Approach

Community-Based Approach

Pursue Deep Engagement with BIPOC Community
Assess and Adapt SU Procurement System & Processes
Learning & Sharing with Other Anchor Institutions

The Seattle University Supplier Diversification Program will both direct wealth to local diverse businesses and engage our local BIPOC and especially Black communities and businesses. The program will also support the uptake of local BIPOC-owned businesses among peer anchor institutions, using our academic resources and relationships to meet the needs on both sides, thus leveraging our initial investments. Over time, we plan to share our findings with peer universities and anchor institutions, creating a model that can be replicated broadly. We plan to:

  • Increase the resilience of our local business ecosystem by increasing University spending with local Black- and BIPOC-owned businesses;
  • Build the capacity of community businesses to engage large institutional procurement pipelines;
  • Support local business in building networks; and
  • Develop a model to facilitate sharing and growth of neighborhood-focused supplier diversity efforts among peer universities and anchor institutions.

Amelia Marckworth of the Albers Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) will lead the program in close collaboration with Directors of the Sunborg Center for Community Engagement, the SU Procurement Office, and other campus partners. This grant extends the Albers IEC’s previous work – also supported by JP Morgan Chase Foundation - in the Resource Amplification & Management Program (RAMP.up). The new supplier diversification program builds on RAMP.up's foundation to support potential institutional vendors in local neighborhood and develop procurement-readiness among local businesses owned by BIPOC community members, prioritizing the Black-owned businesses in the community surrounding the Seattle U campus.

Our Community Partners

Black Community Impact Alliance (BCIA)
Black Community Impact Alliance

www.bcia-intl.org

Black Dot logo
Black Dot

www.blackdotseattle.com

Central Area Collaborative logo
Central Area Collaborative

www.cacseattle.org

Crescent Collaborative logo
Crescent Collaborative

www.crescentcollab.org

Supplier Diversification Program Fellows

Supplier Diversity Program Fellows provide input and recommendations to inform the development and implementation of our supplier diversity initiative. Fellows are highly credentialed local diversity experts and Black business professionals who primarily work outside the University but are connected or familiar with to Seattle University. Fellows regularly share their experiences, opinions, and perspectives to inform the development, design, and implementation of the Supplier DiversityProgram. Fellows receive a stipend.

2022-23 Program Fellows

Jonathan Stutz

  • Jonathan Stutz is the President & Chief Diversity Officer at Global Diversity Partners. Previously, he was Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for several global businesses at Amazon and Microsoft. As a community leader, Jonathan is a Human Services Commissioner for the City of Kirkland and serves on the Board of Trustees for Youth Eastside Services. He completed his Master’s in Organizational Leadership in 2014 and brings experience in cross-cultural management, international business, operations, human resources, corporate governance, and leadership development. In the community, he co-founded the Eastside Diversity Task Force, the Eastside Latino Leadership Forum, and the Professional Technical Diversity Network in the Puget Sound and Bay Areas. Jonathan has served on the National Diversity Committee for the Society of Human Resource Management. He is an active runner and hiker and while born in Toronto, Canada, has lived on Seattle’s eastside most of his life. He is married to Stacie for 40 years, they have two adult children, Katie and Jaclyn, and a Golden Retriever, Simon.

Laura Clise

  • Laura Clise is an award-winning entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Intentionalist, an online platform and guide to small businesses and the diverse people behind them. Laura previously led sustainability and corporate responsibility at Weyerhaeuser. Prior to Weyerhaeuser, she led corporate sustainability at Plum Creek and served as the President of the Plum Creek Foundation. Laura also held executive roles leading sustainable development, supplier diversity, external communications, and corporate citizenship at AREVA Inc., preceded by work for the U.N. Global Compact, Intel Corporation, and Business for Social Responsibility. She began her career in brand management at General Mills and subsequently worked for McMaster-Carr Supply Company, where she led the international sales operations department. Laura received an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA from Carleton College. She is a 2013 Aspen Institute First Movers Fellow, co-chair of the Athlete Ally Board of Directors, serves on the IslandWood and Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and is a member of the Net Impact Advisory Council.

 

2021-22 Program Fellows

Dennis Comer, MS

  • Dennis Comer, a small business owner and former military officer, serves as the Executive Director for the Central Area Collaborative. A founding member of the Central Area Collaborative and Central Area Land Use Review Committee, his work within the community helped facilitate the creation of Central Area Design Guidelines and a Central Area Design Review Board, which he worked as a member of.
  • Mr., Comer has over 30 years of experience as a logistician and over 20 years as an Operations Research professional delivering comprehensive analysis and reports to decision-makers and C-suite management. He specializes in translating high-level technical analysis into laypeople's terms and is adept at working remotely across time zones (past 10 years). Mr. Comer possesses a broad spectrum of capabilities and strengths ranging from strategic logistics planning to requirements testing and evaluation. He also works on community development projects focusing on business startup and business development in underserved communities. He recently completed a graduate degree in Aeronautics (March 2021) to augment his pursuit of a private pilot's license.

Reginald Doctor, Ph.D.

  • Dr. Reginald (“Reggie”) Doctor, Ph.D., is a Senior Learning Strategist, Instructional Designer, eLearning Developer, Curriculum Designer and Learning Development Project Manager. He instructs Graduate Management Faculty teaching business, management, and organizational leadership courses. Dr. Doctor serves as a small business consultant with Medallion Services providing business process innovation and organizational learning strategies. He has served the Department of the Defense, Snohomish County government, Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Keller Graduate School of Management. In a volunteer capacity he served as board member for University beyond Bars.  Education: PhD in leadership, MBAT in Theology and Business Ethics, MBA & MPA, BS in Business Management, and Seattle University Executive Leadership program.

Dr. O. David Jackson, Ed. D., EMBA

  • O. David Jackson is an experienced, strategic, and visionary leader who is passionate about cultivating the impact that people and organizations can deliver to their communities and stakeholders. Building on a successful corporate career in human resources and people leadership, Dr. Jackson formed Jaxx Strategic Partners in 2014 to provide small and medium sized businesses and nonprofit organizations access to the same strategic expertise and insights that are often out of reach but for the largest organizations.  In addition to his business consulting, Dr. Jackson holds faculty appointments as an Adjunct Professor at Seattle University within the College of Education, the Albers Schools of Business and Economics, and the School of Theology and Ministry.
  • Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Howard University, and, both an MBA and a Doctorate in Education from Seattle University, wherein his scholarly research and practice centers on strategy, organization development, and adult learning.   As a community builder, Jackson has served on numerous boards including the HR Certification Institute (Secretary/Treasurer), the Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (Past President), and presently serves on the Board of Regents of Seattle University.  Dr. Jackson is an active writer, an avid patron of the arts, and divides his time between Seattle, WA and his hometown of Houston, TX.

Cheryl Kilodavis, EMBA

  • Cheryl Kilodavis is a native Seattle-ite of mixed African American and Caucasian heritage. Cheryl has a BS in business from the University of the Pacific and executive leadership MBA from Seattle University. She is an experienced and strategic outcomes-focused and people-oriented executive with a proven record in solving challenging situations and leading company transformation. A trusted leader with unwavering integrity driven by generating revenue opportunities, getting the right things done effectively and efficiently, and delivering immediate results all while building individuals to accomplish great things for the betterment of the collective. A social and business entrepreneur, Ms. Kilodavis is a Principal of KD Talent LLC, Founder of Authentici.org, and a published author of My Princess Boy.
  • She is an author, a strategic marketer and social entrepreneur whose passions include learning from experiences, creating interesting discussions, addressing large scale issues for the next generation, reading for lifelong learning, and building long-term relationships with people from all walks of life. Ms. Kilodavis has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and Marketing from the University of the Pacific and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She has a Leadership Executive MBA from Seattle University and is a selected member of Beta Gamma Sigma. The daughter of Willie and Christine, wife of her high school sweetheart, Dean, and mother of two wonderful sons, Dkobe and Dyson, Cheryl’s primary joy in life lies in spending time with her family, friends, and dog.

Contact

Janie Ng

206-296-2165

janieng@seattleu.edu