2,500 LGBT Executives and 118 sponsors gather for the 14th annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit: Baltimore, October 29-November 1, 2012

News provided by

Oct 23, 2012, 04:10 ET

World-class Programming on LGBT Diversity, Renowned Speakers and Entertainment!

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Executives, human resources and diversity professionals, employee resource groups and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and allies representing the vanguard of forward-thinking Fortune 500 companies will gather in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 29-November 1 to consider ways to advance workplace equality. The Out & Equal Workplace Summit, held annually since 1999, draws more than 2,500 attendees from across the world to share their best practices and ideas for creating workplaces where LGBT people are safe, accepted, and valued.

The Workplace Summit is presented by Hewlett-Packard and IBM, in addition to support from 118 sponsoring corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Conference highlights include:

Dynamic speakers, including business executives, celebrities, journalists, and activists:

TUESDAY: Vladi Luxuria, Former Member of Parliament, Italy, and the Northern Hemisphere's first openly transgender Member of Parliament; Judy Shepard, mother of the late Matthew Shepard and founder of The Matthew Shepard Foundation; Joan Collins, British actress, author and columnist, aka uber LGBT icon, Alexis Carrington Colby.

WEDNESDAY: Beth Brooke, Global Vice Chair—Public Policy at Ernst & Young, named five times to the list of Forbes "World's 100 Most Powerful Women"; Tiffany Dufu, President of The White House Project; Selisse Berry, Founding Executive Director of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates; Benjamin Todd Jealous, President of the NAACP; Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour, America's first African-American female combat pilot; and Zack Wahls, who addressed the Iowa House Judiciary Committee in support of gay marriage, becoming an internet sensation, and who spoke to an ecstatic reception at the Democratic National Convention.

THURSDAY: Brigadier General, Tammy Smith, the first openly LGBT officer of flag rank in the U.S. Army.

On Monday, October 29, exceptional trainers will present a series of Leadership Seminars:

Employee Resource Group Seminar
Communities of Color Seminar
Transgender Awareness & Inclusion: Getting There from Wherever You Are Now
Ally Leadership Development
LGBT Diversity Leadership: Train the Trainer Course
Federal Leadership Seminar

Powerful featured panels will look in depth at aspects of workplace equality on:

Bisexuality in Our Cultures and Our Lives: A Panel of Experts
Intersections of Race, Ethnicity, Orientation and Identity
Intersections of Ability, Orientation and Identity
Progress for the LGBT Community by the Federal Government
Moving Forward on the Federal Employment Non Discrimination Act
Allies and Transgender Employees: Supporting Transition
Community Engagement: The Benefit of Corporate Partnership
LGBT ERG of the Year: The Experience of Outie Award Winners
LGBT Parenting: Our Children Speak, featuring Zack Wahls
The Impact of Self-ID: Gains and Challenges
Corporations as Mirrors of Change and as "Change Agents" in the LGBT Community
The Values and Responsibilities of Executive Sponsors

The Global Series, sponsored by IBM, will look at the state of workplace equality throughout the world, including Europe, Latin America, and Asia, and the series will also address the ways in which globalization is impacting the LGBT experience:

IBM's Approach to LGBT Issues in Challenging Countries
Immigration Equality: Issues on Immigration for the LGBT Community
US Diplomacy and LGBT Rights Globally
OUT NOW: The LGBT Global Workplace Experience—Country Survey Highlights
Extending Diversity & Inclusion Strategy Globally: Case Study Latin America
The Business of Fighting HIV & AIDS: From Walking to Running

Each year, the conference bestows the Outie Awards to individuals and corporations who are making a significant contribution to workplace equality.

This year's Gala Dinner on Thursday evening is sponsored by Hewlett-Packard and Target, and hosted by political humorist and entertainer, Kate Clinton. Entertainment will be provided by Sister Sledge—featuring Kathy Sledge, Suede, and Potomac Fever, an a cappella ensemble of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington. Special guest Brigadier General Tammy Smith who will share remarks on her experience about rising through the ranks of the U.S. Army while remaining true to herself.

More than 120 workshops, a special screening of Codebreaker, plus luncheons, networking opportunities, and a Halloween Party will round out the week's events.

Full registration, Gala Dinner tickets, and day passes are all available onsite at the Pratt Street Lobby in the Baltimore Convention Center, beginning October 29. For more information, please visit the conference website at http://outandequal.org/summit-2012.

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is committed to ending employment discrimination for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees. We believe that people should be judged by the work they do, not by their sexual orientation or gender identity. Every day, we work to protect and empower employees to be productive and successful—so they can support themselves, their families, and contribute to achieving a world free of discrimination for everyone.

Note: Media are welcome to attend; press passes will be available at registration.