Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business will host the fifth annual and first virtual Diversity and Inclusion Conference Oct. 30. With racial equity and social justice at the forefront of public discourse, this year’s conference provides a forum to discuss how these issues impact the workplace.
The annual conference is designed to increase awareness, dialogue and skill-building around issues of diversity and inclusion as they relate to the business world, where consideration of diverse perspectives is a critical leadership skill.
This year’s conference includes a keynote address by Rice Business alumna Subha Barry, president of Working Mother Media; a panel of senior executives discussing how they lead in challenging times; and a panel of young alumni sharing how they are influencing change within their organizations.
Panelists will include Sonya Reed, senior vice president of human resources and corporate communications at Phillips 66; Donald Bowers, vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Houston Branch; Nick Tran, senior manager of corporate social responsibility at Schlumberger; Debra Langford, executive director of business development and advancing Black pathways at JPMorgan Chase; and alumna Julian Duncan, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The virtual conference titled “Sparking Success: The Intersection of Business and Diversity and Inclusion” will take place 9:30 a.m.-2p.m. CDT on Friday, Oct. 30.
The event is open to everyone online, but registration is required.
Peter Rodriguez, the Houston Endowment Dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University, has been named the 2025 Poets&Quants Dean of the Year, a national honor recognizing visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to business education.
In less than a decade, Rodriguez has transformed Rice Business in nearly every dimension. Beyond creating a thriving undergraduate offering, he has overseen a 192% increase in student enrollment. The growth stems from a doubling of MBA students and the launch of an online MBA—the university’s first online degree—along with a hybrid MBA option.
Rice University professor Mikki Hebl says job seekers’ willingness to accept lower pay and roles reflects a softer labor market and shifting values toward flexibility, balance, and meaningful work.
