Moving beyond compliance to build a truly inclusive culture

​Transforming inclusion from performative to participatory.

​Join Lia Seth, Jen Laurie, Carissa Romero, Christopher Bylone, Shivani Mehta Bhatia, Sira Laurel, and Liz Jurick for this interactive working session focusing on shifting from a culture of compliance to one of true inclusion–where disability equity isn’t a box to check, but a value to embody. Participants will be guided through an exploration of the gap between performative DEI language and the actual lived experience of disabled employees. The session pushes attendees to confront common patterns—like implementing solutions without consulting those most impacted—and instead emphasizes co-design, community input, and a shift in how HR and leadership approach inclusion.

​Participants will walk away with a clearer understanding of their role in fostering an inclusive workplace that is driven by values, not optics. Rather than centering only executives or HR, this session invites all attendees to see themselves as community members and bridge-builders—empowered to ask better questions, collaborate more deeply with those around them, and challenge the cognitive dissonance that arises when workplace culture ignores broader societal realities.