Toni Bowie has dedicated over 30 years creating safe spaces to facilitate vital conversations and actionable change around equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) through consulting, coaching, group facilitation, workshops and keynote presentations. It is her warm, non-judgmental demeanor that captivates audiences nationwide.
Toni’s foundation began at an early age when her grandmother instilled in her to accept people for who and where they are at any given time in their life cycle. As the daughter, wife and mother of active-duty military personnel, Toni has had unique and valuable exposure and relationships with people and cultures around the globe. One of her most enjoyable experiences was in Japan where she taught English as a second language to adults from eight different nationalities and cultures.
She continues to build on this foundation as she and the MaxLife team provide support to organizations and leaders to strategically develop and implement policies targeted to transform workplace culture and achieve their DEI vision, mission and goals.
Her career began in higher education where she served as Director of International & Minority Programs, Associate Dean of Minority Affairs and Associate Dean of Intercultural Advancement. Throughout her career, Toni has provided her expertise to private and public entities ranging in size from less than 10 employees to as many as 200,000 members.
Toni has a vast amount of experience providing education through the development and facilitation of workshops on preventing workplace sexual harassment, assault and domestic violence. MaxLife’s sexual harassment prevention workshops focus on
awareness, respect and civility in the workplace.
As she trains and coaches others, Toni focuses on this quote by Thomas Edison: “If we do all that we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.”
Toni is a certified diversity executive with certifications in Organizational Development, Change Management, and Professional Coaching. She holds a B.A in communications from Mississippi State University and an M.S. in psychology from Hood College. She
and Terry, her husband, reside in Maryland and are parents to two daughters and grandparents to Reagan.
Calvin is an experienced executive DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) coach with over 25 years of experience in executive roles across a diverse range of industries including finance, technology, healthcare, investment, international private banking, telemedicine, and telecommunications. He has spent his career working with corporations and universities to create more inclusive and diverse workplaces and educational environments, while also promoting financial equity. He has a deep understanding of how different forms of oppression, including financial oppression, impact individuals and communities, and his approach to DEI training emphasizes the importance of addressing all forms of discrimination and inequality to create a truly inclusive environment.
Calvin’s experience also includes developing and teaching a DEI executive leadership certification program at the university level. In this role, he designed a comprehensive curriculum focused on equipping students and executives with the tools and knowledge to create more inclusive and diverse workplaces. Through his expertise in DEI, he facilitated critical discussions around race, gender, and other social identities to create a safe and inclusive learning environment.
He holds a B.S degree in Management Information Systems from Goldey Beacom College and an M.S degree in Global Innovation Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. He was previously the COO for Morgan Stanley Financial Wellness. He is a Board Advisor for Stevens Institute of Technology Business School and is on the Board of Directors for Patriot Federal Credit Union.
Scott has worked with a wide range of organizations in the federal and private sector. He brings over 20 years of experience in data identification, collection, aggregation, and analysis; strategic technology and business solutions; evaluating organizational effectiveness; and change management to the MaxLife team. Scott holds a PHD in organizational behavior.
Shirelle Bennett brings more than 20+ years’ experience in Grants Administration, Non-Profit Development and Training & Organizational Development to the MaxLife Team. She has had the benefit of working with for-profit corporations, Federal, State and Local Government and a variety of non-profit housing and human service organizations over the course of her career.
Shirelle’s demonstrated area of expertise is centered around leadership training, technical writing, and project management. In her former executive roles with local government, Shirelle achieved advanced levels of proficiency in policy and procedure development, strategic planning and organizational evaluation.
As a passionate advocate for personal development and “people building”, Shirelle has devoted countless hours to counseling and coaching individuals in an effort to help bring clarity to their personal life vision and has assisted numerous organizations with capacity building and organizational sustainment. As an experienced Housing and Community Development practitioner, Shirelle continues to assist housing development organizations with document and policy development, strategic planning and grant writing. Shirelle holds a B.S in Geography and Urban Planning from Appalachian State University and Certifications in MBTI and Executive Management and Leadership.
Lashunda’s skills, capabilities and experiences are a result of nearly twenty years in the field of Human Resources. She holds a M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University and a B.S. in Communications from Kaplan University. Lashunda has spearheaded strategic plans and re-energized processes, programs and procedures for underrepresented people groups for government and non-government organizations. She has managed and led HR areas of employee complaints, compliance and barrier analysis.
After serving in the U. S. Army, Lashunda transitioned to civil service and has held and lead positions in Equal Employment Opportunity across the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Interior (DoI). She currently serves as the EEO Strategic Advisor for the Corps of Engineer’s Diversity and Leadership Department overseeing EEO Programs across the U.S. South Pacific and Northwest Regions. Lashunda’s skillsets include conflict resolution, counseling and training. She is certified in Advanced Mediation, Basic Leadership, Civil Treatment and Diversity and Inclusion. She has a consistent goal of building people and groups into productive and efficient teams able to meet the challenges of complex working environments. Those who work with Lashunda often comment on her wholehearted commitment, mission-focused actions and passion for providing tools and resources that elevate individuals to a greater level.
From 2015 to 2018 The National Association of Professional Women and the Fort Leonard Wood Noncommissioned Officers Academy Commandant recognized her as an expert in teaching, coaching, and mentoring. In 2016 she was recognized as Woman of the Year by The National Association of Professional Women. In her “time off,” Lashunda serves as the director of PneumaL2, a nonprofit organization for family reunification.
Vicki Browne-Moore has over two decades of experience in the Human Resources Management industry and has gained extensive expertise in Higher Education and two national nonprofits. Throughout her career, Vicki has been successful collaborating with all levels of management by serving as a trusted advisor, confidant and solid HR leader and has partnered with organizations to ensure that their HR operations, policies and practices are values driven, equitable and results oriented. She has served as a University HR Director and Senior HR Generalist in Higher Education and a National Team Leader for Executive Search and an Internal HR Consultant for two national nonprofits. Vicki has also worked and lived abroad where she had a unique opportunity to serve as a Chief Human Resources Officer and develop Global HR Management skills. She has led HR transformations, is a catalyst for organizational change and has a track record in building high performance teams. Core areas of focus:
Employee and Labor Relations
HR Compliance
HR Policy Development and Interpretation
Performance Management and Appraisal
Coaching and Counseling
Global HR Management
Continuous Learning and Employee Growth
Staffing and Selection
Position Evaluation and Classification
Vicki is an active board member of the Frederick County Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (FC-SHRM) and an active member of the Maryland Chapter of the College and University Professional Association (CUPA). She has also served on the Steering Committee for Georgetown University’s Women’s Alliance (GWA), an organization that brings together staff, students, faculty and alumni for dialogue and was a GWA Mentor for their Staff Mentoring Program. Vicki earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University, a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from American University and has completed numerous HR Professional Development programs.
Stephanie Durr is a higher education administrator, diversity educator and project manager with a solid history of achievement with college and universities, small minority businesses and consulting firms. Her tenure consists of managing a portfolio of special interest groups and co-curricular programs that foster inclusion, community engagement, self-exploration, and encourage open discourse on race, power, and privilege. Her work compromises, but is not limited to, building processes that assist consulting firms coordinate across client projects and internal initiatives for continued growth, training and development, and assessment.
Stephanie’s workshops and curriculum-building experiences are designed for clients who are committed to dismantling racism and other -isms on their respective campuses and organizations. She’s led and served on diverse campuses, including Kentucky State University, Spalding University, Mount St. Mary’s University, and Howard Community College. Additionally, Stephanie trained and presented internationally at the University of Trinidad and Tobago and the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.
Stephanie received her bachelor’s degree in public administration from Kentucky State University and her master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Louisville. She is also a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).
Dr. Cynthia Izuno Macri (CAPT MC USN-Ret.) served 35 years in the US Navy as a gynecologic oncologist in a variety of academic and executive leadership roles at the National Naval Medical Center, Naval Hospital Jacksonville, FL, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Naval Medical Education and Training Command, and the Uniformed Services University before moving to the Pentagon to serve as Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations for Diversity.
In retirement, she is increasingly engaged with veterans’ issues such as homelessness, self-management programs, veterans and women’s health, and substance use, mental health, and suicide. She serves as a Commissioner for the Maryland State Veterans Commission, the Montgomery County Commission on Veteran Affairs and the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Suicide Prevention.
She is the author or co-author of over 20 scientific papers, 3 book chapters, and over 200 invited presentations. In addition, she has received numerous community service awards for her innovative youth outreach programs to inspire middle and high school students from educationally, economically, and experientially diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in science, medicine, and technology. Currently she serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Asian American Center of Frederick (AACF), on the Executive Committee for the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA), as Vice President for Health for the Asian American Inter-Community Service (AICS), and on the Steering Committee for the Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) for Montgomery County, Maryland.
In December 2017, Dr. Macri joined EagleForce Health, as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.
Stephanie has more than 10 years’ experience in business, economic, and workforce development. Her past experience includes federal grant writing for business incubators, industrial access roads, and commercial water and sewer projects; strategic planning for regional economic development projects; email and social media marketing; event planning; and employee engagement and corporate training. As a consultant and strategist, she helps businesses maintain, support, and adopt the right strategies to achieve their business goals.
Stephanie has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Penn State University and is a LERN Certified Program Planner. She utilizes her project management and program development experience to assist MaxLife with planning and developing the scope of work for long-term programs.
Stephanie lives in Waynesboro, PA with her husband, Wes, and their 16 pound beagle-Dachshund, Ginger. In her spare time, she can be found riding and competing her horses, Condor and Hottie.
