Empowering Leaders Through Custom DEI Consulting
DEI training for leaders is essential for building a workplace culture where inclusion, equity, and collaboration thrive. When leaders have the tools to model inclusive behavior, shape equitable policies, and lead with emotional intelligence, the entire organization benefits. This work goes beyond checking boxes — it means rethinking how decisions are made, how communication flows, and how people feel seen and valued. At Construct the Present, we help leadership teams transform intention into impact through custom training, equity assessments, and long-term strategies that drive real cultural change. Keep reading to discover how we support leaders in turning DEI principles into daily leadership practice.
DEI Training for Leaders: Our Team
Alexis Braly James
Founder/CEO
A longtime educator and innovator, Alexis has collaborated with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution, the City of Portland, the Metro Regional Government, and the Multnomah County Library. Born and raised primarily in Oregon, she earned her master’s degree from Lewis & Clark College and is pursuing her MBA from Cornell University. Outside of work, you’re likely to find her dancing to Beyoncé.
Client Experiences With Our DEI Training for Leaders
Janus Youth Programs
Construct the Present led a comprehensive equity audit that helped us identify and address gaps in our HR policies and practices. As a result, we revised our compensation philosophy, updated job descriptions with inclusive language, and improved our hiring and onboarding processes. Alexis and her team delivered clear, actionable recommendations and created a supportive environment for honest reflection and growth. Their work gave us a roadmap to build a more equitable and accountable organization.
OnPoint Community Credit Union
Construct the Present designed and delivered a year-long custom training series that brought our equity and inclusion goals to life. Each quarter, Alexis and her team facilitated engaging, virtual sessions for 20–30 staff members, creating space for honest dialogue and practical learning. The content was tailored to our culture and industry, and the consistency over the year helped build internal momentum and confidence. Participants left each session with tools they could immediately apply, and the series helped strengthen alignment across teams. Construct the Present was a trusted and thoughtful partner throughout.
Elevate Oregon
Multnomah County
ARQ
What’s Holding Your Leadership Team Back From DEI Progress?
Fear of Making Mistakes
Many leaders genuinely care about fostering inclusion, but worry they might “say the wrong thing” or unintentionally offend someone. That fear often results in silence or avoidance. With the right support, leaders can build the clarity and confidence to lead these conversations with honesty, curiosity, and accountability.
Resistance to Feedback or Change
Leaders are often used to being in decision-making roles, which can make receiving feedback feel uncomfortable or even threatening. DEI training helps create a framework for receiving feedback constructively and using it to drive meaningful change, rather than defensiveness or avoidance.
Inconsistent Role Modeling
If leaders don’t model the inclusive values they ask of others, trust can quickly erode across teams. When leadership behavior doesn’t reflect DEI commitments, it signals to employees that the work isn’t truly a priority. Consistent, authentic modeling at the top is essential for culture change to take root.
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Our DEI Training for Leaders Delivers Impact Through:
Reflection Journal
The Constructing Perspectives Reflection Journal is designed to help deepen awareness around values, power, identity, and organizational change. Whether used individually or in small groups, the journal offers structured guidance for leaders to move from intention to action.
It can be used independently, integrated into training cohorts, or facilitated organization-wide as part of a larger DEI strategy.
Identity & Privilege Program
We offer a range of DEI workshops tailored to your organization’s goals — including “Identity & Privilege,” a session that explores how personal identity shapes our experiences, decisions, and interactions in the workplace. This program invites leaders and teams into thoughtful dialogue about how unconscious and conscious biases show up in professional roles, expanding awareness and encouraging more inclusive leadership practices.
Equity Audits
Our equity audits are a key part of how we deliver effective DEI training for leaders. These audits uncover measurable insights into your workplace culture by combining interviews, employee surveys, leadership feedback, and document reviews. By working closely with your team, we translate the data into clear recommendations that inform decision-making across areas like hiring, onboarding, and team dynamics.
Explore Our DEI Training and Consulting Services for Leaders:
Social Impact Programs
Our Social Impact Programs are designed for smaller organizations ready to foster meaningful inclusion and contribute to lasting social change. Each 90-minute session includes 40 copies of the Constructing Perspectives Reflection Journal, with more available upon request after a discovery call. We work with you to identify internal facilitators and prepare them with evidence-based strategies and dynamic educational tools. Participants receive ongoing access to our Facilitator Guides and journals, offering a reliable foundation for continued reflection, connection, and growth across your team.
DEI Workshops
We structure our workshops into three 90-minute sessions, delivered either all in one day or spread out to match your team’s pace. Each session creates space for honest conversations, reflection, and practical learning. Together, we take a close look at how identity shapes how we lead, communicate, and work with others. The goal is to help teams build shared understanding and improve collaboration across roles and departments.
Custom Experiences
DEI training is most effective when it reflects your organization’s unique challenges and goals. That’s why we build every experience in close collaboration with your team. Whether you’re responding to shifts in workplace culture, reworking onboarding for greater inclusion, or refining hiring practices to better reflect the communities you serve, we’ll help shape a strategy that fits. Together, we’ll design sessions with clear, actionable takeaways your team can begin applying immediately.
We Also Specialize in DEI Training For:
Frequently Asked Questions About Our DEI Consulting for Leaders
How is your DEI training customized for different leadership teams or industries?
Our DEI training is fully customized to reflect your leadership team’s specific goals, challenges, and industry context. We start by learning about your organization’s structure, culture, and current pain points through discovery calls and assessments.
From there, we tailor the content to meet your team where they are — whether they’re new to DEI work or ready for deeper, system-level change. Training is designed around real-world leadership decisions, not generic scenarios, and delivered in formats that match your team’s needs.
Every session is built to drive practical insight, inclusive behavior, and long-term impact across departments and roles.
How do you measure the impact of DEI training at the leadership level?
We measure the impact of our DEI training for leaders through a combination of data, feedback, and long-term evaluation.
Our trademarked equity audits assess performance across 10 organizational domains and are revisited every two years to track progress. We also gather insights through leadership interviews, staff surveys, and one-on-one conversations to understand shifts in behavior, communication, and team dynamics.
Ongoing access to tools like our Constructing Perspectives journal and facilitator guides supports continued reflection and growth. This approach allows us to capture both measurable outcomes and cultural shifts that signal lasting, systemic change led by leadership.
How much does DEI training cost?
We offer a range of training options — from short-term, focused workshops to long-term partnerships that include equity audits and on-site support. Pricing depends on factors like your organization’s size, the number of sessions needed, and overall scope.
To help us understand what you’re looking for, we invite you to fill out our contact form. If you’re not sure which service is the right fit, schedule a discovery call with Alexis. She’ll walk you through our offerings and help explore customized solutions that align with your goals.
Can DEI training help if we’re already experiencing internal conflicts?
Yes. DEI training can be especially helpful when internal conflict is already present.
At Construct the Present, we don’t avoid tension — we help teams move through it with care and clarity. Our approach supports leaders in understanding the root causes of conflict, including communication gaps, systemic inequities, or cultural disconnects.
Through customized training, equity audits, and ongoing reflection tools like our Constructing Perspectives journal, we guide teams toward more honest dialogue, stronger collaboration, and lasting change that addresses conflict at its core.
Ready to get started?
Looking for more information or unsure which program is right for your organization? Our team is available to answer questions and help identify the best path forward.