November 4-5  2021 
Distinguished Speakers
Cross Cultural Dynamics & Pandemic Insights
Thursday, Nov 4, 2021 - 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Eastern
Session #Two

Dr. Georgianna Meléndez

Dr. Georgianna Meléndez is Assistant Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at University of Massachusetts Boston. She earned her PhD in Business Administration at UMass Boston where she received the Doctoral Award for Scholarly Excellence in Organizations and Social Change; her MPA at UMass Boston and was recognized for Distinguished Public Service by McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies; and her BA from Bentley University. Georgianna's research interests include structural bias, organizational discrimination, organizational behavior, meritocracy, and entrepreneurship. She teaches at the MBA and undergraduate levels at UMass Boston and Salem State, has served as reviewer for Organizations and Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management. ​

Dr. Melendez's other roles include: executive committee, Commission on Access Diversity and Excellence – APLU; Equity Advisory Board, MA Dept. of Higher Education; mentor, Marion Heard Scholars Program, United Way of Massachusetts Bay; past appointee to Governor Patrick's anti-crime council; and has served on several non-profit boards. She previously served as assistant commissioner at Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance; executive director at Casa Myrna Vazquez, New England's largest domestic violence services agency; and executive director at RESPOND Somerville, a domestic violence agency serving Metro-Boston. 

Most recently she was appointed by Governor Baker to his Economic Assistance Coordinating Council. She also served as executive director for Commonwealth Compact, a statewide diversity workforce initiative increasing access and visibility for underrepresented minority professional to the C-Suite in Massachusetts. She has been selected as Get Konnected! and Eos Foundation's 50 Most Influential People of Color in Higher Education.
Darnley Howard

President/Principal Consultant Advansa International

Darnley Howard is a management and business development consultant with over 20 years of experience advising companies and entrepreneurs and in economic development. Mr. Howard has worked in financial analysis and international Treasury at several major corporations.

In his consulting role, Mr. Howard has worked on international development projects and private equity transactions in the Americas and Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. He is a director at Emos Consultancy in Accra, Ghana. Mr. Howard is currently a Partner at Pan Diaspora Capital Management. He holds a B.S. in finance and multinational enterprise from the Wharton School and an M.B.A. in finance and international business from the Booth School at the University of Chicago.

Mr. Howard speaks Spanish and has a reading knowledge of Portuguese.
Attorney Grace Lee
​Grace Lee manages People's United Bank's Government Banking Group. Prior to joining People's United Bank, she was with the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC where she served as the Vice Chair of the Public Finance Group. Prior to joining Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, Grace served as First Deputy Treasurer and General Counsel for Massachusetts State Treasury. As First Deputy Treasurer, she was responsible for the management and oversight of the Massachusetts State Treasury.

Ms. Lee also oversaw the operations of the Treasury and its divisions, such as Cash Management, Debt Management, Abandoned Property and Water Pollution Abatement Trust, and Administration and Finance. Prior to that, she was a practicing attorney and assistant District Attorney.

She grew up as a Korean American in California, witnessing oppression first-hand, including the Los Angeles riots. Most of the riots took place in "K-Town," otherwise known as Korea town. The social upheaval gave her insight into hate crimes and cruelty in America.