Bettina Straight – Why Me? Why Not?
Bettina Straight is the Chief Inclusion Officer and SVP of Talent, Leadership, and Culture at So Others Might Eat, a non-profit agency supporting the homeless community in Washington DC, as well as an independent trainer and consultant. She holds a BA in Sociology, an MS in Student Personnel Administration and has been training on leadership and diversity topics for over 20 years. As a trainer, her goal is to help participants see a subject from a new perspective, to engage them in respectful, honest, and productive conversation, and to leave them with a sense of connectedness and new understanding. Using personal experience, observation, and the wisdom of those who know more than she does (as well as a bit of humor), she is willing to hold discussions others tend to avoid.
In her own words, “Beyond anything, I hope people know that my goal is to help them become even more successful than they already are, whether that’s an individual, a team, or an entire organization. I am invested in helping make that happen, even when the conversations that guide us are difficult.” Bettina serves on the Board of Roland Park Place, an active retirement community in Baltimore, MD and lives quite happily with her wife Kristi and their two spoiled pups. When not out in the world training and speaking, she can usually be found singing loudly at a concert or driving her zesty yellow Mini Cooper with the top down.