This virtual program examines how inclusion principles can be embedded in talent management and everyday communication beyond stand-alone DEI initiatives. Through organizational examples, gender identity frameworks, interactive reflection, and inclusive-language practice, participants will consider evidence-informed approaches to equitable processes, respectful interactions, and workplace belonging.
This program brings together two complementary perspectives on workplace inclusion. Dr. Alexandra Zelin will examine how practices associated with DEI can be integrated across talent management, including performance management and other employee processes, rather than confined to designated DEI roles or activities. Dr. Gary Simeon Walker-Roberts will explore gender identity, gender expression, pronoun use, and inclusive communication, drawing on their scholarship and an interactive Gender Bear activity. Participants will practice language strategies, reflect on assumptions, and consider practical workplace applications. Together, the sessions connect organizational systems and interpersonal behaviors, offering I-O psychologists and HR professionals opportunities to examine how fair processes and respectful communication contribute to employee experiences. The session will distinguish practice-based examples from empirically supported conclusions and discuss relevant limitations. Final content and evidence references require presenter confirmation.
Delivery Mode
Online (Zoom Meeting)
Intended Audience
This seminar is intended for a general audience at a postgraduate level; no specific content knowledge is required.
Learning Objectives
Based on the content of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify opportunities to embed inclusion principles across talent management processes.
- Distinguish gender identity, gender expression, sex assigned at birth, and attraction using the proposed Gender Bear framework.
- Apply gender-inclusive communication strategies and evaluate workplace examples for assumptions and potential barriers to belonging.
Agenda
| Time |
Topic |
Presenter(s) |
| 2:30 - 2:45 |
Welcome, program overview, icebreaker |
GAIOP Representative |
| 2:45 - 3:30 |
Integrating inclusion across talent management |
Dr. Zelin |
| 3:30 - 3:45 |
Break |
- |
| 3:45 - 4:30 |
Gender identity, pronouns, and inclusive communication |
Dr. Walker-Roberts |
| 4:30 - 5:00 |
Applied talent management case and discussion |
Dr. Zelin |
| 5:00 - 5:30 |
Gender Bear and inclusive-language application |
Dr. Walker-Roberts |
| 5:30 - 6:00 |
Joint moderated discussion, scenarios, participant Q&A, and synthesis |
Dr. Walker-Roberts & Dr. Zelin |
Continuing Education (CE) Credits
This seminar is eligible for 3.25 continuing education credits for psychologists. To qualify for these credits, the entire program must be attended. There is no partial credit available. SIOP will email CE letters 30 days after the session to the individuals who responded "Yes" to question #1 on the post-event evaluation.
For more information about continuing education for psychologists, please visit the American Psychological Association at http://www.apa.org/education/ce
Your Presenters
Dr. Alexandra I. Zelin
Alexandra I. Zelin, Ph.D., is a Senior Change Manager at Compass Group, supporting the people side of organizational change. Previously, she led performance management for approximately 30,000 team members at Wellstar Health System, integrating DEI-informed practices into talent management. She previously served as a tenured Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Her research addresses intersectional experiences of women, sexual harassment, and sexual assault prevention. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Akron. Her SIOP service includes chairing the Women’s Inclusion Network (2019–2021), mentoring graduate students, and contributing to anti-racism and professional-practice initiatives. She is a coauthor of SIOP’s 2026 white paper, DEI in the Workplace: A Science-Based Guide for Organizational Leaders.
Dr. Gary Simeon Walker-Roberts
Gary Simeon Walker-Roberts, Ph.D. (they/them/theirs), is a Professor in the Teacher Education Department at National University’s Sanford College of Education, where they also serve as a Dissertation Committee Chair and Subject Matter Expert. Their scholarship and teaching focus on education, online learning, inclusion, gender and sexuality, and LGBTQIAA+ advocacy. A first-generation community college scholar, they began at Los Medanos College and pursued degrees in Ethnic Studies, Gender and Sexualities, English, and Education with a specialization in Online Teaching and Learning. They previously served in the National University System’s Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Whole Human Office.