CPAE Spotlight Series

Have you ever wondered what it takes to last in this speaking business?  Have you seen renowned speakers on stages and thought- “I wonder who they really are?” 

Our national associations’ highest awarded honor is the CPAE, Council of Peers Award for Excellence, what is industry known as the “Hall of Fame”- these Hall of Fame speakers are revered in our industry and bring a depth of skill and knowledge we can all learn from.

With many live (virtually streamed through ZOOM) interviews to watch and participate in, and a few pre-recorded interviews releases mixed in, be inspired in this NEW INTERVIEW SERIES

About Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP, CPAE, Cavett Recipient

Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) is a CPAE (Council of Peers Award of Excellence) Hall of Fame speaker and an internationally recognized authority in the areas of inclusion, diversity, and bias. She has been included as one of the 100 Global Thought Leaders on Diversity and Inclusion by The Society of Human Resource Management and was named by Diversity Woman Magazine as one of the twenty top influential diversity leaders in the US.

HIVE has included Lenora in 2021 and again in 2022 as North America’s Most Influential DEI Leaders. Her award-winning diversity leadership research is recognized in academic journals internationally. Additionally, she serves on the Advisory Council of the Nido Qubein School of Communication, High Point University, as well as on the adjunct business faculty of two other universities.

Diversity, inclusion and disrupting bias is a full-time focus for Lenora. She partners with clients to help them leverage their diversity to impact talent engagement and retention, attract customers, build community, and enhance corporate relations. Her powerful yet engaging style inspires virtual and in-person audience members to take personal and organizational actions that disrupt bias and accelerate bottom-line results.

She has presented to audiences in over forty-one countries and six continents, including such places as Dubai, Israel and South Africa and Malaysia. Billings-Harris co-authored TRAILBLAZERS: How Top Business Leaders are Accelerating Results through Inclusion and Diversity, and is the author of The Diversity Advantage: A Guide to Making Diversity Work, 3rd Ed. Most recently, she was the cover story for Inclusion Magazine.

In addition to management positions held with two Fortune 100 companies plus the Graduate School of Business at The University of Michigan, Billings-Harris has held leadership positions with several non-profit organizations.

She is a past president of Win-Win Resolutions with a mission to reduce bullying, violence and prejudice in schools and communities, and was a founding charter member of the Maricopa County Black Chamber of Commerce. She is a past president of the National Speakers Association, and past president of the Global Speakers Federation. In 2016 she was the Cavett Award recipient, the highest honor bestowed upon professional speakers in the USA. In 2018 she was inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame and is the only Africa American woman to hold this honor.

ABOUT YOUR HOST:

NIKI MCCUISTION, CSP 

Niki produces the award winning McCuistion Program, now in its 29th year on KERA PBS TV, often working in challenging situations and crisis zones. Her responsibility includes the bottom line- raising the funds to produce the program and working with board members to achieve the mission.

From a business background that includes hands on service, sales, and management experience; and specialized education, including a B.S. in Psychology from Southern Methodist University, an M.L.A. in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University, an MBA in Leadership and Governance from the University of Dallas, and advanced course work and certifications in coaching, governance and strategy, Niki understands the unique issues facing nonprofits, businesses, and speakers today.