BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Diversity Month at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business will conclude with presentations by two successful female leaders in the C-suite and another featuring the chief content officer of theGrio, a news organization covering Black America.
Kelley’s Full-Time MBA Program has been presenting the event series, “Unity in Diversity,” which already has included panel discussions featuring alumni discussing how to be a “person of influence” and how women can succeed in their careers. Chris Gardner, an entrepreneur and author of the autobiographical book, “The Pursuit of HappYness,” spoke on April 16.
Here is more about the upcoming presenters:
Meredith Harper
Meredith Harper
Meredith Harper, vice president and chief information security officer at Eli Lilly and Company, will speak at 5:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 22, on the topic, “DEI as a Business Strategy.
Harper is responsible for Eli Lilly’s global information security program. Prior to joining the company in 2018 as senior director and deputy chief information security officer, Harper served as chief information privacy and security officer at Henry Ford Health System, where she had ultimate responsibility for the protection of Henry Ford’s provider, insurance, retail, and research businesses.
She earned a master’s degree in health services administration and a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from the University of Detroit Mercy. She also earned a master’s of jurisprudence in health law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Harper serves on several advisory boards in support of empowering women and minorities to embark upon careers in technology, especially in information security. She has also served her community for 29 years through her Diamond Life membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Todd Johnson
Todd Johnson
Todd Johnson, chief content officer of theGrio, a video news community devoted to providing stories that affect and reflect Black America, will speak at 5:30 p.m. ET, Monday, April 26.
Johnson is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Before assuming the role of chief content officer, he worked for theGrio as a video journalist covering critical news events such as the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the impact of the Ferguson protests.
Johnson also has provided reporting and on-air commentary for MSNBC, CNN, and NBC’s “Today Show.” He also served in the role of managing editor, helping guide theGrio through multiple transitions before it was acquired by Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios. Entertainment Studios is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of films and television shows, with 64 shows on the air, and owner of nine 24-hour HD television networks now serving nearly 160 million subscribers, including The Weather Channel television network and its streaming service Local Now.
Allen, founder of Entertainment Studios, said “The appointment of Todd Johnson to theGrio reflects our commitment to providing the best news and video content for our platforms … Todd is an amazing executive, and under his leadership theGrio will continue its phenomenal growth.”
Prior to his current role, Johnson served as editorial director of NBC BLK, a division of NBC News Digital. NBC BLK, launched in 2015, produces stories by, for, and about the Black community in an effort to further the conversation about social issues, culture, and more.
Janet Foutty
Janet Foutty
Janet Foutty, executive chair of the board of Deloitte US, will speak on the topic, “The Future of Equity in Corporate America,” at 5:30 pm ET, Wednesday, April 28.
Foutty is also a member of Deloitte’s Global Board of Directors and chair of the Deloitte Foundation. She was elected as executive chair in June 2019 after serving as chair and chief executive officer of Deloitte Consulting LLP. She has held numerous other leadership roles at Deloitte, including leader of its federal practice and leader of Deloitte Consulting’s technology practice, which notably launched several businesses, including Deloitte Digital.
A frequent author and public speaker, she regularly communicates with executive-level audiences about the changing business landscape, corporate governance, crisis resiliency, technology disruption and leadership. Foutty is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion; women in technology; veterans’ issues; and the need for STEM education.
Foutty earned both a Bachelor of Science in decision sciences with distinction and an MBA in finance from the Kelley School. She serves as the chair of Bright Pink, a nonprofit dedicated to women’s health; a board member of Catalyst, a global nonprofit working to build more inclusive workplaces; and on the Kelley School’s Dean’s Council.