EBDI Alumni

Bringing together his training in qualitative research methods with his interest in dialogic engagement and facilitation, Ahmmad co-founded EBDI in 2020. In his over four years leading EBDI, he coordinated and led engagements with more than two dozen clients across sectors and co-authored each of EBDI’s public reports. Ahmmad continues his work at the intersection of strategy, inclusion, and learning and development as an assistant professor in the master’s and executive programs in learning and organization change at Northwestern University, where he teaches courses on strategic change and DEI leadership and serves as the faculty lead for the Leading Equity and Inclusion in Organizations Certificate (LEIOC) program. His approach as an instructor focuses on dialogic engagement and the cultivation of learning environments for students to engage critically with DEI approaches. His goal is for students to develop intellectual clarity and values alignment in the ways that they would like to foster greater equity and inclusion in the organizations of which they are a part or work with. He also continues to offer consulting and advisory services with Working IDEAL, where he is developing a DEI maturity model that focuses on organizational structure and processes.

Dustin joined the EBDI team in 2021 and supported multiple engagements through data collection, data analysis, and program design. He designed and facilitated learning and development programming for leaders and leadership teams from organizations such as Creative Goods, Merit America, and the Pomona College Office of Admissions. In collaboration with Ahmmad, Dustin was the architect of EBDI’s advisory and coaching services approach, which integrated organizational-level strategic change, individual development, and capacity building at the leadership level. Dustin continues this work in multiple capacities, including as Senior Associate Director of NYU's Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing and as the Assistant Director of Leadership Programs at the Faculty Advancement Network, working directly with leaders in all contexts to improve workgroup climate. He continues to advise leaders and organizations independently through his consultancy, Fuhzool.

With a background in community organizing and creative writing, Jéssica co-founded EBDI with Ahmmad in 2020, with a goal of developing organizations’ collective ability to engage in dialogue across difference, emphasizing humility, empathy and curiosity, and minding power dynamics that are present in organizations. They believe the loving awareness gained through courageous conversations can lead to values-aligned transformation. At EBDI, Jéss facilitated organization-wide dialogue sessions, and worked with BIPOC leaders and team members to navigate race, gender, and positional dynamics within their organizations with multiple clients. Jéss now serves as a co-director of the Matahari Women Workers’ Center, where they have held democratic decision-making processes, led a participatory budgeting strategy, and developed a popular education curriculum to combat gender-based violence and harassment for domestic and restaurant workers in Massachusetts.

Neha worked with EBDI between 2021 and 2023, during which time she supported work with Braven, leading listening sessions with team members and helping develop strategic recommendations. She also authored an EBDI resource on onboarding best practices. Neha is a senior manager at Accenture, where she serves as an Inclusion and Diversity Champion to foster collaboration and cultivate cultural awareness among team members. She also organizes learning and development efforts to support team members' ability to be effective allies.

Nyari was a member of the EBDI team for two years, between 2021 and 2023, working with several clients, including leading the data collection and analysis for EBDI’s engagement with RPM. She was also the first author of a report on Tigerlily Foundation’s #InclusionPledge, which detailed innovations organizations have taken to support equity in cancer care for women of color. Nyari now serves as the senior projects director with Partnership for Worker Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she coordinates Building Bridges, a public art project that engages students, faculty, and staff. The project also seeks to elevate and amplify the voices of employees on campus through worker artist exhibits, photovoice projects, and worker rights workshops. Nyari also manages a project that develops career ladder opportunities for often-overlooked campus employees, including frontline workers and custodial staff, supporting their professional growth in an equitable and just manner, encouraging leaders to articulate clear promotion criteria, and designing training to meet those criteria. Nyari’s team also pairs apprentices with mentors who provide guidance and support, helping workers navigate their career paths more effectively.

Leena worked with EBDI in 2022 and 2023, supporting clients to refine their theories of change in relation to DEI work. Internally, Leena helped EBDI refine its intended impact to focus on organizations that operate in the social sector or have social impact goals. Leena is currently a co-director at the Matahari Women Workers’ Center, where she organizes domestic and restaurant workers in the Greater Boston area to challenge the policies and structures that exploit women and femmes in the care and service work industries. She focuses on structuring campaigns to build the leadership of directly affected people. Her interests include supporting organizations to make bold decisions on their theory of change and intended impact and building collective strategic capacity beyond the model of a single leader.

Molly worked with EBDI in 2024 and helped develop frameworks to support organizations and team members in engaging in constructive disagreement, integrating group, interpersonal, and interpersonal frameworks for working across difference. Molly continues this work as the founder of GoodShift Studio, where she works as a leadership coach and learning consultant help teams build inclusive, resilient, and growth-oriented cultures. With a passion for creative approaches to the everyday challenges at work and a deep understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, she emboldens social sector and creative leaders to turn big ideas into reality, and helps organizations create lasting positive change.

Brandon worked with EBDI in 2024, supporting the development of frameworks to help leaders clarify their strategy, intended impact, and theory of change, with particular attention to fostering leaders’ ability to identify key elements of their organizational culture and which elements are supporting or hindering organizational success. Brandon continues this work as the founder of LVD Strategies, where he collaborates with leaders to actualize their strategic goals. His approach integrates his personal experience with formal methodologies to drive culture change, foster leadership competencies, and improve organizational effectiveness.