Healing Through Change: My Path to Founding Bridging Inclusion
Two years ago, in May 2023, I found myself at a major crossroads in my life: I was twelve months postpartum, in the thick of my doctoral studies, and working full-time. For years leading up to that moment, I had quietly nurtured a dream of launching my own consulting firm—one that approached equity and inclusion work with the depth and integrity it truly deserves.
I had spent my career in the DEI space, only to witness how often that work was performative, surface-level, or worse—how frequently the organizations offering DEI services failed to embody those very values within their own walls. I watched teams champion equity externally while maintaining inequitable practices internally. As a scholar, a practitioner, and a new mother, I knew I wanted more—for myself and for the organizations I served. I kept telling myself I would wait for the “right time” to start my business. But eventually, I realized: there’s no perfect time to chase a vision. There’s only readiness—and I was ready.
By then, I had already spent years conducting informal landscape analyses, researching business models, building relationships, and seeking guidance from others in the field. When a contracting opportunity unexpectedly came my way, I decided to say yes. That moment marked the beginning of Bridging Inclusion.
Since our founding, Bridging Inclusion has partnered with global and domestic clients to build workplace cultures rooted in inclusion, merit, and trust. We offer people-centered approaches to organizational development that move beyond check-the-box diversity practices to foster real, sustainable culture change. Our mission is not only professional—it’s deeply personal.
As someone who has experienced and witnessed institutional abuse in the workplace, this work is a calling. I’ll never forget being pressured by a director to lead a client meeting during a major religious holiday—then being passed over for promotion when I declined to cancel my PTO. Or being harassed by a supervisor for using sick leave to care for my mother during her cancer treatment—and later, for prioritizing my own health while pregnant. These are painful memories, but they are not uncommon. Many people face far worse. And for me, they became fuel.
They strengthened my resolve to create a company that helps workplaces do better—where people are seen, heard, and respected not just in theory, but in practice.
Bridging Inclusion won’t singlehandedly dismantle toxic work cultures—but I am proud to say we are part of the solution. Every training we lead, every listening session we facilitate, and every equity strategy we co-develop with our clients helps to shift the narrative. Together, we are building cultures of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and accountability. We are helping organizations become more human—and more humane.
This is only the beginning. And I’m so grateful to everyone who’s been part of the journey.