Tuesday, February 4, 2025 12:30pm to 1:30pm
About this Event
Join us for an engaging panel discussion to kick off the 2025 GW Business’ Diversity Week. This panel discussion will explore how recognizing and valuing the unique strengths and perspectives of neurodiverse individuals can lead to greater inclusivity and success. Through a dialogue with experts and advocates‚ we will examine the role of neurodiversity in education‚ leadership‚ and beyond‚ offering insights into creating environments that empower individuals of all abilities to thrive.
Registration:
This event is open to all GW alumni‚ students‚ friends‚ and the broader community. Attendance is free
Panelists:
Sean Hoffman: As the National and Americas Partner-in-Charge of Risk Management for KPMG’s Advisory Practice‚ he leads the Firm’s Neurodiversity efforts which is focused on expanding employment opportunities for neurodivergent individuals. Sean serves on the Board of Directors of Melwood‚ a DC-based nonprofit with a mission to secure employment for people with disabilities‚ and previously served as the Chairman of the Board of the Directors of Autism Speaks - National Capital Region. He has two children‚ one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum and completing his freshman year in college. Sean graduated from the University of Notre Dame.
Scott Gibson: As the Chief Strategy Officer of Melwood‚ he shapes Melwood’s long-term strategic objectives helping the organization respond to market changes and drive service innovation. By forging partnerships with industry leaders and community stakeholders‚ he has launched innovative new programs such as abilIT‚ which prepares people with disabilities to launch careers in IT. He was honored by The Daily Record and named to its VIP List‚ which recognizes Maryland’s leaders who are 40 years old or younger based on their professional accomplishments‚ community service‚ and a commitment to inspiring change. He is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program‚ as well as the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government‚ where he earned a Master’s in Public Administration. At Fels‚ he was awarded the top prize for excellence in political leadership. He earned his Bachelors of Arts from Mount St. Mary’s University‚ where he later served as an adjunct professor of Political Science for 11 years.
Dr. Yoshie Tomozumi Nakamura: As an Associate Professor in the Human and Organizational Learning Department at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at GW‚ her research focuses on leadership learning and development‚ exploring adult learners’ minds‚ brains‚ and behaviors‚ with a particular emphasis on the intra- and interpersonal aspects of leadership. Her current research examines the identity development of neurodiverse leaders. Dr. Nakamura is the recipient of the 2024 Assistant Professor Award from the University Council for Workforce and Human Resource Education. One of her publications received the Elwood F. Holton III Research Excellence Award from Human Resource Development Review. She is actively engaged in scholarly publishing‚ serving on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Human Resource Development Review and Human Resource Development International. Additionally‚ she is an associate editor for Human Resource Development Quarterly and a special issue editor for New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. Before joining The George Washington University‚ Dr. Nakamura served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Teachers College‚ Columbia University. She was also Head of Academic Learning and Neuroscience at Columbia Business School’s Executive Education department‚ where she directed the Neuroscience to Enhance Leadership Development program.
Moderator:
Miranda Montenegro: Set to graduate in May 2025‚ Miranda Montenegro is a Global MBA and Master of Business Analytics candidate at GW. She has accepted a post-graduation role as an Investment Banking Associate at Barclays in New York. Currently‚ she serves also serves as a Graduate Associate for the F. David Fowler Career Center and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Strategy Concepts graduate course. Prior to starting her degree at GWSB‚ she worked as a Reinsurance Broker at BMS Group for 6 years‚ managing a diverse client portfolio across Latin America. Miranda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Purdue University‚ where she graduated magna cum laude. Originally from El Salvador‚ she is passionate about finance‚ strategy‚ and analytics. In her free time‚ she enjoys playing soccer‚ tennis‚ and golf.
