2026 Inclusive Leadership
Impact Awards
Judges
We are honored to present our distinguished judges for our
2026 Inclusive Leadership Impact Awards
Meet The Judges
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Joseph Santana
Ceo & Executive Strategy Advisor at Joseph Santana LLC
Joseph Santana is a Futurist shaping the future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), a keynote speaker, and Chairman of the CDO PowerCircle. He hosts the ERG PowerTalk podcast and serves on the Forbes Business Council and Fast Company Executive Board, frequently writing for senior leaders on why DEI is essential for business success. Santana’s expertise in post-normal DEI has been featured on ABC, Fox, and PIX. He is also the author of two DEI books, The New DEI and ERG Frontier and SuperCharge Your ERGs, which offer strategic guidance for 21st-century organizational success.
Carmen Edelweise Hughes
Senior Manager Of Diversity & Inclusion And Corporate Citizenship
Carmen Edelweise Hughes is Senior Manager, Diversity & Inclusion and Corporate Citizenship at Henkel in Stamford, CT and Founder and CEO of Edelweise Consulting. As the City of Stamford's first DEI Director, she established the Stamford Veterans Resource Center and the ADA & Disabilities Resource Center, reflecting her lasting commitment to veterans and people with disabilities. A 20-year Wall Street veteran and Cornell-Certified Diversity Professional, Carmen champions belonging and thriving workplace cultures.
Vanessa Lecorps
Vice President of Engagement and Belonging
Vanessa Lecorps is a learning and organizational development strategist with extensive global experience driving talent management, change leadership, and culture transformation across financial services, manufacturing, and non-profits. She serves as Vice President of Engagement and Belonging at Children's Aid, Board President for the Women's Mentoring Network, and Adjunct Faculty at NYU Wagner. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Citi, Columbia University, Nestlé Waters, and Linde. Fluent in English, French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish, Lecorps specializes in leveraging cross-cultural learning, executive coaching, and data-driven OD practices to create inclusive, high-performing organizations worldwide.
David Casey
Retired, Chief Diversity Officer
David Casey is a retired Fortune 50 senior executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in Strategic Diversity Management, workplace culture, and social impact. He previously served as Chief Inclusion and Social Impact Officer at Tapestry and held executive roles at CVS Health and Elevance. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Casey’s leadership is shaped by his military service. He serves as an advisor and board member to institutions including the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Department of Labor, and Disability:IN, and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Sheryl Battles
Executive Advisor and Communications Strategist
Sheryl Battles is an award-winning C-suite communications advisor, orator, and workforce strategist. She provides strategic counsel, leadership training, and speaking services for corporate, civic, and academic institutions. Her extensive corporate tenure at Pitney Bowes featured global leadership roles, including executive communications and speechwriting for three CEOs, crisis management, investor relations, and employee inclusion. A Stanford University graduate with a degree in Human Biology, Battles serves on the Board of Trustees for Greenwich Hospital, as Treasurer for the Commission on Public Relations Education, and on advisory boards for the Arthur Page Society, Zeno Group, and Elon University.
Christopher Bylone
Principal Strategist & Founder, Innovation Unbiased
Christopher Bylone is the founder of Innovation Unbiased, where he leverages data and storytelling to build cultures of belonging, and host of the podcast I Know I Belong When…. A cancer survivor and advocate, Bylone has led global belonging and corporate ESG strategies for Krispy Kreme and IFF, executing multimillion-dollar DEI initiatives, inclusive policies, and ERGs. Based in the Pocono Mountains with his two sons, Bylone combines strategy, heart, and authenticity to drive inclusion, demonstrating that belonging is an essential movement for organizational impact.