Jina is a consultant and speaker on diversity, inclusion, culture, and belonging. She creates training programs and workshops to help clients move forward in their D&I journey. She is a storyteller and speaks candidly about her experiences, hard lessons, and ‘aha’ moments that helped her understand the importance of individuality, the value of curiosity, and the courage it takes to “just” be yourself. Often described as “approachable” and “relatable” by her clients, she works with purpose and the intention of being engaging, practical, and immediately applicable to real-world situations. Jina draws from her unique background and mix of work experiences to offer examples and share insights designed to benefit everyone across the workplace ecosystem – executives, management, employees, and customers.

Previously, she was Principal Consultant at EtiennePartners (EP), a boutique consulting firm that offered a unique strategy development, workshops & coaching to leaders, executives and entrepreneurs. Co-founded with her husband, EP was a full-time partnership in both work and life. Although in different professions, their work often intersected around the importance of self-awareness in leadership and navigating conflict within teams. Combining their experiences, backgrounds, and work led to the development of their unique approach to D&I, which she continues to use in her practice today.

   

Susie’s career includes eighteen years in public education and in 2015, she founded With Pride Consulting to create actionable change for the LGBTQ+ population in schools and the workplace. Her reputation for being up-front and authentic about DEI topics has contributed to Susie’s success. Her down-to-earth humor compels audiences to laugh while they learn and feel safe while they share vulnerable moments. Susie artfully mixes her professional experience with her personal experiences and coming out story to bridge the knowledge deficit and help others on their DEI journeys. Today, her unique perspective and future-ready business strategies are amplified as a TDM Consultant where she drives awareness and shared accountability across all diversity traits including gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, and mental and physical abilities. Susie’s expertise has deepened recruitment pools, increased employee productivity, and boosted companies’ bottom lines. 

Susie lives in Cary, North Carolina, with her wife, two children, and a dog named Clark Griswold. When she is not consulting or speaking, Susie enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, painting, and baking delicious treats!