Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are no longer static concepts—they are evolving daily, reshaping corporate governance, stakeholder expectations, and risk management. For board directors, understanding DEI’s long-term impact is not just about compliance but about ensuring resilience, innovation, and sustainable success. This session will explore how boards can anticipate and navigate the shifting DEI landscape, mitigate emerging risks, and redefine diversity beyond traditional metrics. Key discussion points include the changing face of DEI, defining diversity for the future, along with long term impact and board strategy. Join this upcoming in-person program for a forward-thinking discussion on how DEI is transforming boardroom priorities and what directors must do to manage risk, drive opportunity, and future-proof their organizations.
SPEAKERS
Era Anagnosti
Era Anagnosti is Partner and Co-Chair, Capital Markets and Public Company Advisory Practice at DLA Piper. She is a capital markets partner with distinguished government and private practice experience, including more than 10 years with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As part of her core practice, she regularly advises public companies in their SEC reporting obligations and corporate governance matters. Era has extensive experience on a large variety of disclosure and compliance matters under the US federal securities laws, resolving complex and bespoke securities laws questions through innovative and practical approaches. As part of her transactional practice, she represents issuers and underwriters in a broad array of capital market transactions, including initial public offerings (IPOs), de-SPAC transactions, tender offers, spin-offs, rights offerings and follow-on offerings.
Marsha Ershaghi
Marsha Ershaghi is a Managing Director with Tapestry Networks and is a leader in the corporate governance and board leadership practice. She advises non-executive directors, C-suite executives, and in-house practitioners on issues related to governance, culture transformation, board leadership, and stakeholder engagement. Marsha has led networks across Audit and Controls, Compensation and Talent Governance and deepened Tapestry’s initiatives elevating the Equity, People, Ethics and Culture platform that engage Fortune 500 board members, senior executives, policymakers, investors around the information and insights to define pragmatic solutions and advance principled change. Over her two-decade consulting career, she led large-scale transformations advising over 700 companies worldwide, across 100 countries, impacting 20 million people across multi-sectors including tech, aerospace and defense, pharma, manufacturing, retail, insurance and financial services.bMarsha serves as an expert fellow at the University of Southern California’s Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making and on the advisory boards of LMH Strategies, Inc. an integrative supply chain advisory firm and Compliance.ai, a regulatory change management firm.
Elliot Sloane
Elliot Sloane is Founder and Managing Partner of ThroughCo Communications where he leads the firm’s financial, corporate, transactions and crisis practices, leading programs for Teladoc Health, The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Lightyear Capital, and United Therapeutics.. Throughout his career, Elliot has provided strategic counsel to some of the world’s most notable organizations, often on the front lines with executive teams and Boards, helping them to manage through complex and difficult situations.
Banafsheh Akhlaghi, moderator
Banafsheh Akhlaghi has over 20 years of experience as founder of a civil rights nonprofit, consultant to the United Nations, Regional Director with Amnesty International, and founder of an international private law practice. Her expertise includes Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG), Risk Management, Legal & Business Strategy, Diversity & Inclusion, and Public Policy. Immediate past co-chairwoman, and a member since 2010, of the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission of the State Bar of California, focusing on legal advocacy for underserved and underrepresented populations. Member of the Board of Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco focused on access to low-cost liquidity, essential financial services, and resources for affordable housing and economic development to our member banks. Member of Board of Advisors of Entefy, an advanced AI and process automation company.