Oregon and southwest Washington’s diverse economy spans industries such as manufacturing and technology. October is National Manufacturing Month, highlighting the vital role of the manufacturing sector in driving economic growth. It also offers a platform to raise awareness about the industry's importance and inspire future talent to pursue careers in this field.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI-B) plays an increasingly fundamental role in the manufacturing industry. As the sector evolves with new technology and global competition, fostering and cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce is key to driving innovation, problem-solving, and long-term success.
Join us in a conversation with field experts about how they’re implementing DEI-B into their organizations in order to shape the workforce of tomorrow.
Thank you to our sponsor Intel and venue sponsor City of Hillsboro.
Panelists
Marcia Torres, Panelist, CEO and Founder
Imagen Talent Solutions
With deep expertise in talent ecosystems, Marcia Torres specializes in transforming organizations through a holistic approach that includes talent acquisition, development, management, and program leadership. Throughout her career, she has led efforts to build inclusive and equitable talent strategies, focusing on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI-B) across various organizations. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Marcia leverages data-driven insights to foster continuous improvement and align talent processes with business growth objectives.
After returning to Oregon about seven years ago and holding leadership roles in various industries, Marcia launched Imagen Talent Solutions, where she continues to provide strategic guidance on equitable talent ecosystems for businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits.
Justina Williamson, Workforce Development Manager
Portland Community College
Justina brings more than 25 years of workforce development experience in nonprofit and community college systems. Her background provides expertise in development, implementation, operation, and evaluation of workforce development programs, including programs targeting underserved populations in the Portland-Metro region.
During her 18 years with Portland Community College, Williamson has managed a wide variety of programs funded by Federal, state and local governments. These have included National Emergency grants, grants serving long-term unemployed job seekers in targeted industries, and large-scale work-based learning grants serving hundreds of local job seekers and businesses. Prior to her tenure at Portland Community College, Williamson worked for eight years in workforce programming at Portland-based Central City Concern in various roles, including Career Specialist, Workforce Program Manager and Operations Manager. It was here that Williamson built substantial experience working with populations that experience multiple barriers to employment including substance abuse, homelessness, disability and low-educational attainment.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon.
Danny Morato, Supplier Diversity Administrator
City of Hillsboro
Danny is a dedicated public servant and advocate for supplier diversity, currently administrating the Supplier Diversity Program for the City of Hillsboro, Oregon. With a strong focus on creating opportunities for underrepresented businesses, Danny has helped foster a more inclusive local economy. His work emphasizes collaboration with diverse suppliers, driving inclusiveness, and ensuring equitable access to city contracts. Danny is passionate about community development and champions initiatives that strengthen partnerships between local businesses and government.