LOCAL BUSINESS PANELISTS

As a Lean and Change Practitioner, Ellen Whittingham has spent most of her career focuses on cultural transformation and continuous improvement diffusing equity and driving business results through meaningful enterprise-wide initiatives. Ellen has a wellestablished background in Diversity & Inclusion, Talent Management, and Continuous Improvement. She currently serves as the Global Director of Talent & Organizational Effectiveness.

Michelle Lewis is a registered nurse with over 20 years of experience in healthcare. She has been with Excela Health, Westmoreland Hospital, since 2009 as a registered nurse transitioning into the role of Clinical Director in 2012. She is the co-chair of Excela Health's "Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action" committee (IDEA Team).

At Kennametal, Ellen leads key programs including Diversity & Inclusion, Employee Engagement, Cultural Transformation, Learning & Development and Talent Management.

Michelle has a Master of Science in Nursing and Education from Carlow University. She also has a Nurse Executive Board Certification from the American Nurses Association.

Ellen has been recognized by the National Diversity Council for the work she has done in D&I and is the proud recipient of their Leadership Excellence Award.

A mother of four brown children, she is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community as well as a number of marginalized and underrepresented groups across the country. Having a queer daughter has made her a staunch ally for the LGBTQIA+ community.

In her spare time, when she is not enjoying her family and friends, she provides support to Outreach Teen & Family Counseling Services, supporting this non-profit in strategic workforce planning.