Get To Know The Team
Dr. Christal Morris
Owner/Founder
Driving For Change
Human Capital Consultant
Dr. Christal Morris
My Philosophy
I have loved working in Corporate America in several different industries and was thrilled when I was first asked to lead Diversity and Inclusion efforts for a cable media and entertainment organization in 2006. I didn’t understand the power that had been given to me; to leverage the creativity of employees across a vast spectrum of differences and improve the internal work culture and employee experience. Diversity and Inclusion is a transformational change effort to be leveraged to achieve business results. I knew that my life would not be the same after entering into the function of HR. After two decades, I continue to be grateful for joy the work affords me.
Education and Credentials
Dr.Morris has a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership, a Master’s degree in Organizational Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.
Dr.Morris enjoys sharing her knowledge of diversity and talent management by often speaking at conferences.Originally from San Diego California, she has a love for travel and is proud to have traveled to 49 of 50 states,as well as over 50 countries. She enjoys volunteering, serving on community boards, spends a lot of time caring for her mom, and mentoring young women.
Work Experiences
Dr. Morris has worked for many fortune 500 organizations leading human capital functions, and diversity and inclusion. She served as Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity for a leading Human Capital firm, where she was responsible for developing and implementing inclusion and diversity efforts for over 40,000 colleagues located in more than 120 countries. Her portfolio included broadening leadership accountability for diversity through targeted visible leadership commitment; design and delivery of diversity and inclusion courses to address Unconscious Bias and cross-cultural competence, as well as talent management and work-life flexibility programs. She has also held prominent leadership roles in healthcare, entertainment, and professional services organizations.
2020 – Work Rebooted conference – “Sustainable strategies for Inclusion Engagement”
2018 – Worldwide Business Research’s Annual Healthcare HR conference – HR and the new reality in Healthcare
Work Rebooted Speaker – “Understanding Bias in the Workplace”
2017 – Diversity 4.0 Conference workshop speaker – Leveraging your HR business partner for Diversity and Inclusion efforts, “Growing through Acquisition” https://www.hrexchangenetwork.
2016 – Richmond SHRM – Building an Inclusive Culture – Understanding Unconscious Bias
International Association of Black Actuaries “Unconscious Bias”
2015 – Talent Management Alliance – Day one Summit Chair and Mistress of Ceremonies
International Association of Black Actuaries, “Should I bring my Authentic self to work”;
Forum on Workplace Inclusion “Executive Presence: Why it Matters and How to Build it Amongst a Diverse Group of Leaders”
2014 – International Association of Black Actuaries – “Managing Up”
2013 – International Association of Black Actuaries – “Should I Bring my Authentic self to work”, Linkage Diversity Conference “Talent Optimization”
2009 – Linkage Diversity Conference “Best Practices in LGBT” and California Diversity Council Women’s Leadership Conference Keynote on “Executive Presence” National Association of Black Accountant key note “Should I bring my authentic self to work
Meet the Team
Monica Cannon
Principal Consultant
Diversity Consultant
Monica Cannon possesses twenty- five years of experience leading teams in sales, marketing,
and diversity and inclusion capacities for companies and organizations like Cox Communications,
BET- Black Entertainment Television, ESPN, the Walt Disney Company, and UMass Memorial
Health Care. Cannon was responsible for increasing the distribution and creating marketing
strategies for cable television networks as well as other emerging platforms. In the diversity and
inclusion roles she led and directed diversity and inclusion initiatives while consulting with and
guiding executive leaders on how to create an inclusive, productive, and collaborative work
environment for all of their employees.
Monica Cannon
More About Monica Cannon
Biography
Cannon’s experience also spans the nonprofit sector inclusive of social services, higher education, and K-12 education. Cannon’s roles have included assisting homeless adults in gaining and retaining employment, recruiting graduate students, and recruiting and training foster parents and volunteers. Most recently Cannon oversaw the administrative and volunteer services functions for Just in Time for Foster Youth, a San Diego based non-profit that supports transition age foster youth once they age out of the foster care system. Cannon led and managed over 600 volunteers and oversaw the operations of the organization.
Education and Credentials
Cannon received a Bachelor of Science in Mass Media Communications from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and a Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago, Illinois. Cannon’s passion for diversity and inclusion have been at the center of her life and career. She desires for us all to be seen, valued and heard in our work and life so we can pursue our purpose with meaning and forward energy. In her spare time, Cannon enjoys daydreaming of her life pre-COVID that was inclusive of traveling and attending live sporting events. These days, Cannon can be found jogging slowly throughout her neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina and watching any live sports that can be found.
