Advancing Equity in an Anti-DEI Climate
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
CLU Oxnard Campus
2201 Outlet Center Drive, Oxnard, CA 93036
Individual Members: $0
Organizational Members: $0
Non-Members: $55
About this event
The backlash against "DEI" has been building for several years, but it has reached a new level recently. So how do organizations that are committed to equity and justice - both internally and in their community - continue to pursue this work? How do organizations balance their values with risk? During this session, we will review some of the limitations being placed on equity work by the Federal Administration, what it means for our organizations, and we'll share concrete strategies and frameworks to help organizations navigate these challenging times.
Learning Outcomes:
In this workshop, participants wiill have the opportunity to:
-
- Review the latest anti-DEI "guidance" coming out of the federal administration
- Assess their level of risk in moving forward with equity work
- Learn models and frameworks for continuing to pursue equity - internally and in their work with the people and communities they serve - during this anti-DEI climate
- Understand how adapting to the current climate can actually make equity efforts more effective and impactful
- Practice applying several frameworks with their organization
- Have an opportunity for Q&A and dialogue not only with the facilitation team, but also with their peers
Immediately following the formal workshop, we will allow time for informal, candid discussion and problem solving with the facilitator.
Who Should Attend:
Organizational leaders, especially those in nonprofits, government agencies, PreK-12 schools, colleges & universities, etc.; "DEI" oriented staff leaders (e.g., DEI Directors, Coordinators, Managers); Board members; Staff at any level who care about equity and justice in their organization
Faculty
Katya Armistead
Katya Armistead brings over three decades of leadership experience in education and community engagement to her role as Co-Executive Director of Programs at Leading From Within. After serving UC Santa Barbara for 35 years—most recently as Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Life—Katya now leads LFW’s program strategy, recruitment, alumni engagement, and leadership development efforts. She works closely with staff and board members to support innovative programming and strengthen organizational effectiveness.
A lifelong advocate for equity and inclusive leadership, Katya is passionate about cultivating spaces where leaders can thrive. She is a co-facilitator of LFW’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and a proud alum of the Katherine Harvey Fellows (KHF). Her community leadership includes a decade on the Board of Family Service Agency (including as co-chair), co-creating Youth Making Change, a youth-led grantmaking program of The Fund for Santa Barbara, and is currently serving on the Boards of Women’s Economic Venture (WEV), The Association For Women in Communication (AWC-SB), and The Women’s Fund.
Katya earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and her doctorate in Educational Leadership from UC Santa Barbara. She is also a certified trainer for The Leadership Challenge® Workshop, and continues to invest in people and programs that build a more connected, compassionate, and just community.
Judy Guillermo-Newton
Judy Guillermo-Newton has over 35 years experience as an Organizational Development consultant for private, nonprofit and public organizations. She has worked with leaders from a wide variety of organizations including technology/research firms, government offices, Division 1 athletic teams and coaches, and financial institutions; working to create inclusive environments in which each member of the community is valued, respected, and able to fully contribute their talents. Her passion for identifying and encouraging leadership potential, working with leaders to successfully lead change and build organizations in which people thrive, are the driving forces that inspire her work with executives through emerging leaders.
Judy was a Senior Vice-President and Director of Organizational Development and Human Resources at Montecito Bank & Trust for ten years, serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team. She was responsible for helping create and cultivate a strong organizational culture, led the Bank’s leadership development efforts including coaching managers and directing the Human Resources and Organizational Learning Departments.
Prior to her work with Montecito Bank & Trust, Judy worked with leaders in the academic, administrative, and student service divisions of the University of California, Santa Barbara for 30 years. She served as the Campus Ombudsman, including serving as the Director of the Department. In this position Judy worked with UCSB community members, including faculty, staff, and students, who sought guidance with the resolution of problems, complaints, conflicts, and other issues that were not adequately addressed through usual procedures.
She was a past adjunct faculty member of the Psychology Department at Antioch University, Santa Barbara Campus and taught in the Graduate School of Education at UCSB.
Judy received her MA in Psychology from California State University, Northridge and was a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist for over 30 years. She is currently working as an Executive/ Organizational Coach and consultant. She also facilitates strategy sessions for organizations as they develop their strategic plans and goals.
Jarrod Schwartz
Jarrod Schwartz is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Equity Praxis Group, LLC. Jarrod is an educator and consultant with more than 30 years of experience working with schools, universities & colleges, nonprofit organizations, businesses, government, and communities.
Jarrod’s unique approach draws upon the fields of social justice and organization development to foster inclusive, multi-stakeholder processes that result in organizational, community, and social change.
Before starting EPG, Jarrod served for almost 20 years as the founding Executive Director of Just Communities - a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the Central Coast of California a more inclusive and just region.
From the early to late 1990’s, as the Program Director for The National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), Jarrod developed and led a comprehensive, multi-issue social justice leadership institute for youth that became a national model. He also led an initiative to dismantle racism in the St. Louis Region. In 2001, Jarrod was invited to California to launch a new NCCJ office to serve the communities of the Central Coast. In 2007, this organization became Just Communities.