Diversity and Unconscious Bias

Program Overview/Description:

One's age, gender, gender identity physical abilities, religion, sexual orientation, weight, and many other characteristics are subject to bias. Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness.

Participants in the program will become aware of their own biases and gain practical techniques for making conscious and objective decisions.

This program will help participants understand unconscious bias by sharing and reviewing the following concepts/topics:

Define Conscious and Unconscious Bias and share the science behind it.
List and briefly review the nine types of unconscious bias
Provide examples of unconscious bias in daily life and offer resources on identifying personal unconscious bias
Discuss the effect of discrimination resulting from unconscious bias
Discuss unconscious bias in the workplace and provide resources for identifying, eliminating, and avoiding it in decision making (i.e., interviewing, hiring and promotions).

Presenter Bio:

Rena W. Ramsey

Senior Vice President Human Resources

Manager Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach

Regions Bank

Birmingham, Alabama

Rena Ramsey has been employed with Regions since 1996. During her tenure with the bank she has managed affirmative action and served as HR manager for Operations and Technology, the North Central Alabama Geography, and the Consumer Services Group. She is currently the Human Resources Manager for Inclusion and Outreach. Before joining the bank, she was employed with Rust Engineering in Birmingham for eleven years in the Human Resources Department.

Rena holds a Bachelor of Science from Birmingham-Southern and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham as well as the following senior human resources certifications: SHRM-SCP and HRCI – SPHR.

Rena’s professional affiliations include membership in the National Society for Human Resources Management and the Birmingham Chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management. She is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and serves as Diversity Director on the SHRM Alabama State Council and President – Elect for the Birmingham Society of Human Resources Management (BSRHM).

Rena serves as a community volunteer with several organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Financial Secretary, Phi Iota Omega Chapter (President 2011-2012); Aletheia House Board of Directors; Alabama Business Leadership Network, Board Member; United Way of Central Alabama Board of Directors and Visiting Allocation Team Chair; National Association of Parliamentarians, Grace Browning Parliamentary Unit (Vice President); Alabama State Association of Parliamentarians (First Vice President) and Heritage Christian Academy School Board; Grace House Ministries, Women’s Auxiliary Warriors of Grace Chapter President;

A native of Cleveland, Mississippi, Rena is married to her college sweetheart, Kelvin G. Ramsey, Sr. and is the mother of two sons, Gerard and Richard.