We offer DEI consulting for organizations, large or small.
Are you seeking DEI training for organizations after discovering that your growing organization is starting to diverge from its initial values of respect, equity, understanding, and open communication? Struggling to maintain a commitment to DEI principles and values can be a common occurrence for companies that aren’t prepared for sudden growth. Fortunately, at Construct the Present, our combined 30 years of experience in the DEI consulting and training field can help you regain your footing. Continue reading to discover the comprehensive DEI services we provide.
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.
Tashawna Gordon
Senior Facilitator
With lengthy experience working with young people in nonprofit organizations, Tashawna brings a human-centric approach to equity-centered training that’s rooted in curiosity, empathy, relationship-building, and fostering environments where authentic dialogue and growth thrive. Outside of work, you can find them reading, watching women’s basketball, and spending time with their partner CJ and pups Pippen and Lloyd.
Tia Nettles
Organizational Development Specialist
Working closely with Alexis to help organizations thrive, Tia is known for her fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to complex challenges. She received her bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit and Community Studies from the University of Miami in Ohio. When she’s not working, you can find her writing short stories, diving into fantasy novels, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and playing cozy video games.
What Clients Say About Us
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
Is Your Organization Experiencing These Challenges?
Difficulty Measuring Impact
Finding a consistent, data-driven way to measure the ROI of any DEI initiatives may seem challenging, making it harder to communicate their benefits and justify their continuation to leadership, stakeholders, and employees. Unclear goals and a lack of clear objectives also contribute to this.
Employee Resistance
We understand that it can be challenging to communicate the benefits of DEI consulting for organizations with employees and stakeholders, who may initially perceive workshops as a distraction or an unnecessary addition to their day.
Competitive Pressure
Are competitors making the same investments? Will DEI initiatives lead to reputation risk or internal conflict? These are some of the questions that organizations struggle to answer when it comes to deciding how to get started with crucial DEI initiatives.
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Our DEI Consulting for Organizations Solves These Issues Through:
Trademarked Workplace Equity Audits
Our trademarked diversity audit measures 10 separate domains, providing a data-driven, comprehensive view of the progress and success of our DEI training campaigns. The audit components include one-on-one interviews, small-group listening sessions, leadership, staff, and service surveys, as well as document reviews. We then generate reports that you can share with your leadership, staff and stakeholders as needed. This equity audit solves the issue of measuring the impact of DEI initiatives.
30 Years of Combined Experience
We understand that DEI initiatives and topics can be hard to broach with employees. However, our education experts are talented at creating a warm, welcoming environment where people feel ready and encouraged to learn. We don’t give lectures or judge. Instead, we draw on adult learning theory to start dialogues and activities, allowing your staff to apply their new knowledge to real-life situations.
Streamlined, Empowering Solutions
DEI initiatives may seem risky to organizations, especially for small businesses. We offer a social impact program that helps enhance critical thinking skills, identify harmful patterns of systemic oppression, and strengthen relationships among staff and communities you serve. The program includes expert training and workbooks that you can use for the long term as your organization grows
Ready to learn more? Here are more of the services we offer for DEI training for organizations:
Social Impact Programs
Our most streamlined option, Social Impact Programs are designed specifically for small organizations committed to creating inclusive environments while supporting broader social change. Each 90-minute session includes 40 Constructing Perspective Journals, with additional journals available upon request following a discovery call. We’ll work with you to identify the best team members to serve as facilitators and equip them with our proven strategies and educational tools. Participants receive permanent access to our Facilitator Guides and reflective journals, which provide a structured path for growth, dialogue, and implementation across your organization.
DEI Workshops
Our hands-on workshops are delivered in three engaging 90-minute sessions – either back-to-back in a single day or spaced out over time to fit your team’s schedule. These workshops offer more than surface-level DEI training – they’re immersive experiences that promote lasting transformation. Your team will explore how identity shapes behavior and decision-making, develop a shared DEI vocabulary, and build stronger, more empathetic relationships. New to DEI or onboarding new staff? We recommend beginning with Unpacking Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to lay the foundation for long-term impact.
Custom Experiences
Your small or large organization’s challenges are unique – your DEI training should be, too. With our Custom Experiences, we co-create sessions tailored to the issues and dynamics your team is currently facing. Whether you’re navigating trust issues within the communities you serve, working through leadership-staff disconnects, or confronting internal cultural tensions, we’re here to help. From inclusive leadership and equitable hiring practices to fostering collaboration among diverse teams, we’ll craft learning objectives that resonate and provide your team with real-world tools to apply immediately.
We Also Specialize in DEI Training For:
Frequently Asked Questions About Our DEI Training for Organizations:
Why is DEI training necessary for organizations?
As organizations develop and grow, it’s common for them to experience shifts in team cohesion. DEI consulting for organizations helps address conflicts before they become larger, systemic issues. It can also help organizations identify areas that need improvement, which may be invisible to leadership on a day-to-day basis. DEI initiatives can enhance team bonds, improve communication, and help leaders make more informed, data-driven decisions about hiring practices, new policies, and other key areas. Overall, you’ll find that DEI training leads to increased employee satisfaction and a stronger organization!
How do organizations measure the benefits/ROI of DEI training?
Concerns about measurement and return on investment (ROI) are well-founded. At Construct the Present, we offer a comprehensive workplace equity audit that delves deeply into helping organizations assess their performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, provide recommendations, best practices, policy design, staff training and development, and more. We collect data and revisit our assessments every two years, providing you with a clear overview of the progress being made. We also compile reports based on our data that you can share with all stakeholders. Additionally, we can collaborate with your HR team to capture DEI data during the onboarding of new hires.
What are some common DEI mistakes that organizations are making today?
Here are some of the most common mistakes we see today:
Leaving DEI Initiatives to HR
If you’re implementing new DEI initiatives, they need to start from the top down instead of being handed off to HR departments alone. This is because when senior leaders drive and champion DEI, it shows that the organization is truly prioritizing these initiatives.
Ignoring Diverse Voices
A company culture that values uniformity instead of diversity can’t flourish in the long term. Encourage a diverse set of voices from all backgrounds and perspectives to share, allowing you to tap into creativity, innovation, and a warm, inclusive environment.
Expecting Quick Solutions
Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives require time, with the goal of achieving steady, measurable progress and ultimately happier people. This includes measuring your progress by frequently requesting feedback from employees and conducting audits of your company to identify any gaps or blind spots. Organizations are successful when they approach DEI initiatives with a sense of curiosity and the goal of making incremental progress, rather than seeking instant perfection.
What DEI training topics are covered?
Our training sessions are designed to spark open and meaningful conversations, cultivating a more inclusive culture across your organization. Topics we cover include:
- Fostering inclusive environments where every voice is heard
- Establishing shared language and understanding around DEI principles
- Unpacking concepts like white privilege and allyship in practical, approachable ways
- Reflecting on how our identities shape our experiences at work
- Encouraging respectful, judgment-free dialogue around lived experiences
- …and much more
Each session is intentionally designed to be warm, engaging, and human-centered. We also offer custom-tailored training options, so whether your organization is navigating leadership challenges, team disconnects, or community dynamics, we’ll meet you where you are and guide your team forward.
How do we get started with DEI training?
Getting started is easy! We encourage you to fill out our contact form so we can get to know you and the services you’re interested in. If you’re unsure which service suits you best, schedule a discovery call with Alexis, and she’ll guide you through all the services we offer, as well as our ability to customize workshops tailored to your organization.
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.
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