Presented by M|R's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, speakers Meredith Cherry (Business Development Manager - Magna Legal Services), Eric Love (Director of Staff Diversity and Inclusion - Notre Dame University), and Mel Howard (Director and Associate General Counsel - Facebook) speak about the importance and challenges of diversity in the workplace, and share their unique life experiences as members of a diverse group.
Panelist Bios:
Meredith Cherry (an M|R Vendor) has a successful career in business development, sales, and client services. Meredith is currently a Business Development Manager with Magna Legal Services. Meredith services clients nationwide and specializes in building long term relationships within the legal community. Her network is comprised of C-Suite Executives, AM100 Law Firms, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, and Office Managers. Her top priority is the success for every person in the legal community. She is gifted in understanding the needs and values of others and developing professional relationships and solutions for a variety of people and situations.
Eric love (a D&I expert) is a dynamic higher education practitioner and speaker that blends firsthand experience, a breadth of knowledge and an inspirational message to his audiences. Drawing upon his professional, personal and academic life, he is equally at home giving a keynote address, presenting a workshop or facilitating a weekend retreat. Eric is currently the Director of Staff Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Notre Dame, where he continues to develop innovative strategies for diversity and inclusion programs and multicultural competency training. He has trained over 5,000 people at the University of Notre Dame and set the strategic plan for staff D & I while influencing the D & I strategy for faculty and students as well. Among his proudest achievements was his role in having the State of Idaho recognize the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Eric has a consulting business, LoveForce Consulting, specializing in diversity and inclusion education and training, multicultural competency training and student leadership.
Melanie Natasha Howard (an M|R alumna) is a Director and Associate General Counsel at Facebook, where she is a privacy legal leader in fintech and integrity. Mel is a European and U.S. Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E, CIPP/US), and is active in the international privacy community. Mel earned her J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was Senior Executive Editor of the California Law Review, Notes and Comments Editor of the African-American Law & Policy Report and Articles Editor of the Berkeley Technology Law Journal. Mel received her B.A. with honors from the University of Southern California. A classically trained Spinto Soprano, Mel has sung domestically and internationally with chorales, opera companies, and musical theatre groups.
(This session is not available for CLE credit)
