The “Spotlight” feature was created to foster a culture that recognizes outstanding work, encourages peer support and promotes Black excellence. Each month we will highlight a Black I/O professional or student on our social media platforms. During the month, current and future members will have the opportunity to engage with Spotlight Members about IO experiences and what they are currently doing.
Hi. I'm La Toya Glenn. I serve current roles as an Industrial Organizational Psychology Doctoral Candidate and Educational Consultant. I have extensive work experience in post-secondary and secondary education, public health, private practices, and corporate settings. Regarding educational endeavors, I've completed a Master of Science degree in Assistive Technology and Human Services at California State University. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Human Services degree from Clayton State University and an Associate of Science degree from Georgia State University. Currently, I'm in the last stages of my dissertation study in a PhD program at Walden University. My dissertation is titled “Experience of Well-Being in Educators Who Transitioned from In-person to Online Teaching.” It’s a qualitative study geared towards understanding well-being and social support initiatives. Recently, I received the Don Ackerman’s Grant to further my research initiatives. The research constructs that interest me are well-being, workplace transitions, and employee burnout. I have plans to conduct research and work with a variety of organizations before fulfilling the tenure faculty goal. During my free time, I spend as much time as possible with my fiance’ and three kids. I love to travel and explore different beaches with a good book. |
A Maryland native, Shelby Davis M.S., has a profound commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across various domains. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in IO Psychology at Colorado State University (CSU) with a focus on occupational health psychology, delving into the impacts of psychologically unsafe environments for marginalized groups under the mentorship of Dr. Danielle Gardner in the Researching Identity & Stigma in Employment (RISE) Lab. Her academic journey began at Tennessee State University where she earned a B.S. in Biology and Psychology, and continued at Western Kentucky University (WKU), where she earned her M.S. in Psychology in 2022. At WKU, Shelby worked in the Discrimination and Work-Life (DAWL) Lab under Dr. Katrina Burch and gained experience examining incivility and microaggressions against Black individuals in academia. Her thesis "An investigation of perceived authenticity of diversity and Black Lives Matter statements and their influence on applicant attractiveness" showcased her dedication to understanding diversity and inclusion and exemplifies her dedication to making meaningful change and afforded her the opportunity to present at the 2023 SIOP conference. Her current research aims to address how Black employees manage their non-Black colleagues' perceptions of them (avoiding stereotypes and stigmas) through racial code-switching.
Her contributions to psychology extend beyond academia. Engaging actively with the community, she enjoys mentoring and educating future researchers through the Blacks and African American Cultural Center at CSU and as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Shelby’s profound dedication to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion and her exceptional academic achievements undoubtedly are preparing her to be a leader in the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She looks forward to connecting with and learning from all of you!” | A California native, Danielle R. Baines, M.S. is an Organizational Development Consultant and Leadership Coach with over 12 years in training and organizational development. She is a trusted |
A common theme throughout Lenz Bayas' career is the desire to help others be the best version of themselves. He has worked in numerous industries, including but not limited to: international development, K-12, and financial crime. As owner and founder of LKB Consulting, LLC, he’s on a mission to transform the way organizations approach people-related performance in the workplace. Lenz is passionate about partnering with senior leaders to bring about meaningful business results. He draws from a variety of disciplines and evidence-based approaches when addressing challenges or pursuing opportunities in today’s business environment. He believes that organizations and the people within them can dream, design, and achieve a just, sustainable future together. Lenz holds a B.A in psychology and philosophy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a certificate in instructional technology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and an M.S. in Organizational Performance & Workplace Learning from Boise State University. He is also a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Beyond his professional life, Lenz is a bilingual (Haitian Creole/English) & bicultural citizen of the world who strongly values culture and community. During his free time you’ll most often find him cooking with his wife Rachel, playing piano, playing capoeira, or tapping out traditional Haitian rhythms on his hand drum. |
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In April 2023 Courtney is launching Simply You Solutions, LLC., a firm that supports organizations to achieve a workplace where “you can simply be you!” She helps companies identify and eliminate barriers to equity and facilitates experiences that build DEI knowledge and skills. Her previous consulting focused on topics such as intersectionality and authenticity in the workplace. Courtney earned her PhD in Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University in 2021 and is currently working with a team to expand the work in her dissertation, which was awarded the Michigan Psychological Association Foundation Dissertation Award and The Benjamin Schneider Scholarship from SIOP. It focused on the relationship between code switching, well-being and burnout for Black employees. Her work has been published in both peer-reviewed academic journals and practice focused publications such as the Harvard Business Review Online. Courtney is the 2022-2024 Chair for the SIOP Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs (CEMA) and is always interested in supporting racial and ethnic minorities. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® where she serves the community as the Chair of the HBCU Committee. As a newlywed of 7 months, Courtney likes to binge watch tv with her husband and French bulldog puppy. She also loves to discover new places both in her metro area and with travel. | ![]() As an energetic visionary, she is the owner and founder of the TruthSpeaksGroup LLC , a multimedia company that creates strategies and solutions for work-life integration/harmony (WLI/H). She is also the founder of I/O for Teens Inc., (a skill, confidence, and career building organization teaching teens how to achieve their dreams based on the science of human behavior.)MJA Notary Services LLC., MJA Publishing LLC., and JEMA Holdings LLC. Marla doesn’t believe in work-life balance as she believes all areas of our lives can be integrated and we can create harmony in our lives by means of I/O Psychology and Positive Psychology methodologies. Marla’s mantra is to #TeachTrainEducate working women who desire to understand their truth and live a life of success defined on their own terms. Marla is a certified professional career, executive, and life coach, trainer APTD (Associate Professional in Training and Development), Certified Chief Happiness Officer, Certified Positive Psychology Practitioner, Director of HR, Instructor, of Psychology, Amazon Best Selling author, and has over 25 years of business, coaching, and training experience. Marla holds a Master of Education in Adult Education, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management, and an Associate of Science in Financial Services. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. |
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Having a broad curiosity, Nchopia enjoys a breadth of I-O related experience. Prior to joining Korn Ferry, Nchopia worked for boutique consulting firms focused on talent development and assessment while also serving as an adjunct psychology instructor at Salt Lake Community College. She facilitated leadership development programs, managed hi-potential programs, partnered with C-Suite leaders on annual strategic planning initiatives and goal cascade, defined leadership competencies, designed performance and recognition programs, designed and debriefed 360 assessments, designed and debriefed employee surveys, coached leaders on engaging employees, and helped students define career paths. Her research interests include exploring the intersection of personality and race on workplace authenticity, engagement, and performance. She co-authored “Investigating the Implications of Code-Switching and Assimilating at Work for African-American Professionals” published in the Journal of Business Diversity. Today, Nchopia’s work is focused on assessing and developing executive leaders in the oil & gas, financial services, tech, and luxury goods space. She plays an active role in Korn Ferry leadership, serving as co-chair of the firm’s D.C Office Steering Committee. She is also chair of the Society of Industrial-Organizational Psychology Early Career Practitioner Forum. |
As an IO practitioner, Vanessa has a positive psychology approach to business, human resources, change management, organizational development, leadership development, executive coaching, people analytics, and talent management in government, private sector, and nonprofits. She is also a certified personal stylist and ICF coach who helps individuals work on their work style, brand, image, and reputation. In her spare time, she supports research by directly engaging in efforts to replicate psychological studies in top journals. Previously, Vanessa served as a military All-Source Intelligence Analyst for nearly five years in the United States Army. She holds an MS in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Walden University, an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University, a Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a BA from Georgia Southern University. Her certifications include, being a certified ICF executive coach, Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, and Hogan Personality Assessments. | Brittney Brinkley is an I-O Psychology practitioner with a focus on promoting DEI in the workplace. Brittney received her Master of Science degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from St. Mary’s University and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. Brittney has worked in several industries including government, education, tech, and professional services. She has a wide range of experience completing projects in the areas of organizational development, assessment and selection, strategic/educational planning, employee relations, and D&I. Given we spend a third of our lives at work, feeling productive, valued, respected, and welcome at work is crucial, especially for people of color (POC) who experience less in their day-to-day lives. Given this fact, Brittney has investigated how various workplace attributes (e.g., supervisor-subordinate similarity, organizational diversity climate, perceptions of supervisor support) effect employee job satisfaction and worker outcomes (e.g., turnover intentions, absenteeism, organizational commitment). She believes this work will not only enhance the quality of life for POC in the workforce but also optimize organizations’ return on investment. Brittney is also interested in the unique experiences of employees with concealable stigmatized identities. Brittney spent her early career assessing the fairness and validity of gamified assessments and advising on the potential legal risks and overall fairness of new products and machine learning instruments. Her current work has a more regulatory focus as she aids clients in their EEO compliance through federal reporting, AAP development, and strategic consulting. Brittney is experienced in conducting adverse impact studies, predictive validity studies, job analyses, return on investment analysis (e.g., recruiting dollars saved, diversity gains), and providing compliance guidance. She has also worked as an internal consultant, assisting with employee engagement surveys, setting D&I goals and policies, setting up ERGs, and leading the internal cultural committee as president. |
| Dawn Gates is a 2nd-year student in an I-O Psychology master’s program with a focus on and devotion to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) issues. She hopes to use her I-O education to help shape and lead organizations that want to honor the needs of its most vital asset, their employees. She is a retired veteran of the Virginia Army National Guard where she served as the senior diversity leader for her unit and has trained and led military personnel through 3 overseas deployments. She also has a background in communications and recently began her coaching business focusing on transformational leadership. Dawn is the chair for BIOP’s DEI Task Force and a member of SIOP’s External Relations committee. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and watching the world through her tiny giant son’s eyes. She hails from Fort Knox, KY, but presently resides in Maryland with her husband and son. |
Kenyatta is extremely motivated and organized with first-hand experience in training and development. She is a passionate team player and loves to meet new people. She's creative and takes great pride in her work and prides herself in taking a vision and making it a reality through sound strategy development. Kenyatta intuitively sees the threads of opportunity that wind through an organization, brings them together into a coherent whole, helps others extend their thinking, and drives material business advantage. Her truest aspiration is to become an inspirational leader and IO professional. Respected as a credible voice in decision-making, Kenyatta tends to earn a seat at the table wherever she serves. |
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Her work and research interests include racial and gender equity initiatives, occupational health and safety, and mitigating organizational burnout. Post-graduation, Alicia aims to work in the consulting field and guide various organizations in their efforts to implement DEI initiatives. In her free time, Alicia likes to read, hike with friends, travel internationally, and spend time with her family. |
In her free time, Alexis enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants. Whether throwing the ball with her pup Marley or enjoying an espresso martini on an international beach, Alexis truly takes pride in embodying work/life balance in everything she does. |
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She understands how important it is to identify all aspects of an individual’s life that impact their well-being including support systems, work/school environment, spirituality and life purpose. Under her consulting firm “Black Magenta Consulting” Shaneeta compassionately works with each of her clients by meeting them where they are and empowering them with new life skills during their journey. Shaneeta enjoys gardening, traveling, music, and poetry. She loves meeting new people and spending quality time with her family and friends. She is also a dedicated breeder of English and French Bulldogs. |