, Senior Leader, HR, or DEIJ officer). Space is limited to a maximum of 13 organizations per training. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis.
Prior to the training all participants should read the 2014 Green 2.0 report to be aware of the three primary challenges for diversifying the environmental movement and be prepared to suggest opportunities to circumvent these obstacles in their own organization.
Two dates for the training will be offered:
Option 1: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 from 11:00am – 1:00pm
Option 2: Wednesday, October 7, 2020 from 4:15pm – 6:15pm
Register using the following link: https://forms.gle/7xg31odqCzWywykPA
Contact Bre’Anna Brooks with the Chesapeake Bay Trust with questions at bbrooks@cbtrust.org.
About the Facilitator:
Francisco “Paco” Ollervides, PhD has worked directly with individual leaders and organizations in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice initiatives in the environmental sector for over 20 years. He assists strategic planning as well as conceptualizing, innovating, and driving forward initiatives that allow individuals to learn and act equitably and as stewards to our planet. His focus is on building the power of the environmental movement by facilitating opportunities for People of Color to excel in the sector through client and sponsor relationship management, customer satisfaction and retention, and staff management.
He leads the Green Leadership Trust as Executive Director. He leverages the knowledge, networks, and resources of People of Color and Indigenous people serving Boards of environmental organizations to build and diversify the environmental movement’s power. Prior (2013-2019) he acted as Leadership Development Manager and consultant in the Great Lakes region for River Network. Here he coordinated and provided organizational development services to dozens of Partner non profit organizations. From August 2006 – December 2010 he served as Senior Field Coordinator for Latin American programs within Waterkeeper Alliance. He connected, supported, and enhanced the activities of several dozens of non-profit member organizations.
He has trainings from the Watershed Coordinator Course from Ohio State University and served as lecturer to the Michigan Water Stewards program from Michigan State University. He was part of the Leading from Within Leadership course from Institute for Conservation Leaders and is a certified coach in Open Standards of Conservation from Conservation International. He is a Great Lakes Network Weaver and a National Senior Fellow with the Environmental Leaders Program. He received Racial Justice training from Race Forward; Civic Discourse training from Knoll Farm; Community Organizing and Family Issues Facilitation Training from the COFI Institute; Story telling for Social Change from Environmental Leaders Program; internal inclusivity training from Raben Group; completed the Arm in Arm 4 Climate Campaign and the BIPOC Climate Leadership Program.
He is a biochemical engineer and a bio-acoustician. His field work included assessing the impacts of boat noise on gray whale behavior. He holds both M.S and PhD degrees from the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department at Texas A&M University.
