Program Director Bruce Craven will provide participants with an overview of our weekend’s themes and activities, hopes and expectations for the community, and how to ensure the right mindset when participating in a learning activity such as this.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is defined as the ability to identify, assess, respond to, and manage the emotions of oneself and others. Numerous studies have found a strong positive correlation between EQ and leadership effectiveness, specifically in areas of conflict resolution, building rapport, and effectively coaching employees. The good news is we can measure and continue to grow our EQ, it is not static. This session will empower you to better understand your own EQ strengths and opportunities, consider how your EQ may change when interacting with other LGBTQ+ colleagues or encountering anti-LGBTQ+ perspectives, and provide specific tactics to continue to grow in this area.

Join other PRIZM attendees, PRIZM corporate partners, ROMBA corporate partners (Ruby & above), our Board of Directors, and other VIPs for light bites, drinks, and more opportunities to get to know each other in this inaugural year of the PRIZM conference.

The Veterans’ Reception brings together all those who have served their country in the military to celebrate their commitment and other Veterans.

For anyone who identifies as a woman, we invite you to join the Women’s Reception and meet folks from across the globe! This reception is designed to start new conversations and build connections that can continue long after the event is over.

We start the morning by reflecting on what participants have learned and experienced from the program’s first day, and what to consider for today’s sessions and activities.

In today’s increasingly diverse workforce, our potential to innovate is greater than ever before. Yet in taking one another and our organizations forward in new ways, the differences in our instincts for action can often cause frictions that derail progress. How can we turn this dynamic around, creating value not despite our differences, but with them? Harnessing insights from behavioral science and the art of improvisation, participants in this interactive and engaging session will develop skills for creating the psychological safety and positive-sum thinking called for in every inclusive workplace.

We are often advised that developing and displaying executive presence is an important ingredient for growing leaders, particularly when navigating up and across an organization’s senior-most hierarchy. Understanding and cultivating executive presence is key to leadership effectiveness and career advancement. But what exactly constitutes the seemingly elusive “executive presence for LGBTQ+ professionals?” This session will explore several dimensions and perspectives on executive presence, including Character, Substance, and Style and further investigate subsets under each of those dimensions. We will also identify a set of interpersonal skills to help LGBTQ+ professionals become more authentic leaders. Participants will take the Interpersonal Attitude Survey to assess a range of communication styles, and through interactive exercises, learn how to communicate authentically no matter the audience or professional setting.

PRIZM attendees are invited to join one of our lunch circles that will include different focus areas across industry, discipline, and career stage. Each circle will have a facilitator who will develop ice breaker questions and guide the conversation.

In the spirit of TEDx Talks, ROMBA Perspectives offers a platform for individuals to share powerful and personal stories that reflect their unique experiences. Each speaker captivates the audience with narratives that range from defining moments of identity, the impact of their work, unconventional paths to business school, to seizing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. This year’s Perspectives will feature Beck Bailey, who will talk about “From the Mountain to the Mayo: My Medical Misadventures as a Trans Man”, Luna Wintergreen will share “Adaptability in Everything”, and Dawn Cornelius discusses “What’s the Worst Thing that Could Happen?”. Join us for a session that promises to inspire, challenge, and celebrate the diverse journeys within our LGBTQ+ community.

Did you know that more than 60% of student attendees at the ROMBA Conference identify as BIPOC? This reception welcomes those of diverse backgrounds and anyone committed to diversity for a fun-filled hour of conversation and celebration!

Kick off a celebration of everything that was ROMBA-PRIZM 2024 with a pre-dinner libation and mingle with other guests before the Marquee dinner!

Sponsored by Boston Consulting Group, the Marquee Dinner is the grand finale of this year’s conference, one last chance to connect with your peers, learn what Reaching Out has in store for the next year, and hear from our esteemed keynote speakers including Emmy® Award-winning actor and filmmaker Dan Levy.

You will create – and present – an individual leadership message, drawing on a leadership example you have experienced and your insights from PRIZM. You will identify an important real-world goal for yourself and/or your team, then structure a galvanizing statement to inspire and  motivate people to pursue and achieve that goal. Each Leadership Credo will be unique, based on the challenges, life experiences, creative decisions and delivery style of each participant. This session will provide you with a practical PRIZM output to take back to your work and put into action. The session will also include final reflections, wrap up, and ways to help other members in the ‘cohort’ feel supported and be accountable for applying their learnings once back at work.