Beyond the Ban: Staying Grounded Amid Uncertainty & Post Holiday Networking

Beyond the Ban: Staying Grounded Amid Uncertainty

Date: Tue January 13

Workshop: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Post-Holiday Networking: 7:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: CBIZ 68 South Service Road, Melville NY 11747

Format: In-person interactive workshop

Audience: Fundraising professionals navigating policy restrictions on DEI funding

Speakers:

Evita Marrow, MA, PHR

Retha Fernandez, SHRM-SCP,

Participants will learn to:

• Reframe organizational messaging while maintaining core values
• Identify new funding opportunities and donor segments
• Develop resilient storytelling strategies
• Create actionable communication plans
• Build confidence in navigating current challenge

AFTER THE WORKSHOP, stay with us for a holiday networking event - refreshments will be served!

Evita Marrow, MA, PHR - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategist

Evita Marrow is a dedicated public servant whose career spans public service, telecommunications, and public transit, grounded in a lifelong commitment to equity, community empowerment, and inclusion.

Beginning her professional journey in the telecommunications industry, she developed expertise in customer service and operations, eventually rising to a leadership role focused on team development and client satisfaction. Her early exposure to government through internships fueled a deep passion for public policy, which she carried into various public service roles, including designing and leading critical response systems during the COVID-19 pandemic and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the county level.

Transitioning into public transit, Evita now plays a key leadership role in ensuring civil rights compliance and advancing inclusive practices within one of the nation’s largest transit systems. Her work includes overseeing Title VI and VII efforts, promoting equitable access to services, and advocating for vulnerable communities. Evita's career reflects a holistic approach to leadership—blending operational acumen, policy insight, and a deep commitment to social justice across multiple industries.

Retha Fernandez, SHRM, SCP

With professional and personal passions aligned, Retha Fernandez serves as the Strategic Engagement Manager for National Grid Ventures and Community Offshore Wind. In this role, Retha supports the creation of workforce and economic development strategies to deliver on the mission of local clean energy for all. Retha formerly served as the inaugural Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Suffolk County, New York where she led the development and implementation of the County’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, including leading the development of the County’s first strategic plan for talent recruitment. Prior to joining the County, Retha was the inaugural Project Director of the State of Black Long Island (SOBLI) Equity Council, a project convened by the Urban League of Long Island to develop an equity agenda to improve the quality of life in Black communities on Long Island. She has over two decades of private sector experience in technology strategy development and relationship management, serving in executive leadership roles.

Retha has received several citations and recognitions from organizations across New York State, including the publications, City & State NY and Long Island Business News; and serves on several advisory committees for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She serves as a Long Island Trustee of The Energeia Partnership, a think tank of regional leaders committed to the sustainability of Long Island and as the Board Chair of Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization with the mission to break the cycle of poverty and inequity through education, job training, and employment. Her deep commitment to community service, youth development, and advocacy is demonstrated through her full engagement as a member with leadership roles in several Long Island community-based organizations.

Retha holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Summa Cum Laude, in Organizational Management from St. Joseph’s University and is a Chopra Center Certified Meditation Instructor. She is devoted to her personal practice as she believes meditation and generating feelings of love and compassion for ourselves and others are the way to affect social change. "Live well, be well" is her mantra! Retha resides in Babylon with her husband of 19 years and their teenage son, Taylor, a college freshman at Howard University.

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