ABOUT HARDEN CONSULTING GROUP
"Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is the ability to navigate and thrive in various settings by understanding, adapting to, and leveraging cultural differences to achieve positive and transformative results."
DR. KIMBERLY HARDEN
OWNER & CEO
Ed. D., Concordia University - Portland
M.A., Gonzaga University
As Founder and CEO of Harden Consulting Group, LLC, Kimberly helps organizations shift from a traditional diversity and inclusion model to a holistic, sustainable model.
Kimberly served as a professor in the Department of Communication at Seattle University. Before she became an educator, Kimberly spent over 15 years working in the healthcare sector. Kimberly is passionate about justice, care, and transformational leadership.
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She was awarded the 2022 MLK Community, Equity, and Social Justice Award (Washington State University), the 2022 Entity Award (Commission for Social Justice Education), the 2020 Sankofa Faculty of the Year Award (Seattle University), and the 2016 Women in Action Award (Highline College).
Kimberly received her doctor of education degree in Transformational Leadership from Concordia University. She also has certificates in Diversity and Inclusion for HR and Equitable Community Change from Cornell University and Ethical and Inclusive Leadership from The University of South Florida. Kimberly has a love-hate relationship with social media, is defenseless against The Cookie from Metropolitan Market, and agrees with Aristotle’s assertion that “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
THE TEAM
Laura Southard, MS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is a Human Resources (HR), labor relations and organizational development consultant and training facilitator. Laura focuses on helping organizations build HR programs to align with business and equity outcomes.
With more than 14 years of experience, Laura is a seasoned HR professional and big-picture thinker with hands on experience in multiple settings. Laura specializes in working in startups and building out infrastructure to support new projects and initiatives. She is an employee engagement champion focused on building a leadership culture of inclusion and authenticity as the foundation for employee and organizational performance.
Laura received her master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Troy University and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from State University. She is also a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR, SHMR-SCP) and is a certified Mediator. Laura is also an adjunct instructor in Human Resource Management at Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
Gary Hale, MAML is a diversity, equity, inclusion consultant and a cross-functional program manager. Gary specializes in the start and scale of diversity and inclusion initiatives and programs. He has led DEI and culture change for organizations of up to 15,000 employees in the education, nonprofit, and technology industries.
Gary’s knowledge about various DEI conversations covers LGBTQ+ inclusion, racial justice, systemic change, disability advocacy, allyship, multi-generational workforce, gender bias, and employee resource groups. Gary has been nationally recognized by Sojourners magazine for his allyship and LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts. He is a gifted leader with expertise in learning and development, facilitation, and public speaking, and he has extensive experience in scalability.
Gary received his master’s degree in Ministry Leadership (emphasis in Entrepreneurship) from Rockbridge Seminary and his bachelor’s degree in Theology (emphasis in Educational Ministry) from Seattle Pacific University. Gary is highly skilled at implementing a holistic strategy for diversity, inclusion, and belonging. He is a high-level strategist who incorporates data and storytelling to drive meaningful culture change.
Dr. Victor Evans facilitates LGBTQ awareness and ally training workshops to promote the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ individuals in both corporations and educational institutions.
Victor is an assistant professor of Communication at Seattle University where he teaches journalism and other mass media courses. His research area focuses on the analysis of LGBTQ images in the media. Prior to teaching, he worked as an entertainment journalist for numerous organizations, including Entertainment Weekly, MTV, BET and CNN.
When he’s not eating popcorn and watching teen-angst-filled television shows, you can find him on his farm on Vashon Island wrangling chickens.
Patricia Julio brings 20 years’ experience in community-based nonprofit organizations serving communities of color to her equitable development work.
As an experienced racial equity facilitator and program designer, Patricia has worked with a wide array of nonprofits, national intermediaries, and local and county government to increase inclusion and remove institutional barriers. She holds a master’s in urban planning.
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Jasmine Barta is a website designer, social media manager, email marketer, and event planner for authors, small businesses, and nonprofits around the world.
Jasmine began her career as a journalist, graduating from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She's always been a storyteller at heart, with time spent as a reporter for USA TODAY, a part of the Super Bowl's Social Media Command Center, a scriptwriter for news anchors, a newsroom editor, a social media producer, a book publishing marketer. Before venturing out on her own, she worked for news organizations, nonprofits, and boutique agencies.
Jasmine is passionate about helping people and organizations tell their story impactfully. You can find her at www.jasminebarta.com.
Marc Gleckman is a producer and creative director for a range of corporate productions. Marc specializes in 2D & 3D graphics, with many of his projects focusing on dynamic storytelling. Marc’s creative direction has stretched from live dynamic broadcasting to fully edited documentaries.
Marc has a passion for developing DEI programs, racial justice, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, disability advocacy, and systemic change as a core of his productions.
He graduated from Seattle University with a B.A. in Communications & Media with an emphasis in production. He continues to mentor students and further develop himself with each project he takes on.