Elevate your insights & perspectives

Facilitated by Ekua Mends-Aidoo, president and principal consultant for equity-centered strategy and planning firm Clementine Gold Group, DEI Expert Exchange is designed as a confidential space to share top-level insights and discuss common challenges, problems and experiences in a supportive group setting.

What to expect:

• Sessions are the second Tuesday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Amplify your impact as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) catalyst
• Gather feedback on sensitive issues from people who have navigated DEI challenges
• Leverage the collective wisdom to make informed decisions that drive your DEI efforts and strategic growth forward

Learn more about the facilitator

Ekua has over 15 years of experience working with corporations, municipal governments, non-profit and healthcare organizations. She has been responsible for managing the people functions of organizations and implementing equitable policies, practices and programs that align with strategic goals and vision, especially in diverse and underserved populations. She has been instrumental in shaping workplace cultures with an emphasis on maintaining employee engagement through strategic analytics and program design.

Building relationships with stakeholders and advocating for equitable driven change is a
major highlight of her work. She enjoys decision making with the influence from data and stakeholder experience. Ekua is a Cornell Certified Diversity Professional and completed an advanced certificate in Diversity & Inclusion at Cornell’s ILR School. Ekua was recognized with Buffalo Business First’s inaugural I.D.E.A Award (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Awareness) highlighting her work in the DEI space and was also recognized as a 2021 & 2022 “Power 200 Woman” in Western New York by Buffalo Business First. Ekua has recently been named to the WNY Regional Committee for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.

Facilitated by Dustin Snyder, chief advisor and founder of Buffalo-based organizational development firm Wayforward Associates, the HR Expert Exchange is designed as a confidential space to share top-level insights and discuss common challenges, problems and experiences in a supportive group setting.

What to expect:

• Sessions are the third Tuesday of each month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Discussions around recruitment and retention strategies, approaches to employee buy-in, generational changes in the workforce, and human resources as a profit center

Learn more about the facilitator

Prior to launching Wayforward Associates, Snyder was the President of the US manufacturing division of Aurubis AG (commonly known in the US as the former American Brass), where he led this 600 employee heavy manufacturing group to its first profitable operating result in several years. His legacy is colored by a complete re-imagining of product strategy. But, more importantly: instituting an effective and sustainable management team and cultivation of a trusting and engaged labor/workforce relationship.

In 2021, Snyder moved on from this role and founded Wayforward. In founding the firm, Snyder determined that his value to an organization is precisely what makes him a poor choice (his words) for long-term
corporate employment. He’s restless. He works quickly. And when expectations are successfully exceeded, he’s immediately ready for the next challenge. Contributing to many companies across industries,
locations, and most importantly, situations, is vigorously attractive to him, either in a short-term episodic capacity or as a long-term fractional contributor. In 2023, he functions as Wayforward’s chief advisor -
focused on setting the right structure for the firm’s client engagements, conducting EEX assessments, and facilitating leadership offsites.

His prior HR leadership roles spanned the European Tier 1 automotive supplier Oetiker Group, the Kaleida Health hospital system, and Roswell Park Cancer Institute. The Hatchets & Hops chain of axe throwing
venues across New York State was also founded by Dustin. He earned his MBA from SUNY University at Buffalo, an MA in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University, and a BA in Organizational Psychology from Canisius College. Dustin is a Six Sigma Black Belt, as well as a Meyers-Briggs certified practitioner.

Facilitated by Doug Bean, current senior advisor and former vice chairman/chief brand officer at national agency Mower, the Marketing Expert Exchange is designed as a confidential space to share top-level insights and discuss common challenges, problems and experiences in a supportive group setting.

What to expect:

• Sessions are the fourth Tuesday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Topical and timely discussions about current concerns and challenges experienced by participants, growth and branding strategies, and navigating leadership dynamics

Learn more about the facilitator

Doug currently serves as Senior Advisor at Mower, a nationally recognized marketing, advertising, and public relations firm. He recently stepped down as Vice Chairman/Chief Brand Officer culminating a 37 year career with Mower. In that capacity, Doug was responsible for the delivery of strategic and client services across nine offices as well as directing the agency’s overall growth strategy. Doug brings
extensive experience in financial services and healthcare and has directed brand strategy and communications programs for clients such as BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, HSBC Americas, KeyBank, National Fuel, and Northwest Bank.

Doug is a graduate of Kenyon College and has an MA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the University at Buffalo, where he served for 10 years as adjunct faculty in the Executive MBA program. He also completed a certificate in Strategic Healthcare Management from Cornell University. Active in the Western New York Community, Doug is on the boards of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, the Darwin Martin House, and the UB School of Management.