Member Since May 2023
Skills
About
Hi there! I'm Karen Perham-Lippman, and I've spent over a decade designing and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), environmental, social & governance (ESG), and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies, initiatives, and programs. I have worked across a variety of industries and sectors, including non-profit, businesses, state government, and municipal clients, both regionally and globally. Currently, I serve as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director for Jensen Hughes, the global leader in engineering, consulting and technology that makes our world safe, secure, and resilient. As a first-generation college student, I'm particularly proud of my role as an Adjunct Professor in the Business Center at the Community College of Denver, which serves one of the most diverse student populations in Colorado. I love being part of a diverse academic community and helping students from all walks of life to reach their full potential. Throughout my career, I've been honored with awards for my leadership, service to non-profits and public schools, mentoring, and dedication to youth and families in poverty. I had the honor of receiving a governor's appointment to the Colorado State Business Experiential Learning Commission in 2021. I'm also a lifelong learner. I hold an ACUE certification for designing learner-centered and equitable courses and am a Certified Diversity Professional. Currently, I'm a PhD candidate in Organizational Leadership at Eastern University’s College of Business and Leadership. My research interests span the areas of destructive leadership, corporate board diversity, mental health, gender, workplace loneliness, belonging, and DEIB. My scholarly work has been published in SAGE Publishing, Merits International Journal, Ethics International Press, and Emerald Publishing. Looking forward to connecting and learning from all of you in this DEI Think Tank!"
Karen Perham-Lippman
Published content
expert panel
As we step into an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, the conversation surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The next five years promise to bring forth a multitude of challenges and hot-button issues that will shape the DEI landscape. From the intersectionality of identities to the role of technology in workplace equity, leaders across various sectors are tasked with anticipating and addressing these emerging concerns. Below, nine DEI Think Tank members share the key issues expected to dominate the DEI discourse and provide insights into proactive strategies leaders can adopt today to navigate these turbulent waters tomorrow.
article
Addressing workplace loneliness is an urgent imperative that requires comprehensive organizational commitment and innovative strategies to foster a culture of inclusiveness and belonging, particularly in remote work environments.
expert panel
Jun 7, 2023
Even today – perhaps even more so today – it’s not uncommon for colleagues to question or criticize DEI initiatives. Sometimes, that pushback comes from fellow executives or influential department heads. How confident you are as a DEI leader in navigating conversations with DEI skeptics has a lot to do with two key factors: 1. how well you’ve quantified DEI’s impact on your organization’s strategic objectives and 2. how much support you have from the CEO. We asked members of the Senior Executive DEI Think Tank – a criteria-based organization for DEI decision-makers at large companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies – to share their playbooks for responding to DEI pushback from internal sources. Consider the following.
expert panel
Jun 1, 2023
Employee resource groups (ERGs) are notoriously under-resourced – often treated as more of an employee perk than a strategic business driver worth investing in. It’s up to DEI leaders to secure more funding for ERGs, a challenge requiring deliberative planning and clear outcomes. How much should you engage ERG leaders to make specific budget requests for their individual groups? Must every ERG initiative align neatly with organizational goals? How will you demonstrate ROI? Should you compensate ERG leaders for their time? (Yes.) We asked members of the Senior Executive DEI Think Tank – a criteria-based organization for DEI decision-makers at large companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies – to share their best practices for securing and making the most of financial resources for their employee resource groups. Here’s what they had to say.
Company details
Jensen Hughes
Company bio
Jensen Hughes is a preferred global partner in Engineering, Consulting and Technology. Across our global partnership of experts, clients and communities, Jensen Hughes is recognized worldwide for leadership in fire protection engineering, a legacy of responsibility the company has advanced with pride since 1939. Today, the expertise of Jensen Hughes people extends broadly across closely related risk management fields — from accessibility consulting, risk and hazard analysis, process safety and forensic investigations to security risk consulting, emergency management and digital innovation. As Jensen Hughes champions best practices, set industry standards and supports communities with innovative solutions, the company is making the world a better place.