Jessica Bantom, Global Leader of Equity, Diversity, and Belonging for integrated design firm DLR Group, is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging practitioner, interior design consultant, and speaker whose mission is to help designers increase their cultural competence so they can create in ways that honor humanity.

Jessica is a business-minded creative whose professional experience spans marketing, IT and management consulting, and startup leadership. A skilled consultant with over 20 years of experience, her roster of clients includes renowned universities, global professional associations, and government agencies. Jessica is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Marymount University and holds a Master’s in interior design as well as a combination of certifications in DEI, change management, design thinking, coaching, and facilitation.

Whether designing systems, strategies, experiences, or spaces, the common theme throughout her unique career has been care for people. As a big picture thinker, one question she is known to ask is, “How will this project or initiative affect everyone involved?”

Philly-born, DC-based, and globally engaged, Jessica’s appreciation for cultural difference is rooted in her early education in a desegregating elementary school and diverse public school classrooms. She has often been told by her clients and audiences that her superpower is making hard topics approachable and accessible with authenticity. She strives to help her audiences normalize challenging conversations about identity and take actions – big and small – that create meaningful outcomes for historically excluded people.

In her downtime, Jessica enjoys getting away to the beach to lounge and listen to the waves. She also loves all things 90s R&B, and she is likely to sing the melody, the harmony, and all parts in between.

You can learn more about Jessica and her book, Design for Identity: How to Design Authentically for a Diverse World, at JessicaBantom.com.