UCLA HARRT

HARRT at UCLA: LIGHTS + CAMERA + ACTION - Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
2021-06-22 11:45 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | virtual
Please join HARRT’s Faculty Director, Professor Corinne Bendersky in a conversation with Darnell Hunt, Ph.D., Dean, UCLA Division of Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology and African American Studies, Paul Martin, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Christine Simmons, Chief Operating Officer of The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences (The Oscars) on lessons learned in the entertainment industry when driving change in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In the past year, many businesses have advanced DE&I initiatives for multiple stakeholders including employees, customers, shareholders, and constituents. Organizations with a clear strategy, well-defined focus, results-driven leadership, and defined measurements have successfully moved from awareness – to commitment – to action. There is no single formula for improving diversity and inclusion that applies to every company or industry. By collaborating on action-based initiatives that have been successful and in some cases unsuccessful, organizations can learn and apply new approaches to building an inclusive DE&I culture.
This session spotlights the importance of collaborative decision-making, data analytics, as well as, bold and accountable leadership when developing and prioritizing strategic DE&I programs.
• Dean Hunt will share insights and lessons learned from the Hollywood Diversity Report that examines the relationship between diversity and the bottom line in Hollywood and the degree to which women and people of color are present in front of the camera and behind the camera.
• Paul Martin will share insights about the multi-pronged racial equity and inclusion program launched in 2020 called Sony Pictures Action which includes an Action Council comprised of executives from across the company, the Diverse Directors Program that provides participants from diverse backgrounds to access and exposure to TV directing, as well as, lessons learned from Sony’s employee business resource groups that promote a culture of understanding, acceptance and, inclusion.
• Christine Simmons will share the next phase of the Oscars equity and inclusion program called Academy Aperture 2025 and lessons learned from the Academy Gold Internship Program which is a global talent development and inclusion initiative that provides opportunities for creative individuals and students from diverse backgrounds to participate in the entertainment industry.

HARRT at UCLA Associate Exchange: Why DE&I Programs Fail… and How to Fix It
2021-06-24 11:45 - 12:45 | Virtual Round Table, By Invitation Only, CA, United States
HARRT welcomes, entrepreneur, best-selling author, and 5 time Emmy winner, Michele Ruiz who will discuss the science driving an innovative approach to mitigating unconscious bias in the workplace. She, along with her colleague, Heidi Burnett, will share how this new technology can now help you collect meaningful DE&I data and obtain insights you can use to implement targeted, actionable inclusion initiatives in recruitment and employee development to support and achieve long-term DE&I objectives for your organization.

HARRT at UCLA Associate Exchange: FORESIGHT FUNDAMENTALS in a post-COVID workplace featuring The Institute for the Future (IFTF)
2021-07-22 11:45 - 12:45 | virtual
This year, we’ve been reminded just how quickly the world can change. Dealing with extreme uncertainty is not just a reality, but a way of life. How well equipped are you to anticipate and prepare for the challenges ahead? Join your fellow HARRT Associate members to discuss workforce strategies and how to incorporate the foresight tools designed to help individuals and organizations develop skills to become more resilient and to position HR as a leader of future organizational change.

HARRT at UCLA General Session: The Post-Pandemic Economic Outlook and the Impact on Employment featuring Jerry Nickelsburg
2021-07-27 11:45 - 12:45 | virtual
Please join HARRT’s Faculty Director, Professor Corinne Bendersky in a conversation with Jerry Nickelsburg, Ph.D., Director, UCLA Anderson Forecast, Adjunct Professor of Economics, UCLA Anderson School of Management as they discuss the June 2021 economic outlook for the United States and California. Dr. Nickelsburg will share how the economic reality of the pandemic has created new employment challenges, how it will impact employment trends, jobs, unemployment, wages, and the effect of hybrid work on office space.

HARRT at UCLA ~ Annual DEI Event - The L.A. STORY: Aligning Cultural Change & DEI
2021-09-21 11:45 - 13:00 | virtual
Please join HARRT’s Faculty Director, Professor Corinne Bendersky in a conversation with Malaika Billups, Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, The City of Los Angeles, and Ruby Flores, Commander and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) as they discuss the DEI-driven culture in Los Angeles, the 3rd largest city in the world. Our speakers will share the complexity of operating in the public sector with multiple government regulations while driving culture change and developing comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies. The city’s DEI leaders must consider multiple stakeholders including 50,00 employees, approximately 4,000,000 residents, more than 250,000 businesses, and over 50,000,000 visitors annually.
This session focuses on L.A.’s evolving journey to align the city’s forty-five very different departments and bureaus such as airports, police, fire, transportation, and public works to name a few. Our speakers will provide insights on the importance of planning, collaboration, and accountability in a decentralized organizational structure, the critical role of internal and external communications to gain consensus, the imperative of creating strategic department alignment to build a universal DEI-driven culture, and the challenges of implementing change management initiatives to overcome implementation barriers.

2021 Associate Symposium (Virtual)
2021-10-06 | virtual

HARRT at UCLA: Adam Galinsky, Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics, Columbia Business School. "Leadership Reset: Creating a Collaborative Culture in a Post-Pandemic Workplace".
2022-01-20 11:45 - 13:00 | Virtual Round Table, Twice-Weekly By Invitation Only, United States

HARRT at UCLA: Katy Milkman, the James G. Dinan Professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. "How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be"
2022-03-08 11:45 - 13:00 | Virtual Round Table, By Invitation Only, CA, United States
During the pandemic, many leaders and human resources teams suddenly found themselves re-focusing on workers’ well-being. In addition to creating a more inclusive culture, many organizations have made significant investments in new benefit programs to address employee physical, mental, and financial wellness. However, often these programs are not successful since individual daily habits are very difficult to change. But why is change so difficult and what can we do to overcome the barriers? Professor Katy Milkman, a renowned behavioral scientist at The Wharton School will share evidence-based insights that are applicable whether you are interested in changing your own behavior or as a leader helping your employees achieve their personal goals. She will share science-based research from her new bestselling book, How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be on ways to develop positive change behaviors such as inclusion, future savings, personal fitness, and vaccination take-up.

2022 Day of Learning - The Great Re-set and what to do now (HARRT/Willis Tower Watson)
2022-05-18 07:30 - 16:00 | UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States

HARRT at UCLA: Laurie Weingart, The Richard M. & Margaret S. Cyert Professor of Organizational Behavior & Theory, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University. "The No Club".
2022-06-02 11:45 - 13:00 | Virtual Round Table, By Invitation Only, CA, United States

Achieving Your DEIB Goals: The Secret Sauce for Leading Transformational Change
2023-01-25 11:30 - 13:00 | virtual
This ongoing series is offered as part of the new HARRT at UCLA DEI & Belonging Network which is a forum dedicated to providing participants with programming, research, and networking to further the effort of diversity and belonging in the workplace.
Description: As organizations implement new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) strategies, many leaders overlook the importance of incorporating transformational change approaches into their plans. A panel of highly accomplished experts featuring Ian Ziskin, Karen Jaw-Madson, and Sophia Kristjansson will provide a variety of perspectives on why an inclusive change culture is imperative to achieving sustainable DEIB change. Questions to be discussed will focus on what it takes to lead, survive, and even thrive when creating culture change:
1. What are the three most important considerations when implementing transformational change?
2. What is the value of applying transformational change approaches to DEIB strategies?
3. What do leaders who drive and sustain successful transformational change, actually do?

Annual DEIB Summit Day 1 @ NASA JPL
2023-03-28 10:00 - 15:00 | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (by invitation only), 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109
By Invitation Only. This annual event is offered as part of the UCI Paul Merage School of Business and the HARRT at UCLA DEI & Belonging Network which is a forum dedicated to providing participants with programming, research, and networking to further the effort of diversity and belonging in the workplace. If you are a DEI Senior Executive or ERG Leader in your organization and would like to attend this session as our guest, use this link to let us know.

Annual DEIB Summit Day 2 @ UCI Paul Merage School of Business
2023-03-30 11:30 - 18:00 | UCI Paul Merage School of Business (by invitation only), 4293 Pereira Dr, Irvine, CA, 92697, United States

HARRT at UCLA - WTW Annual Day of Learning
2023-05-10 08:00 - 15:00 | UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
Each year we welcome our HR executive members and guests to campus to join us and our partner, WTW for the highly anticipated Day of Learning. This year, the full day experience will take place on Wednesday, May 10.
Key Takeaways:

Gain insights from leading employers and academic professors on the current HR landscape and the future of the workplace
Hear proven strategies to optimize the workforce through trends and best practices for effective leadership
Network with executive peers across industry sectors from leading global organizations

Cracking the Authenticity Code
2023-06-28 12:00 - 13:00 | CA
Virtual Event, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.

Women in HR Leadership Series: Sess. 2 – Meet the CHROs: Leadership Conversations (panel)
2023-11-14 11:30 - 13:00 | virtual
Virtual event. November 14, 2023 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM PST

Women in HR Leadership Series: Sess. 3 Understanding Self and Others to Drive your Development
2023-12-06 11:30 - 13:00 | virtual
Virtual event. December 6, 2023 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM PST

Women in HR Leadership Series: Sess. 4 – What’s next for me? Leadership Action Planning
2023-12-13 11:30 - 13:00 | virtual
Virtual event. December 13, 2023 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM PST

2024 UCLA + UCI Inclusion Summit
2024-03-06 09:30 - 14:30 | UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
Cracking the Inclusion Code: Cultivating Change in Organizational Culture
We’ve seen the data: diverse work groups lead to better decision-making, which improves performance. But is it that simple? We need to go beyond diversity to be inclusive, but how? Cultivating organizational change requires creativity, innovation, trust, and leadership commitment. Join us to hear from change makers who are using a combination of talent, management frameworks, and technology to build an inclusive culture.

2024 UCLA + WTW Day of Learning
2024-04-30 09:00 - 15:00 | UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
HARRT at UCLA & WTW
11th Day of Learning
Future Forward: What’s Next for HR?

Labor market pressure is down but talent shortages remain for key roles. Healthcare costs are on the rise again. Certain tech companies face layoffs and uncertainty as AI’s impact grows. Inflation lingers as employees demand higher pay to keep up. Some sectors thrive; others struggle. It’s an election year. Burn-out is real.

Gain insights from leading employers and professors with a focus on you – the HR leader – and how you can energize your “future self”
Have an open discussion with experts on how to address wellbeing concerns for the HR team
Hear strategies employers are incorporating to deal with some of today’s most pressing people challenges while planning for the future

Network with executive peers across industry sectors from leading local and global organizations

HARRT EMBARK Series - Session 1 Learning & Development
2024-08-15 12:00 - 13:00 | virtual
Join us for EMBARK, HARRT’s topic-driven professional development series designed and led by HARRT Members. Join us virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month and take a deep dive into a key topic for a group discussion. The goal of this monthly series is to provide you with opportunities to network, exchange resources, and gain insight from fellow member experiences.
Key Topics for the EMBARK series:
Learning & Development
Talent Acquisition
DEIB
Total Rewards
HR Analytics
Employee Relations and Compliance and more…

HARRT EMBARK Series Session 2 Talent Acquisition
2024-09-19 12:00 - 13:00 | CA

HARRT EMBARK Series Session 3 DEIB
2024-10-17 12:00 - 13:00 | CA
EMBARK is HARRT’s topic-driven professional development series designed and led by HARRT Members. Join us virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month and take a deep dive into a key topic for a group discussion. The goal of this monthly series is to provide you with opportunities to network, exchange resources, and gain insight from fellow member experiences.
Session 3 of the EMBARK series featured HARRT Executive Member, April Castañeda, Chief Human Resources Officer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – PNNL, and Accomplished DEIB Leader.
Key Takeaways:
1. Focusing on the “I” in DEIB.
2. DEIB challenges and successes.
3. Outside resources and technology being used for DEIB.
4. New DEIB initiatives for 2025.

HARRT EMBARK Series Session 4 HR Resilience and Burnout
2024-11-21 12:00 - 13:00 | virtual
EMBARK is HARRT’s topic-driven professional development series designed and led by HARRT Members. Join us virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month and take a deep dive into a key topic for a group discussion. The goal of this monthly series is to provide you with opportunities to network, exchange resources, and gain insight from fellow member experiences. We encourage you to come as you are, prepared to share with cameras and audio enabled.

Session 4 of the EMBARK series will feature Dr. Ilona Salmons, Psychotherapist and Leadership Consultant.
Key takeaways for this session:

What factors contribute most to stress and burnout in your profession?
What signs of burnout do you see most frequently in yourself and your colleagues?
What challenges do you face in balancing the demands of supporting employees while also managing your own well-being?
What changes would you like to see in your organization’s approach to supporting HR professionals in their unique role as first responders?

HARRT EMBARK Series: Session 5 Benefits: Aligning to Today's Employee
2025-01-16 12:00 - 13:00 | virtual
Join us for Session 5 of EMBARK, HARRT’s topic-driven professional development series designed and led by HARRT Members. The topic of our fifth installment will be Benefits: Aligning to Today’s Employee. Our facilitator is Lori Carnvale, Director, Employee Benefits & Records, RAND Corporation and our guest speaker, Hillary Cookler, UCLA Anderson PhD candidate.
The goal of EMBARK is to help you connect with colleagues and share knowledge, experiences, technology, and tips on what works and what doesn’t so you can create a network to help you thrive in your role. EMBARK meets virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month. We encourage you to come as you are, prepared to share with cameras and audio enabled.
* In addition to the topics below, there is an opportunity in the registration process to further enrich the conversation by sharing any other thoughts or questions you want us to address during the session.
Key Topics For This Session:
• How have your benefit offerings changed to reflect your current employee base?
• What technology is your organization using to administer benefits?
• How have you incorporated leaves of absence into your benefits strategy?
• How has the cost of benefits impacted your offerings?
+ Please be sure to share other associated topics or questions you want us to cover during the session in the registration process.
Event Details: Virtual

Date: Thursday, January 16, 2025
Time: Noon – 1:00 PM PST

HARRT at UCLA Inclusive Leadership Summit
2025-02-25 10:00 - 15:00 | UCLA Extension, 1145 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
In today’s dynamic global landscape, inclusive leadership has become a critical cornerstone of organizational excellence. It focuses on creating an environment where every individual feels valued, heard, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.
Our Summit will explore the transformative power of inclusive leadership – examining how embracing differences, promoting psychological safety, and intentionally developing diverse talent can revolutionize workplace culture and drive sustainable success.
We look forward to you joining us on February 25th as we explore how inclusive leadership can become a powerful strategic tool for talent development, organizational resilience, and sustainable growth.

HARRT at UCLA | WTW Day of Learning
2025-05-06 09:00 - 15:00 | CA

HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab Session #1 - Navigating Uncertainty: The AON Framework
2025-10-16 12:00 - 13:00 | HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab (virtual)
Introducing – The HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab, a monthly professional development series designed for HR leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve. Each session features thought leaders tackling today’s most provocative and pressing HR challenges—from AI in the workplace to equity dilemmas, talent strategy innovations, and cultural transformation.
This isn’t passive learning. Come prepared to engage in substantive discussions, challenge assumptions, and gain actionable insights you can apply immediately. Over the course of an hour, you’ll expand your strategic thinking, connect with fellow HR professionals navigating similar complexities, and build a network of forward-thinking peers.
Join us to sharpen your expertise, broaden your perspective, and position yourself as an indispensable leader in your organization.
Stacy Smithers, Chief of Staff / Head of Strategy & Administration for the CAO and Heidi Burnett, People Org. Solutions and Impact, Human Sustainability, AON, will present our first LEARNING LAB installment: NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY: THE AON FRAMEWORK. How Aon created our People Risk framework to navigate uncertainty. The foundation for examining topics such as AI, Skills, Total Rewards and workforce opportunities and risks.
Remember, The LEARNING LAB meets virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month. We encourage you to come as you are, prepared to share with cameras and audio enabled.
*In addition to the topics below, there is an opportunity in the registration process to further enrich the conversation by sharing any other thoughts or questions you want us to address during the session.
Key Topics For This Session:
• What framework do you use to assess people risk at your organization?
• Is the data you use to assess people risk – historical or predictive?
• How do you reconcile decisions when there is conflicting data points?
Please be sure to share other associated topics or questions you want us to cover during the session in the registration process.
Event Details: Virtual
1. Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
2. Time: Noon – 1:00 PM PST
3. Register: Attendees will receive a Zoom link after registering – Remember to add the meeting to your calendar.
Please register by October 13, 2025

HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab Session #2 - Breakout Learning - AI: Leveraging Employee Conversations & Insights
2025-11-20 12:00 - 13:00 | HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab (virtual)
Introducing – The HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab, a monthly professional development series designed for HR leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve. Each session features thought leaders tackling today’s most provocative and pressing HR challenges—from AI in the workplace to equity initiatives, talent strategy innovations, and cultural transformation.

This isn’t passive learning. Come prepared to engage in substantive discussions, challenge assumptions, and gain actionable insights you can apply immediately. Over the course of an hour, you’ll expand your strategic thinking, connect with fellow HR professionals navigating similar complexities, and build a network of forward-thinking peers.
Join us to sharpen your expertise, broaden your perspective, and position yourself as a future forward leader in your organization.

Ramit Varma, CEO / Co-Founder, Breakout Learning, will present our second LEARNING LAB installment: AI: Leveraging Employee Conversations and Insights. Breakout Learning uses AI to facilitate and evaluate employee discussions at scale. It’s like having a facilitator in every small group conversation you run, which means you can finally engage your entire organization in critical initiatives instead of just a select few.

Remember, The LEARNING LAB meets virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month. We encourage you to come as you are, prepared to share with cameras and audio enabled.

*In addition to the topics below, there is an opportunity in the registration process to further enrich the conversation by sharing any other thoughts or questions you want us to address during the session.

Key Topics For This Session:

How do you go from employee feedback to enterprise-wide discussion?
If you could use AI to transform one aspect of your HR approach, what would create the most impact?
How do you know if your culture initiatives are resonating—or just checking boxes?

Event Details: Virtual

Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time: Noon – 1:00 PM PST
Register: Attendees will receive a Zoom link after registering – Remember to add the meeting to your calendar.

Please register by November 17, 2025

HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab Session #3 - Fuel Yourself First: The Science of Sustainable Leadership with Jay Abbasi
2026-01-15 12:00 - 13:00 | HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab (virtual)
The HARRT at UCLA Learning Lab, a monthly professional development series designed for HR leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve. Each session features thought leaders tackling today’s most provocative and pressing HR challenges—from AI in the workplace to equity initiatives, talent strategy innovations, and cultural transformation.
This isn’t passive learning. Come prepared to engage in substantive discussions, challenge assumptions, and gain actionable insights you can apply immediately. Over the course of an hour, you’ll expand your strategic thinking, connect with fellow HR professionals navigating similar complexities, and build a network of forward-thinking peers.
Join us to sharpen your expertise, broaden your perspective, and position yourself as a future forward leader in your organization.
Jay Abbasi, CEO / Co-Founder, The Conscious Professional, will present our third LEARNING LAB installment: Fuel Yourself First: The Science of Sustainable Leadership. This virtual workshop will empower HARRT members to manage stress, sharpen focus, and elevate team performance without sacrificing well-being. The session will be interactive and engaging, inviting you to not just download information; but activate transformation. We will incorporate real-life case studies and apply strategies based on cutting-edge neuroscience and practical mindfulness techniques to help leaders drive results and foster a more dynamic, innovative, and engaged workforce.
Remember, The LEARNING LAB meets virtually every 3rd Thursday of the month. We encourage you to come as you are, prepared to share with cameras and audio enabled.
*In addition to the topics below, there is an opportunity in the registration process to further enrich the conversation by sharing any other thoughts or questions you want us to address during the session.
Key Questions For This Session:

What skills are needed by leaders to perform better in the face of chaos and uncertainty?
How can you leverage transformation using Purpose Driven Leadership?
How do you become a resilient leader in the New Year?

Event Details: Virtual

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Time: Noon – 1:00 PM PST
Register: Attendees will receive a Zoom link after registering – Remember to add the meeting to your calendar.

Please register by January 12, 2026
