Congratulations to our 2015 Merlin G. Pope, Jr. Diversity Leadership Award honoree: Mary Stagaman!

The Merlin G. Pope, Jr. Diversity Leadership Award was created in 2003 to recognize an individual executive in the Greater Cincinnati area who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and proactive leadership to diversity and inclusion within their organization and/or our community.

Mary Stagaman is vice president for regional initiatives and executive director of Agenda 360—a plan to grow talent, jobs, and economic opportunity—for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

Since 2012, Agenda 360 has engaged hundreds of volunteers and more than 150 organizations across the region in a ground-breaking diversity and inclusion initiative. Diverse by Design is intended to attract, develop and retain diverse, high potential talent and move Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky to full inclusion.

Programs emerging from Diverse by Design include CONNECT, a regional network of employee resource groups; CINC, a program to create positive perceptions of the region among summer interns; Table of 8, an engagement program for newcomers to the region; the annual Fifth Third Bank Diversity Leadership Symposium; and Insights in Inclusion, a series featuring thought leaders in inclusion created in partnership with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Prior to joining the chamber in 2010, Stagaman was the top marketing and community relations officer at the University of Cincinnati, serving in a time of unprecedented growth and reputation building for UC. She played a leadership role in the creation of the Uptown Consortium, an alliance of the region’s anchor institutions and Uptown neighborhoods.

Stagaman currently serves on the boards of United Way of Greater Cincinnati, the Health Collaborative, Partners for a Competitive Workforce, The Corporation for Findlay Market, ArtsWave and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Stagaman has also served as chair of the board of Women Helping Women and of the Leadership Council of The Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. For the latter, she was a leader in the creation of “Pulse: A Study on the Status of Women and Girls in Our Region.”

CHRC’s Annual Luncheon, Silent Auction and Awards Ceremony will be held on June 26th, 2015 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, 35 W. Fifth Street at 12:00 pm. This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., theologian and activist. 

For more information on CHRC or the Luncheon, please visit our website at www.chrc.us, call the office at 513-352-3237 or contact Nina Jackson, Administrative Assistant, at nina.jackson@cincinnati-oh.gov. All proceeds from the luncheon will provide direct support to CHRC's Youth Services and Community Outreach and Engagement programs. A list of our sponsorship opportunities is available on our website or click below to find out more information. Individual tickets are $75.