Dr. Ruben Anthony has been the President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison since March of 2015. He is leading the fight to build generational wealth in under-served communities. Over the past 30 years he has been a senior manager in the public, private and not profit sectors. He is a subject matter expert in developing job placement strategies and in minority business development. He worked 19 years with the WI Dept. of Transportation where he started as a first line supervisor and eventually became the Deputy Secretary and the Chief Operations Officer where he oversaw an operation of 3,600 FTEs and an annual budget of over $3.25 billion. He is the architect of the “Wisconsin Model” for increasing disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) participation and toured nationally with the federal highway administration sharing the model.

Satya Rhodes-Conway is the 58th Mayor of Madison. Her administration is focused on providing high quality public services, affordable housing, rapid transit, climate change and equitable economic growth. She has extensive experience in local policy and practice, having worked with mayors across the country for over a decade. Mayor Rhodes-Conway is Chair Emerita of Climate Mayors, an appointed member of EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee, a founding member of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income and a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. She serves on various committees and task forces for the US Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. Before being elected Mayor, She was the Managing Director of the Mayors Innovation Project and a senior associate at the High Road Strategy Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She worked with cities across the country to implement innovative policy and researched and wrote extensively about local policy that promotes sustainability, equity and democracy.

A nationally known and respected commentator on race, structural inequality, education, and economic inclusion, Andre Perry is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has been published by and appeared in numerous national media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, HBO, CNN, NBC, ABC and others. His pioneering work on asset devaluation has made him a "go to" researcher for policymakers, community development professionals and civil rights groups. He co-authored the groundbreaking 2018 Brookings Institution report “The Devaluation of Assets in Black Neighborhoods” and has presented its findings across the country, including to the U.S. House Financial Services Committee. His newest book was published on April 15 titled "Black Power Scorecard: Measuring the Racial Gap and What We Can Do to Close It." A recent Forbes review called it "Essential Reading."

Full of energy, a passion for advocacy, confidence and courage, Diana R. Patton, Esq has helped hundreds of leaders, and the organizations that they work for, to do their greatest work. Her engaging and impactful presentations focus on helping leaders experience joy in learning the habits and tools to live their greatest work through disciplined daily behind the scenes practices, speaking up with P.A.S.S.I.O.N., grace and healing, handling complex and uncomfortable opportunities with a sound mind and body, and mentoring others to do the same.

A Certified Diversity Professional, coach, and experienced business leader, Deborah Biddle strengthens organizations by helping individuals and leaders at all levels to understand and move toward a more inclusive environment. She does this through consulting, one-on-one leadership coaching, diversity, equity and inclusion workshops, and by providing thorough organizational assessments. Her consulting skills and keynote presentations are widely sought after by organizations of all sizes. She presents a thoughtful, positive, and clear approach to diversity and inclusion that is backed by respected academic research and business principles.

Candace Anderson is a strategic HR & organizational development leader specializing in workforce transformation, business alignment, and leadership strategy. Her expertise lies in optimizing organizational structures, enhancing leadership effectiveness, and driving cultural transformation to create high-performing, adaptable teams. With a background in HR consulting and change leadership, she has successfully advised executives, restructured organizations, and designed workforce strategies that align people, culture, and processes with business objectives. She takes a data-driven and people-centric approach, ensuring that OD initiatives not only support business goals but also create an engaging, inclusive workplace where employees thrive.

Angela Russell is an energetic, highly motivated, innovative, and results-driven leader with 25 years of professional experience. She currently works at TruStage as the Chief Diversity Officer. Prior to this role, they served as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at TruStage. She is also creator and host of the popular podcast, Black Oxygen. Before joining TruStage, Angela worked at Public Health Madison and Dane County as a Health Equity Coordinator and at UW-Madison UW-Madison Population Health Institute as the Community Engagement Lead. Angela also worked at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families as a Division Administrator and Director of External Affairs and Government Relations. Angela's earlier experiences include working as a Policy Advisor at the Office of Governor Jim Doyle and as an Epidemiologist at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

All registrations include continental breakfast and lunch along with access to a morning and afternoon plenary session and your choice of concurrent breakout sessions on a wide variety of topics. The day will also feature ample opportunities to network with other business, government, nonprofit, and community leaders from across the eight-county Madison region.