Bristol Motor Speedway in the Bruton Smith Building
Attend the 2026 DEI Summit to gain essential insights and skills for fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace. Network with industry leaders, expand your knowledge, and be part of a community committed to creating positive change in your organization and beyond.
Together, we’re building a stronger regional economy thanks to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
More than ever, fostering and protecting diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical in our Appalachian Highlands region. That’s why we come together each spring to network, learn, and advance DEI initiatives in our area. When you attend the DEI Summit, you’ll gain invaluable knowledge from thought leaders and business experts, but also the rich perspective from your neighbors, colleagues, and new faces who are also passionate about DEI.
Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law
Bio
Christina Thomas is a project director and research scholar at the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law. In her role, she leads an initiative dedicated to advancing DEI in the current legal landscape. Prior to joining the Meltzer Center, she worked for over six years at the Bronx Defenders. After starting as a staff attorney in the Criminal Defense Practice at the Bronx Defenders, Christina spent her final two years in the organization’s People, Equity, and Institutional Transformation Department. There, she played an integral role in executing trainings, initiatives, and policies geared towards fostering an inclusive, anti-oppressive environment. Christina is a graduate of Howard University (BBA in Marketing) and Harvard Law School (JD).
Founder and CEO of Full Partner Leadership
Bio
Michael Welp, PhD. is a Founder and CEO of Full Partner Leadership, A US-based leadership development consultancy. For over 35 years, Michael has led pioneering workshops using experiential learning methods to shift mindsets, build leadership skills, and grow change agents to create cultures where everyone thrives. Earlier in his career, Michael facilitated interracial team-building with over a dozen South African corporations in his work with Outward Bound. Michael is also an author, TEDx presenter, and podcast host. His latest work, Grassroots Guide to Depolarizing the USA, offers practical tools to reduce political polarization by helping readers humanize themselves and others, laying the groundwork where everyone can thrive.