You Belong in PSO! What’s All the Excitement About?

This interactive session will introduce you to multiple diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging activities that can be replicated throughout PSO. You will participate in and learn how to facilitate activities that create belonging in various group settings. The topics covered in this session will emphasize PSO’s commitment to a learning and working environment where faculty, staff, students, communities, and stakeholders are respected and appreciated, and their various perspectives are sought and celebrated.

Learning Objectives:

• How to create connectivity among diverse group members
• How to facilitate group activities that foster productive learning and work environments
• Ways to maximize group participation

Presenters:

Beverly Johnson, senior public service associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Beverly is the state services unit manager at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. She served on the UGA Presidential Task Force on Race, Ethnicity and Community. She also led a team of action researchers to redesign the UGA Diversity Advisory Council. She serves as a co-chair of the PSO Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Committee. Her DEI work spans multiple state agencies and organizations.

Maritza Soto Keen, senior public service associate, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development

Maritza focuses on facilitation and training for institutes of higher education, communities and nonprofits on leadership development, nonprofit governance, diversity, equity and inclusion, strategic planning, and organizational capacity building for long-term sustainability. She served on the UGA Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Liaison Group and serves as co-chair of the PSO Diversity Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee.