The Inclusion & Equity Summit: West is a conference organized by CenterForce, focusing on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the legal profession. The event aims to address the challenges and opportunities in recruiting and retaining diverse talent, fostering inclusive workplace cultures, and engaging all stakeholders in meaningful DEI initiatives.
Key topics covered at the summit include strategies for effective recruitment and retention of diverse talent, defining and achieving success in DEI efforts, enlisting allies and advocates across all genders, and creating inclusive cultures that extend beyond mere metrics. The conference also explores the impact of recent global disruptions on the career paths of women and underrepresented group leaders.
The event features networking opportunities and learning sessions led by prominent speakers such as Angela Jeffers, General Counsel at Patelco Credit Union; Diego Arp, Senior Counsel at Wells Fargo; and Bethanie Barnes, Senior Employment Counsel at Slack Technologies, Inc. These sessions provide attendees with insights and practical tools to implement DEI strategies within their organizations.
The Inclusion & Equity Summit: West is designed for legal professionals, corporate leaders, and DEI practitioners who are committed to fostering inclusive environments. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge and connections to drive meaningful change in their organizations and the broader legal community.
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Speakers(21)
Angela Jeffers
General Counsel at Patelco Credit Union
Angela has over 20 years of legal and compliance experience, responsible for setting the strategic direction and management of all aspects of the Legal, HR, and Risk and Compliance functions at LoanSnap Holdings Inc. She provides proactive advice on legal and regulatory developments, advising the executive management team, the board of directors, and business leads on the legal and compliance implications of strategic transactions. Prior to joining LoanSnap, Angela served as Assistant General Counsel, Senior Vice President at Bank of America for nearly seven years, supporting the Card Services, Consumer, and Small Business Banking global business. She has also led the legal and compliance functions as Chief Region Counsel for Hyperwallet, A PayPal Service, and most recently served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of fintech start-up LendUp.
Bethanie Barnes
Senior Employment Counsel at Slack Technologies, Inc.
Bethanie is Senior Employment Counsel at Slack Technologies, Inc., where she manages a range of employment legal compliance matters and special projects in the U.S. and internationally. She collaborates with People, Recruiting, and Total Rewards teams to develop innovative and practical legal solutions to advance Slack's mission to make work life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive. Prior to joining Slack, Bethanie was an employment defense litigator in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Outside of work, she devotes her time to serving on philanthropic boards, engaging in community development, and supporting local non-profit organizations. She is an alumna of Howard University and Emory University School of Law.
Binh Nguyen
Director & Associate General Counsel at Nordstrom, Inc.
Binh Nguyen is a Director and Associate General Counsel at Nordstrom, Inc. With over a decade of in-house experience in banking, she managed legal and business teams handling litigation and regulatory compliance. At Nordstrom, she manages a compliance team and supports commercial transactions, financial services, and marketing/advertising. Binh serves on the board of the Washington Initiative for Diversity, a non-profit organization providing tools and resources to legal employers to create a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace. She mentors law students and young attorneys through the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Washington (VABAW) and meets with individuals interested in the legal profession or food. Outside of the legal profession, Binh serves on the board of Kandelia (formerly the Vietnamese Friendship Association), a local non-profit providing programming to ensure equity in education and career readiness for immigrant and refugee youths.
Cathy Moses
Partner at Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP
Cathy Tran Moses is a litigation attorney focusing on complex business and real estate litigation and dispute resolution. She has obtained successful results for clients in a wide range of complex litigation matters, including partnership disputes, breach of contract disputes, business torts, and other real estate litigation. Cathy takes a thoughtful, detailed approach to each case and works closely with clients to achieve their objectives. She was formerly a Trial Attorney with the United States Department of Justice, Civil Division, and a law clerk to The Honorable M. Margaret McKeown of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Dan Montenaro
Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Alorica
Dan Montenaro is a strategic legal and compliance executive with over 20 years of experience leading global teams and advising on innovative solutions for commercial transactions, regulatory counsel, corporate governance, and compliance/risk management initiatives in multibillion-dollar organizations.
Diego Arp
Senior Counsel at Wells Fargo
Diego A. Arp is Senior Counsel at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., supporting its Wells Fargo Commercial Capital division. His legal practice includes transactional work related to banking, compliance, corporate, regulatory, and tax matters for domestic and international commercial transactions. Diego was born and raised in the San Joaquin Central Valley to parents of Mexican and Creole descent. He attended San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California, and then transferred to the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), earning a bachelor's degree with dual majors in History and Law & Society. He earned his Juris Doctorate at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law (UCLA School of Law). Diego has served as President of the UCLA School of Law Alumni Association and actively supports various legal organizations, including the Mexican American Bar Association of Southern California, where he serves as a Trustee and Co-Chair of its Mentorship Committee.
Elisabeth Frater
Partner at Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP
Elisabeth Frater is a Partner at Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, with over 25 years of litigation experience and a deep background in employment law and litigation, business litigation, administrative law, workplace misconduct and EEO investigations, and criminal law. She is a trial lawyer who has represented individuals, officials, businesses, and governmental entities in more than 125 jury trials throughout California. Elisabeth worked for the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, for over nine years, first as a Deputy Attorney General and then as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General overseeing a team of litigation attorneys in the Employment and Administrative Mandate Section of the Civil Division. She has handled complex employment litigation and appeals, including state and federal cases brought under various employment laws. Elisabeth is committed to providing clients with excellent and cost-effective representation, successfully resolving numerous disputes through mediation, and aggressively pursuing strategies to eliminate defendants and claims from cases at the earliest stages of litigation.
Elizabeth Deeley
Partner at Latham & Watkins
Beth Deeley, Global Co-Chair of Latham's Complex Commercial Litigation Practice, is a seasoned trial lawyer with over twenty years of experience defending companies in complex civil litigation, including consumer class actions, securities and derivative litigation, and high-stakes contract, fraud, and trade secret disputes. Beth was named a 2021 Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, and a Silicon Valley Business Journal Women of Influence and a Law360 Technology MVP in 2020. She is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom.
Jasmine Singh
General Counsel at Binti
Jasmine founded The Dincert Movement in 2017, hosting at-home concerts and dinners to raise money for local nonprofits lacking institutional giving channels. The initiative has raised tens of thousands of dollars for non-profits that provide direct services and aims to decentralize philanthropy while engaging the Oakland community through music and food. Jasmine also serves on the Boards of Public Advocates and California ChangeLawyers and was formerly on the boards of the South Asian Bar Association and the Young Women Social Entrepreneurs. She teaches indoor cycling at Ride Oakland and Bhangra Barre at Remedy Barre. Jasmine earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with high distinction from the University of Michigan in 2004 and graduated Order of the Coif from UCLA School of Law in 2008. She was selected by the SF Business Times as one of 2019's Most Influential Women in Business.
Jenine E. Hinkle
Senior Counsel, Commercial Product, Service, and Energy at Rivian
Jenine E. Hinkle serves as Senior Counsel, Commercial Product, Service, and Energy for Rivian in Irvine, California, where her practice focuses on commercial transactions; dealer franchise matters (transactional & litigation); and marketing & advertising. Previously, Jenine was an associate in the Chicago and San Francisco offices of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, focusing on domestic and international franchising and commercial transactions. Prior to private practice, she was a contract attorney for BP, handling marketing and advertising, franchise, real estate, and commercial contracts for BP's retail gas stations and convenience stores. Jenine served as a California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) Ambassador from 2018 to 2021. She received her B.A. in English Literature from U.C. Irvine in 2002 and her J.D. from USC Gould School of Law in 2006.
Kara Holzwarth
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Pacific Specialty Insurance Company
Kara Holzwarth is a long-time in-house counsel for insurance companies, specializing in regulatory guidance. She empowers her business partners to make the best decisions for their growth goals and the regulatory environment. As an empathetic leader, she coaches managers and executives to create a welcoming, inclusive, and motivating workplace. Kara currently leads the Legal and HR departments at Pacific Specialty Insurance Company, working directly with the board and executive team on strategy, corporate governance, employment, and corporate culture.
Melanie Kiely
General Counsel at Microsoft
Nancy Krystal
Associate General Counsel at Jelly Belly Candy Company
Nancy is an experienced corporate attorney with over ten years working at reputable and iconic consumer products companies and approximately eight years at multi-billion dollar financial services firms. As Associate General Counsel at Jelly Belly Candy Company, she handles and advises on a wide range of legal topics, including reviewing and negotiating contracts, corporate governance, insurance, real estate, finance, global subsidiary management, compliance, and general corporate matters. Nancy supports and advises operations, human resources, finance, retail stores, and other business units. Prior to Jelly Belly Candy Company, she was Corporate Counsel at Big Heart Pet Brands (formerly Del Monte Corporation) and Director of Compliance at AXA Financial.
Ondrea Hidley
Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft
As an Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft, Ondrea manages a team providing legal and regulatory guidance to the engineering organization building the Windows operating system. Prior to her work with Windows, she supported the Windows Phone engineering organization. She began her career at Hill, Farrer & Burrill in Los Angeles, eventually transitioning to in-house counsel at GTE (acquired by Verizon). Ondrea earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Redlands. She is a member of the Washington Bar and is also an inactive member of the California and Texas Bars.
Oyango Snell
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Western States Petroleum Association
Oyango Snell is a professional speaker, attorney, and association executive with over 20 years of experience in government affairs. He serves as a senior executive and general counsel with an energy trade association representing some of the world's largest energy companies with oil and natural gas operations on the West Coast. Oyango leads the oil and natural gas industry's legal efforts on climate and environmental policy matters, antitrust, and corporate governance issues. As an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, he is a leader in the DEI space. Prior to joining the energy industry, Oyango served as a lobbyist and government affairs strategist with a national trade association in Washington, D.C., representing Fortune 500 insurance and financial services companies. He earned his law degree at The Ohio State University and holds an MBA from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. Oyango is licensed to practice law in Ohio and registered as in-house counsel with the State Bar of California.
Pamela Onyekaba
Corporate Counsel at Intuit
Pamela Onyekaba is Corporate Counsel at Intuit in the Transactions and Marketing Legal group. She regularly advises Intuit's business units on marketing and acquisition activities, helping teams identify and resolve potential legal and business risks. Pamela drafts and negotiates a variety of commercial agreements and end-user terms of service. Prior to joining Intuit, she worked at Wells Fargo in the Wholesale Banking Division, negotiating agreements with securities and foreign exchange clients and managing related legal, operational, and regulatory compliance matters. Pamela earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, and J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School.
Rachel Waranch
Managing Counsel at Chanel Inc.
Rachel Waranch is Managing Counsel for Chanel, Inc., where she partners with the business and advises on a wide array of matters, focusing on media, digital, public relations, marketing, events, retail, and data privacy. She oversees, drafts, and negotiates a wide variety of contracts in these areas and is deeply involved in the company's charitable foundation, having helped set up the legal structure in the United States. Rachel has also managed the protection of Chanel's intellectual property rights in the United States. Prior to joining Chanel as in-house counsel, she was an associate at Kaufman, Borgeest & Ryan and interned at Chanel and Kate Spade while in law school. Rachel graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with honors, majoring in English and minoring in business, and received her J.D. from Cardozo Law School, where she received a Dean's Merit Scholarship and served as Acquisitions Editor of the Arts & Entertainment Law Journal.
Ritu Ghai
Commercial Counsel at Google
Ritu Ghai is currently Corporate Counsel at Google and was previously Senior Legal Counsel at Thomson Reuters and a litigation associate at Sidley Austin LLP. She provides commercial legal support for partnerships for the Devices and Services team at Google. At Thomson Reuters, Ritu provided product and commercial legal support for the company's Legal Managed Services business. She is a member of her team's Legal Culture Committee at Google, was a founding member of her previous team's DEI committee, and was previously a Co-Chair of the Women@Thomson Reuters' New York Chapter. Ritu also serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Thomson Reuters Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board. She has been published in the field of immigration and asylum in the Columbia Human Rights Law Review. Ritu received a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in Political Science.
Sandhya Ramadas Kogge
Principal Counsel, Media Distribution at The Walt Disney Company
Sandhya Ramadas Kogge is Principal Counsel at The Walt Disney Company, providing counsel on matters related to media distribution. A former federal prosecutor and trial attorney at Bird Marella Boxer Wolpert Nessim Drooks Lincenberg & Rhow, Sandhya clerked for the Honorable A. Howard Matz of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and the Honorable Michael Daly Hawkins of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Association of Los Angeles, the Public Appointments and Judicial Endorsements Committee of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles, and co-chairs the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California's In-House Committee. Sandhya is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, the University of Paris (Sorbonne), and Harvard College.
Sloane Perras
VP, GC & Chief Ethics Officer at Saltchuk Marine
Sloane Perras is a seasoned corporate executive and leader in global logistics and retail brands with expertise in post-acquisition integration of top industry leaders and transitioning large publicly held companies from family control to investor control. She has expertise in cybersecurity, corporate governance, and complex regulatory environments. Sloane is the General Counsel & Chief Ethics Officer of Foss Maritime Company, LLC, a 130-year-old harbor and marine services company. She is formerly the Chief Administrative & Legal Officer for two privately held retail brands. Sloane has worked closely with CEOs, executive peers, and Boards of Directors on corporate governance, including reporting directly to the Audit Committee on cyber and privacy issues. She earned her law degree, Cum Laude, from UGA School of Law and is a recognized leader in talent development and promoting diversity in her community and industry.
Uchechi Demaske
Associate General Counsel | Privacy, Product, and Regulatory Law at Facebook
Event Details
- Date
- March 10, 2020
- Location
- 🇺🇸 San Francisco, United States
- Audience
- Legal professionals, corporate leaders, and DEI practitioners