Friday, April 26th• 6:30 PM - Dinner – Tupy’s Mexican Restaurant (6975 Lebanon Rd, Frisco, 1.8 miles from conference venue) or Mi Cocina (6740 Winning Dr, Frisco, .7 miles from conference venue)Saturday, April 27th• D&I Presentation – Cultivating a Bias-Free Workplace (1 CPE) by by Tanya Thirlwall (Organization Developmental Specialist, McAllen Valley Roofing, IMA Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee)• Texas Council Meeting • Lunch – Babe’s Chicken Dinner House, 6475 Page Street, Frisco (4.2 miles from conference venue)• Tours near Babe’s (still working on the specifics, should have time to do at least 2 of these, quite possibly all) – National Soccer Hall of Fame, Frisco Heritage Center (next door to Babe’s), Museum of the American Railroad • 7:00 PM - Texas Star Dinner Theatre – Murder Mystery BUSHWHACKED AT BRONCO BOB'S, $59.95, $5 discount if group is 15 or more (about 20 miles from conference venue), reservations for this activity must be completed by midnight 4/18/19 or when venue is sold out, whichever comes first.The Texas Council Meeting will be at the Drury Inn & Suites, 2880 Dallas Parkway, Frisco, Texas 75034. The group rate is $129 Double/King + applicable tax. The group number is 2351054. Reservations - 1-800-325-0720 or www.druryhotels.com. The official cutoff date is Saturday, March 23rd. Please book before this date, as all reservations after the Cutoff Date will be confirmed on a space-available basis at prevailing rates.
Cultivating a Bias-Free Workplace by Tanya Thirlwall (Organization Developmental Specialist, McAllen Valley Roofing, IMA Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee)
Course Description
Everyone has some form of bias. We have patterns of thinking that make it easier to process the deluge of information we are flooded with each day and these patterns lead to biases. Bias can get in the way of company and individual success, so we all need to uncover our personal biases and make conscious efforts to reduce them. Research clearly shows a connection between increased diversity and profitability and value creation. This course explores and defines bias, stereotypes, patterns of bias, diversity, and inclusion, and covers both personal and corporate strategies for reducing bias and increasing diversity and inclusion. Begin your path to cultivating a bias-free workplace here.
Learning Objective:
After this webinar, you will be able to:
1. Define bias and identify how cognitive reasoning and stereotypes impact biases.
2. Describe unconscious bias.
3. Explain the value of diversity and inclusion.
4. Recognize bias and its effects in the workplace.
5. Discuss strategies for overcoming biases.
About the speaker:
Tanya Thirlwall is a native from the Rio Grande Valley – she lived in Houston from 2004 – 2017 earning a BA in International Studies and International Development with her minors in finance and economics from the University of St. Thomas and in 2015 received her BBA from UTRGV in Accounting. Her background includes an upward trajectory encompassing diverse leadership management roles in finance and accounting. She has a strong ability to collaborate with C-level executives and internal department heads to achieve the on-going financial goals and objectives of the organization. By helping organization develop their structures she has helped align the strategic direction of the companies she has worked for which include managing the operations for one of the largest Victoria’s Secret store, acting as a controller for her father’s commercial construction company, family office accounting for 2 high net worth individuals whose combined net worth was $350 million and is currently working for McAllen Valley Roofing as the Organization Developmental Specialist.
She is a Director for Texas Council and a committee member of IMA’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. She also was the founding President for the IMA Student Chapter in Brownsville when she was a student.
A mom of two boys, her hobbies include traveling, motorcycles, and fashion but her biggest passion is the development of people and businesses.