Ronnie Parker
Virginia Beach,Virginia
Summary
Workplace Culture Leader and Change Agent
Proven leader for diversity, equity and inclusion helping to drive operational and organizational change that excels in strategic engagement for collaborative opportunities.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Diversity and Cultural Competency
Sentara Healthcare
07.2023 - Current
- Created and initiated inaugural Employee Resource Groups for more than 30,000 employees.
- Led 16 diversity councils with more than 140 hospital leaders addressing diversity and inclusion needs directly impacting employee engagement scores.
- Created and led workplace culture and bias training in person and virtually for more than 500 employees
- Mentoring manager for 400 Sentara employees via MentorcliQ
- Led marketing and brand efforts for video shoots and branding material to raise visibility for employee resource groups.
- Initiated first contract with AAA professional baseball team the Norfolk Tides for $55,000 sponsorship to be leading presenter for all diversity awareness baseball games (9 games in total).
Senior DEI Advisor, Office of Diversity
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
03.2023 - 07.2023
- Program lead for all 12 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Employee Networks
- Program lead for enterprise-wide diversity awareness strategy
- Training lead for all diverse initiatives to include annual training
- Eastern North Carolina lead for HBCU partnerships
- Created 2-million-dollar Agent Diversity initiative to increase diverse talent with five community colleges throughout North Carolina
- Assistant diversity lead for all diverse initiatives impacting 5,000 employees.
Program Manager, Diversity and Community Engagement
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
03.2021 - 03.2023
- Responsible for all HBCU relations throughout the state of North Carolina
- Created a talent pipeline with five community colleges throughout North Carolina to drive diverse, minority talent to free licensing to become an Insurance Sales Agent
- Responsible for year-round multicultural campaigns with media sponsors throughout North Carolina
- Facilitated racial equity training for over 6,000 employees
- Co-created a capacity building program which invested 1 million dollars in 10 minority organizations in 10 different counties in North Carolina
- Co-lead American Indian, Hispanic, and African American employee workgroups
- Subject Matter lead Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager for Marketing and Community Engagement team
- Led statewide programs including behavioral health, Black maternal health, American Indian tribal food deserts, Hispanic outreach and engagements, Aging.
Chief of Staff / Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer
Hampton Roads Chamber
02.2016 - 03.2021
- Wrote and produced speech scripts and PowerPoint presentations for over 120 events generating more than 1 million dollars.
- Tracked development updates of business led priorities for five cities in Hampton Roads.
- Key point of contact for all military installations including in the Hampton Roads Military Advisory Council.
- Creative design over Chamber Brand merchandise items.
- Data and Communications Officer for Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and Trustees.
- Dispersed information to over 300 business executives and 30 elected officials
- Data analysis for cities that best match the Hampton Roads environment.
- Utilized to schedule inter-regional visits to allow business executives insight from high performance cities
- Prepared and delivered presentations and workshops to staff, stakeholders and partner organizations
- Translated equality legislation into practice to ensure organizations met statutory requirements.
- Utilized and created Diversity Dashboard to focus on key performance indicators for creation of action plan addressing outliers.
- Provided guidance and support in dealing with diverse workplace issues and community engagement to include supplier diversity and corporate social responsibility.
- Engaged in regional discussions with thought leaders to create and encourage strategic plans to address diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Created a board sponsorship plan for diversity and inclusion.
Executive Director
RVA-757 Connects
01.2018 - 02.2020
- Operated as the Executive Director RVA-757 Connects (not for profit role)
- Coordinated efforts with regional subject matter experts for multi-million-dollar projects
- Collaborated with Richmond and Hampton Roads, Virginia building collective efforts on broadband, roadway expansion, capital trail, talent development, I-64 science and technology corridor, energy, and several other categories
- Led executive functions to discuss and brainstorm projects for regional growth
- Addressed diversity and inclusion as it pertains to participation on board of directors
- Focused on infrastructure connectivity improvements, mega-site development, innovation economy ecosystem, workforce and talent pipeline development, I-64 science, and technology corridor.
Team / Operations Supervisor
American Red Cross
10.2013 - 02.2016
- Managed and operated blood drives in three different states (Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland).
- Fostered relationships throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia to engage businesses in donor relations.
- Relationships led to blood drives with universities and were instrumental to Red Cross revenue.
- Conflict Management and Problem-Solving supervisor for 75 American Red Cross staff.
- Directly helped train staff on the entire overhaul of American Red Cross procedures for over 80 staff.
- Negotiated contracts with donation sites to run blood drives in businesses with no cost to the American Red Cross.
- Organized meetings to discuss payroll and changes in expenses due to union contract.
Aviation Administration 2nd Class
U.S. Navy
10.2009 - 10.2013
- Quality Assurance Second Class Officer with zero discrepancies over two years.
- Supervised the creation and validation of anti-terrorism plans through TAD security duties.
- Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department Leading Petty Officer.
- Led admin staff of seven personnel and 500 working instructions.
- Developed and led training programs in preparation for combat.
- Helped in the creation of a database for collective information for 5,000 personnel.
- Worked with the Air Traffic office to handle flight operations for over 200 fly offs.
- Communicated urgent orders and directions effectively to a team of 30 personnel.
- Coordinated distinguished visitor trips with the Commanding Officer’s staff.
- Coordination led to 10 successful distinguished visitor trips onboard the USS Harry S Truman.
Education
Business Management, Bachelor's degree -
Regent University
Public Administration, Master's degree -
Regent University
Skills
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Government Operations
- Global Collaborator
- Culture Leader
- Workforce Management
- Contract Management
- Policy Implementation
- Staff Development
Certification
- Diversity and Inclusion Trainer - American Management Association
- Cultivating Cultural Competence - LinkedIn Learning
- Inclusion in Difficult Times - LinkedIn Learning
- Driving Change and Antiracism - LinkedIn Learning
- Inclusive Selling - LinkedIn Learning
- Top Cultural Competency Voice - LinkedIn
- Certified BIC Facilitator - Winters Group
Accomplishments
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
- DECA marketing program leadership
- Awarded Global War on Terrorism Medal by United States Navy
- Good Conduct medal awarded by United States Navy
- Dale Carnegie Leadership training course Human Relations Champion award
- Awarded American Red Cross Supervisor Champion Award (twice)
- Leadership Triangle Graduate
- Forbes 500 Best Places for Diversity and Inclusion with Blue Cross North Carolina
- Groundwater Phase 1 training – Racial Equity Institute
- 2023 Company for Best Places to work for Multicultural Women
- Certified BIC (Bold Inclusive Conversations) Facilitator
- Sole liaison for Richmond, Virginia, and Hampton Roads Collaborative business efforts. Manages top businesses and executive organizational priorities. Leadership led to cooperative efforts on legislative affairs, transportation, regional branding, higher education, and tourism.
- Directly responsible for over 1 million dollars in annual revenue while in the operational leadership role for the American Red Cross. Totaling to 3,450,000 dollars in three years.
- Strategy leader for 5,000 employees understanding of diverse, equitable and inclusive practices translating them to be applicable to everyday work operations
- Subject matter expert for internal and external diversity brand initiatives for Marketing and Community Engagement with Blue Cross North Carolina
- Created and initiated Employee Resource Groups for over 30,000 employees at Sentara Healthcare
Volunteer Efforts
- American Society for Public Administration councilmember
- Virginia Beach Economic Development Board Commissioner
- Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Team Lead for Hampton Roads Chamber
- Volunteer Hampton Roads Achievement Awards Judge 2020
- Visit Norfolk Tourism 40 and under guidance team.
- Hampton Roads Community Action Program Committee member
- Old Dominion University Military Executive Coach
- International City/County Management Association member (ICMA)
- Hampton Roads Military Advisory Council Admin Officer
- Old Dominion University Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee
- Chrysler Museum Board of Directors
- Hampton Roads Regional Rebrand Initiative team member.
- Elon University Health Equity Advisory Board
- Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Diversity Council Committee Member
Timeline
Manager Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Diversity and Cultural Competency
Sentara Healthcare
07.2023 - Current
Senior DEI Advisor, Office of Diversity
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
03.2023 - 07.2023
Program Manager, Diversity and Community Engagement
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
03.2021 - 03.2023
Executive Director
RVA-757 Connects
01.2018 - 02.2020
Chief of Staff / Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer
Hampton Roads Chamber
02.2016 - 03.2021
Team / Operations Supervisor
American Red Cross
10.2013 - 02.2016
Aviation Administration 2nd Class
U.S. Navy
10.2009 - 10.2013
Business Management, Bachelor's degree -
Regent University
Public Administration, Master's degree -
Regent University
- Diversity and Inclusion Trainer - American Management Association
- Cultivating Cultural Competence - LinkedIn Learning
- Inclusion in Difficult Times - LinkedIn Learning
- Driving Change and Antiracism - LinkedIn Learning
- Inclusive Selling - LinkedIn Learning
- Top Cultural Competency Voice - LinkedIn
- Certified BIC Facilitator - Winters Group
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