Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

MadREP Announces Entrepreneur Bootcamp in Partnership with Lightship Foundation & The American Family Insurance Institute

Lightship’s Bootcamp is a free entrepreneurship education program, serving underrepresented early-stage business founders.

Lightship Bootcamp is coming to Madison, WI. September 19-21, 2023.

Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) and Lightship Foundation unveiled plans to bring the Lightship Bootcamp program, powered by the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact (the Institute) to the Madison Region. The organizations will host three days of “bootcamp” (September 19-21, 2023) at the Goodman South campus of Madison College, providing mentorship, specialized curriculum, and networking for underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses within South Central Wisconsin.

“We’re ecstatic to unite with the American Family Institute to introduce Lightship Bootcamps to Madison, Wisconsin,” says Candice Matthews Brackeen, CEO, Lightship Foundation. “Our aspiration is for this partnership to ignite the flames of innovation and opportunity, enriching neighborhoods and empowering founders from diverse backgrounds.”

Bootcamp is designed to help founders rediscover, refine, and reinvent their business strategy while reevaluating their product, sales, and marketing strategies. Interested founders should apply now at lightship.education/apply.

“Equitability, accessibility and inclusivity is sewn into the very fabric of everything we do. When we prioritize equitableness and strategically create opportunities, exciting things start to happen.”

MadREP President & CEO Jason M. Fields, CEcD, CFEI, CCRS

The Madison Region’s upcoming Lightship Bootcamp also serves as the first formal program under the Economic Equity & Investment priority of the organization’s newly formed “Bridge Wisconsin” initiative led by Bridge Wisconsin Chief Strategy Officer Tonnetta Darcel Carter. The initiative works collaboratively to close economic gaps and drive innovation for rural and urban communities, supporting five strategic priority areas: Housing, Early Childhood Education, Economic Equity & Investment, Workforce Development, and Sustainability.

“Equitability, accessibility and inclusivity is sewn into the very fabric of everything we do,” says MadREP President & CEO Jason M. Fields, CEcD, CFEI, CCRS. “When we prioritize equitableness and strategically create opportunities, exciting things start to happen. Lightship Foundation’s Bootcamp, powered by the American Family Institute, is the perfect opportunity to expand economic equity across our region and formally launch our Bridge Wisconsin initiative.”

“The Institute is excited to bring together mission-aligned organizations like Lightship Foundation and MadREP to provide equitable opportunity to founders within the Madison Region,” said Nyra Jordan, social impact director with the Institute. “We believe this is a place where founders of color can thrive, and we want to provide access to world class resources as early as possible.”

“Access to capital has been historically disproportionate for women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color,” says Dr. Jack Daniels, President of Madison College. “At Madison College, we pride ourselves on providing equitable and affordable access to resources, technical assistance, and education in our communities. We are excited to host the entrepreneur bootcamp at our Goodman South campus and to welcome Lightship Foundation to our Region.”

IB Madison: MadREP launches Bridge Wisconsin initiative, welcomes Chief Strategy Officer Tonnetta Darcel Carter

economic development IB Masthead horizSource: In Business Madison

The Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) has announced a new initiative, Bridge Wisconsin, launching this fall. Bridge Wisconsin aims to close economic gaps and drive innovation for rural and urban communities.

This initiative will support five strategic priority areas: housing, early childhood education, economic equity and investment, workforce development, and sustainability.

Tonnetta Darcel Carter joins MadREP as chief strategy officer of Bridge Wisconsin, where she will develop and execute the strategic vision of the regional initiative, driving innovation across Madison Region and the broader state.

Darcel Carter previously served with local venture firm Gener8tor as the firm’s inaugural investment director. She is also the founder and CEO of Carter Wilson Group, an alternative asset consulting firm.

She began her career as chief of staff in the US Army National Guard, spending years abroad in Afghanistan and South Korea. An advocate for health equity and philanthropy, Darcel Carter also served as assistant development director at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Darcel Carter has served in leadership roles for a variety of public sector organizations like New Leaders Council-Wisconsin and Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee for Waukesha County Technical College Real Estate program and Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs, Board of Veteran Affairs.

Darcel Carter is a Milwaukee native and alumnae of UW–Whitewater, having received her BBA in Finance.

Article originally published on ibmadison.com

MadREP Announces Rural/Urban Strategic Initiative

Bridge Wisconsin will address the necessary interdependence between urban and rural communities for a thriving regional economy.

Bridge Wisconsin Chief Strategy Officer Tonnetta Darcel Carter

Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) is pleased to announce a new initiative, Bridge Wisconsin, launching this fall. Bridge Wisconsin aims to serve as the connection point for the Madison Region, working collaboratively to close the economic gaps and drive innovation for rural and urban communities. This initiative will support five strategic priority areas: Housing, Early Childhood Education, Economic Equity & Investment, Workforce Development, and Sustainability.

“To be successful, economies must acknowledge and leverage the interdependence between their urban and rural assets,” said MadREP CEO Jason M. Fields, CEcD, CFEI, CCRS. “When I joined MadREP two years ago, I identified this as our Region’s most pressing obstacle to achieving the next level of success. To lead the implementation of Bridge Wisconsin, MadREP is excited to welcome our newest team member, Tonnetta Darcel Carter.”

Tonnetta joins MadREP as Chief Strategy Officer of Bridge Wisconsin where she is tasked with developing and executing the strategic vision of the regional initiative and driving innovation across Madison Region and the broader state. “I recognize that our rural and urban counties are ripe for development, innovation, and expansion, and Bridge Wisconsin is a unique opportunity to lean into our strongest industries and work collaboratively to provide capital and resources to bridge these communities under a shared common goal, advancement,” said Tonnetta.

A leader in technology, Tonnetta previously served with local venture firm, gener8tor, as the firm’s inaugural Investment Director, leading their multi-million-dollar capital fundraise and overseeing the fund management process across 18 markets and over 50 industries to support more than 230 venture-backed startups and entrepreneurs worldwide.

Tonnetta is also an entrepreneur as Founder and CEO of Carter Wilson Group, an alternative asset consulting firm that provides strategy and access to unique investment opportunities in venture and economic development. She began her career as Chief of Staff in the US Army National Guard, spending years abroad in Afghanistan and South Korea where she provided thought leadership and focused on the strategic efforts in supporting the demobilization of more than 20,000 US troops.

An advocate for health equity and philanthropy, Tonnetta served as Assistant Development Director at the Medical College of Wisconsin where she co-led the institution’s $300M healthcare campaign supporting healthcare technology, cancer research, and community-facing initiatives.

Tonnetta has served in leadership roles for a variety of public sector organizations like New Leaders Council-Wisconsin and Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee for Waukesha County Technical College Real Estate program and the State of Wisconsin Board of Veteran Affairs where she helps veteran-owned business, entrepreneurs, and families thrive across the state.

Tonnetta is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin native and alumnae of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, having received her BBA in Finance.

10th Annual Madison Region Economic Development & Diversity Summit Welcomes 500+ Business and Community Leaders

A crowd of more than 500 business and community leaders joined MadREP and the Urban League of Greater Madison (ULGM) on Wednesday, May 10 at the tenth annual Madison Region Economic Development and Diversity Summit. The day-long event was packed with important conversations about equitable development and embracing diversity as the Region continues to grow.

MadREP CEO Jason Fields & ULGM CEO Ruben Anthony shaking hands.

Attendees enjoyed remarks from elected officials, economists and business and thought leaders from our Region and beyond. Keynote addresses from Laura Dresser, UW-Madison Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Director at the Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS), Jason R. Thompson, Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Western Governors University, Troy LeMaile-Stovall, CEO, TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation), and Lela Lee, Actress/Creator of the “Angry Little Asian Girl.” All four speakers inspired and challenged the crowd to think about how we invest in diverse entrepreneurs and attract diverse talent to Southcentral Wisconsin.

As in previous years, the conference featured messages from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes and welcomed Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway to the stage.

Breakout sessions at the summit included two presentations and two panel discussions focused on equity and quality of life:

  • “Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace,” with presenter Haley Moss, Attorney & Expert on Neurodiversity, Autism & Inclusion
  • “Improving Quality of Life—Not Just Business—is the Best Path to Midwestern Rejuvenation,” with presenter Amanda Weinstein, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, University of Akron
  • “Pathways from Youth to Adult Apprenticeship: Examining UW Health as a Local Model,” with moderator Bridgett Willey, PhD, Director of Allied Health Education and Career Pathways, UW Health
  • “What is Talent Really Looking For,” with moderator Mark Richardson, Founder & CEO, Unfinished Business

This unique collaboration between the Urban League the Madison Region serves as a national model for economic growth and economic inclusion. We would like to extend a special thank you to the many sponsors who made the event possible, especially our co-presenting sponsors, Alliant Energy and UW Health.

Feedback from the varied offerings of plenary and breakouts speakers was very positive the day of the event, as ideas, strategies, and tools were discussed to help organizations move their diversity and inclusion efforts forward. A few of the presentations from the Summit are available for sharing. If you are interested in sponsoring next year, getting involved, or receiving the presentation for a speaker or breakout session, please contact MadREP Operations and Fundraising Specialist Jana Moore at jmoore@madisonregion.org. Attendees are encouraged to respond to the follow-up survey sent out earlier, as feedback received on that form will help to drive the agenda for the 2024 Summit.

If you missed it, check out the conversation on twitter at #madsummit as well as photos from the day. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this continued collaboration a success. Don’t forget to save the date for next year: May 2, 2024.

Cap Times: Autism expert wants Madison bosses to embrace neurodiversity

Economic Development Cap Times Logo

Source: The Cap Times

Haley Moss has had enough of the “tell me about yourself” question, familiar to just about anyone who’s ever applied for a job.

“If you ask me to tell you about myself, you’re not going to like the answer,” Moss told attendees at the Madison Region Economic Development and Diversity Summit on Wednesday.

“I would probably say, ‘Hi, I’m Haley. I’m an attorney and an author. I’m also very proudly autistic, and something you should know about me is I really enjoy playing video games, and Taylor Swift is going to be in Philadelphia next week, the same time I’m in Philadelphia, and I don’t have Eras tour tickets.’

“That’s probably not what you want to know about me, but that’s probably something I would tell you because that’s something I’m thinking about,” said Moss, an expert on neurodiversity and the first openly autistic lawyer in Florida. She flew to Madison to talk to representatives from local businesses and nonprofits about how to make workplaces better fit people with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities and other forms of ‘neurodivergence.’

Such efforts were initially popularized in the tech sector, with companies like Microsoft purposefully recruiting “neurodiverse” candidates and creating an interview process tailored to them.

“Neurodivergent individuals strengthen a workforce with innovative thinking and creative solutions,” the company’s website explains. More recently, that attitude has been spreading to other sectors too.

“There is an actual business case for it, even though I don’t feel like there should have to be an actual business case to be good human beings and to make sure that we do our best to value everybody as human beings,” Moss said.

Still, people with autism often don’t find jobs that fit their skills. Autism Speaks, a nonprofit raising awareness about autism, estimates that between 50% and 75% of the 5.6 million U.S. adults with autism are either unemployed or underemployed. For college graduates with autism, the rate is yet higher, with 85% estimated to be unemployed — around 20 times the national average.

With today’s tight labor market, employers need workers now more than ever, but they’re not likely to hire many more neurodivergent workers unless they change their hiring practices — including ambiguous questions like “tell me about yourself,” which can be a minefield for the literal-minded.

“It’s so vague. I don’t know if you want to know about me outside of my resume… my life history, my work history or if you want some fun facts to see if we get along.

“Having interviewed for things enough times, I always feel like I’m going on a bad first date and I never know how the other person feels about me,” she said. “There are so many ways we can make this better.”

Instead, she suggests, managers should make their questions more specific and consider asking candidates to complete an assignment or submit a writing sample.

“If we actually get to show what we know, a lot of neurodivergent people thrive.”

Do you really need a ‘people person’?

Another way employers can promote neurodiversity, Moss said, is to reconsider what they’re looking for in job applicants. Some job ads say they’re looking for a “people person,” even if the role involves little social interaction.

Moss, whose books include “Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals” and “The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook,” describes herself as distinctly not a “people person.”

If she had her way at a work meeting, she’d skip the small talk, the introductions and the icebreakers and get right down to business. Eye contact would be optional — it makes her nervous. Knowing that many people use those kinds of social cues to judge whether a person is honest or attentive, she’s learned to stare at noses instead. It’s a bit like learning a second language, she said.

“I have learned enough neurotypical social skills to somehow survive this world,” Moss said. “A lot of times, people don’t know that it feels very unnatural to me. They don’t realize this is a performance of sorts that leaves me exhausted.”

Neurodivergent people are often treated as if they’re a faulty version of their neurotypical (majority) counterparts. To her, it’s more like the difference between iPhone and Android operating systems.

“They each have their own strengths and weaknesses,” Moss said, and people readily accept that an app made for one type of phone might not work on the other. But when dealing with neurodivergent people, Moss said, it seems that many people want to call tech support.

“The thing is, the phone isn’t broken, just like the person’s not broken. It just is different. Sometimes how we treat people is not as kind as we treat inanimate objects.”

Likewise, many people see a person’s disability or difference and jump to conclusions about the person’s abilities. Moss recalled going to lunch with a fellow lawyer who has cerebral palsy. The server asked Moss what her friend wanted to order. She told the server to ask him.

“It was very odd that it was assumed right away that I was (his caregiver), and not just two disabled lawyers trying to do the best they can.”

Accommodations, please

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are legally required to make reasonable accommodations to allow an employee or qualified applicants to perform the essential functions of a job, unless that accommodation would cause undue hardship for the employer.

For a worker whose job requires them to answer the phone, that could mean providing a TTY teletypewriter if the worker is deaf or hard of hearing, Moss said. If instead the worker has autism, that might mean providing a script so that the worker doesn’t feel so anxious when the phone rings.

When Moss worked at a law firm, the bright, buzzing fluorescent lights (“the worst neurotypical invention to ever happen”) would give her headaches and distract her all day, so her bosses agreed she could wear headphones, use a lamp or turn off the lights in her office.

Such arrangements, Moss said, allow neurodivergent individuals to work in the way they need to, much as glasses or contact lenses allow others to see their computer screens or their customers.

And they often come at little cost to the employer, according to the Job Accommodation Network, which provides guidance on ADA accommodations. In a survey of around 3,500 employers who contacted the organization for advice, about half said the accommodations they made came at no cost.

Around 43% reported paying a one-time cost for accommodations, with a median cost of $300. About 7% of surveyed employers said the accommodations they made came with ongoing costs, with a median price tag of $3,750 a year.

Here are few more of the tips Moss offered for making workplaces more friendly to neurodivergent workers:

  • If a person discloses that they’re neurodivergent, avoid saying things like, “I wouldn’t have guessed,” which are based on stereotypes. “What do you think autism looks like?” Moss asks. “There is no one look to neurodiversity.” Instead, she suggests, ask the person how you can support them.

  • Encourage workers to give others tips on “how to work with me” to avoid miscommunication and put everyone at ease. Moss tells those she works with that she’s not a morning person, unprompted phone calls make her anxious, and she’d appreciate a reminder if she’s neglected to follow up on something.

  • Assume that your workplace already has staff who are neurodivergent, and look for ways to meet their needs.

  • Recognize the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to a workplace. For example, many people with autism are treated as “oddballs” for knowing a lot about a niche subject, but having specialized knowledge is an asset, or even a requirement, in many fields.

  • Implement universal design principles, which can make places and practices more accessible to all people, without segregating or stigmatizing.

  • Employers and individuals looking for confidential, expert advice on accommodations can contact the Job Accommodation Network by visiting askjan.org or calling (800) 526-7234 for voice calls and (877) 781-9403 for TTY.

As the Cap Times’ business and local economy reporter, Natalie Yahr writes about challenges and opportunities facing workers, entrepreneurs and job seekers. Before moving to Madison in 2018, she lived in New Orleans, where she trained as a Spanish-English interpreter and helped adult students earn high school equivalencies. Support journalism like this by becoming a Cap Times memberTo comment on this story, submit a letter to the editor.

Originally published on captimes.com