Life at CB : Leadership & Diversity Lecture Series

The College of Business Leadership and Diversity Lecture Series brings speakers to CWU who share their experiences and perspectives about the varied dimensions of leadership and diversity in a variety of organizational settings.

Two business researchers, James Kouzes and Barry Posner, have spent more than two decades studying leadership in both the private and public sectors. The root origin of the word "lead" is a word meaning "to go" and conveys travel from one place to another. Kouzes and Posner contend that leaders are those who step out and show others the direction in which to head. Leaders begin the quest for a new order.

In its broadest sense, diversity refers to the rich variety of similarities and differences represented in a community of people--from cultural, gender, racial/ethnic and disability to sexual orientation, socioeconomic, opinions and ideas. Diversity focuses on opportunities to learn about all people and to engender awareness, understanding and respect for human experiences.

What are the challenges for leadership--for stepping out and showing others the way? What are the opportunities for promoting diversity--for engendering awareness, understanding and respect for human experiences?

Past speakers (with their respective affiliation at the time of speaking) in the Leadership and Diversity Lecture Series include:

• Earl Overstreet II, President, General Microsystems Inc. (GMI)
• Juan Aguilar, Senior Business Development Manager, Washington Mutual
• Franc Javier Camara, Director, Corporate Standards Strategies Group, Microsoft Corp.
• Linda Clark-Santos, Senior VP, Talent Recruitment and Organizational Capability, Washington Mutual
• Onofre Contreras, Executive Director, Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs
• Ginn Kitaoka, Director, Hyogo Business & Cultural Center (Seattle)
• Paull Shin, Washington State Senator, 21st Legislative District
• Bernadine Staten, Diversity Consultant, Corporate Diversity Training, Microsoft Corp.