Institute for Organization Management - A Program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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A PROGRAM OF THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION
 

IOM Blog

June 7, 2021

Culture and Inclusion Alliance

As organizations begin to return from months of remote work or adjust to the new normal of remote work and continued distancing, workplace culture has never been more important and never been more tested. Some of us need time for healing from a reduction in staff and resources, furloughs, revenue loss, or increased responsibility. Some have never stopped working in the office, while others have been adjusting physical spaces to allow for more distancing and protocols as employees return to the office after months of being apart. Underlying all of this is the continuing fear of the virus, uncertainty in the economy, considering changes in mental health, and what may change and how fast. In a nutshell, it’s imperative that we do all we can, as organizations, to connect and convene experts in culture and inclusion for our communities to heal from the past 15 months.

The Plano Chamber of Commerce is kicking off its sixth year of hosting the Plano Culture & Inclusion Alliance (PCIA). In 2016, in partnership with the Mayor’s office and a larger campaign to positively highlight our community’s diverse make-up, the Chamber formed this group, along with several other efforts.  Dedication of resources and increased efforts towards both creating and communicating a more inclusive Chamber and community were, and continue to be, the cornerstone of our organization’s strategic plan.

The PCIA is a collaboration and networking group of professionals who come together to share best practices, tools, resources, and ideas to harness the power of inclusion and diversity in our work environment and community. The PCIA is open strictly to D&I practitioners and heads of HR for our largest employers, creating a safe space for sharing and harnessing the expertise of companies who lead the way in diversity and inclusion. It is an inclusive approach and membership is not required. The group meets bi-monthly to connect and discuss trends in culture and inclusion work, as well as learning best practices from two companies per meeting.

Just last year we decided to do more. Both Toyota and Frito-Lay now help lead the alliance and support the work financially. With additional resources, the Chamber has created a council, named the Chair of this group to our Board of Directors, and created ways to harness the collective power of DE&I professionals in the alliance to share with the rest of our community through speaking engagements, blogs, white papers, and training sessions.

As we begin to think about what our workplaces (both ours and our members) look like with a return to some normalcy, the culture and inclusive environment of an organization has never been more important. It looks different in every corner of the world, but by convening experts in this field, our organizations can help lead the effort to emerge stronger and more resilient. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if I could help you start a similar program in your organization. We’re all in this together.

Avatar photo
Kelle Marsalis, IOM, CCE
President and CEO
Plano Chamber

Kelle serves as the President and CEO of the Plano Chamber. In this role she is responsible for the Board of Directors, public policy, the strategic plan, talent development, operations, fund development, and the Plano Culture & Inclusion Alliance.

Prior to this role, Kelle served as the Vice President and the Plano Chamber, and before that, the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Dallas Regional Chamber for nine years. In her role at the DRC, Kelle was responsible for managing relationships with the Board of Directors, organizational strategy for governance, strategic planning; as well as membership retention strategies and small business programming.

Kelle received her Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation in 2016. She is a 2010 graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management and currently serves on the National Board of Trustees and Curriculum Committee, after serving as Chair of the West Board of Regents in 2017. Kelle also serves as a member of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors, and formerly held leadership positions as Vice-Chair (membership) and was an Executive Committee member for ACCE. In 2007, Kelle, while serving as Vice President, led the Stillwater (OK) Chamber of Commerce to be named Chamber of the Year by ACCE.

Kelle has worked in membership, talent and economic development roles for more than 15 years, including the Dallas (TX) Regional Chamber, Rockford (IL) Chamber of Commerce and the Stillwater (OK) Chamber of Commerce. Kelle and her husband, Van, reside in Plano, TX. They have a daughter, Tilly, and both are graduates of Oklahoma State University.

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