Our Mission
SCG's mission is simple: we aim to provide comprehensive and effective diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism education, training, and programming to transform the way you do business.
Our Vision
We envision a world where organizations view it as their duty to actively engage in transformative anti-racist work. We envision a world where diversity is prized and where inclusive work spaces that appreciate what all team members have to offer are the norm. We envision a world where diverse employees are as important as bottom lines. We envision a world where our services are no longer necessary.
Our team
Daedra Staten, esq.
she/her/hers
Founder | Chief Diversity Consultant
Daedra has been working in the diversity and inclusion space for more than a decade: first, as a student, and now as a teacher and professional. She has lived abroad in South Africa and traveled abroad extensively as well in her work as a professional diversity recruiter. Having completed her legal studies in UCLA Law's Critical Race Studies program - the only program of its kind - she is an expert in the history of race and racism in America, and well versed in the theoretical and systems frameworks informing identity in its varied manifestations in the U.S. and abroad. She has worked at the institutional level, developing diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism programming for a major law school as well as in the corporate realm, where she now creates diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism programming for a variety of companies.
Education:
-
UCLA School of Law, J.D. in Critical Race Studies
-
University of Southern California (USC), Dual-B.A. in International Relations Global Business (Marketing) & Philosophy (Ethics, Law & Value Theory)
Michael Reid
he/him/his
Senior Consultant/Instructional Designer
Michael joins SCG with a background in linguistics, cultural and equity consulting, facilitation, research, writing, and higher education recruitment and administration. Michael is a seasoned facilitator and instructional designer, having consulted on a wide array of projects touching on linguistic equality, cross-cultural communication, inclusive recruitment practices, and race and identity issues. He has also chaired and sat on multiple boards doing equity and diversity work. Impressively, Michael works in six (6) languages: English, Greek, Japanese, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Michael firmly believes that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice work must be culturally responsive if it is to be relevant and effective. Moreover, he believes that experiences of discrimination, oppression, and inequity are informed by the history, culture, and conditions of the people that experience them. Before moving into consulting and facilitation full-time, Michael worked in higher education as a professor and director of international recruitment and hosted as weekly radio show focused on international media analysis.
Education:
-
Eastern Washington University (Cheney, Washington), Master of Arts in Public Anthropology and Critical GIS
-
Eastern Washington University (Cheney, Washington), Bachelor of Arts, French Language & Literature, Japanese Language & Linguistics Minor
​
Drew Staten
he/him/his
Director of Communications & Strategy
Drew is a professional writer, creative, and activist, dedicating much of his time to work and activism in the LGBTQIA community. He is a people person, a gifted communicator, and has worked across a variety of fields, from higher education to freelance writing to the service industry. He brings his talent for connecting with people, speaking to diverse crowds, researching, writing, and strategizing to the SCG team.
Education:
University of Southern California (USC), Dual-B.A. in International Relations and Creative Writing;
Cornell University Diversity and Inclusion Certificate
Zachary Ritter, Ph.D.
he/him/his
Facilitator + Consultant | DAI & Higher Ed.
Zack received his Ph.D. in higher education from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), focusing on Asian international students' cross-racial interactions. He is currently Interim Associate Dean of Students at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and helps run the Office of Community Standards Restorative Justice Department and Basic Needs Housing and Food Insecurity Program. Zack also teaches Social Justice History. Prior to joining Cal State Dominguez Hills, Zack served as the Interim Associate Dean of the Office for Institutional Diversity at Harvey Mudd College and as the Associate Director of the Office of Campus Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Redlands. He recently co-edited a book called Marginality in the Urban Center: The Costs and Challenges of Continued Whiteness in the Americas and Beyond and a new co-edited book called "A Peculiar Institution: Whiteness, Power, and Resistance to Change" (forthcoming).
Education:
-
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Higher Education
-
UCLA, Master's Degree in Education
-
UCLA, Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education
-
UCLA, Bachelor of Arts in History
J.D. barton, psy.d.
he/him/his
Facilitator + Consultant | Mental Health & LGBTQIA
Dr. J.D. Barton is a therapist and clinical psychology graduate from Pepperdine University. He completed his predoctoral internship at UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services. His research explores techniques for implementing culturally-affirming practices within therapy and institutional settings. J.D. has developed expertise in trauma and identity-affirming cognitive-behavioral theory. He has worked in a diverse number of settings including university counseling centers, hospitals, neuropsychology clinics, and community mental health.
Education:
-
Pepperdine University, Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology
-
Pepperdine University, Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology
-
University of Puget Sound, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Comparative Sociology
Pristina Alford
she/her/hers
Consultant | Media & PR
Pristina Alford is a public relations executive with over 10 years of experience working across a multitude of industries within the lifestyle space. Over the course of her career, she had represented clients within culture, hospitality, food, consumer lifestyle, spirits, fashion, and entertainment. A skilled and tenacious publicist, Pristina has executed high-level integrated PR campaigns providing strategic counsel and planning, media relations expertise, and large-scale red-carpet event experience for her clients. Pristina has worked for top PR firms in New York City and Los Angeles including Rubenstein Communications, 5WPR, MWW, Exposure PR, and Purple PR. She currently is the SVP of Lifestyle + Culture at DKC Public Relations, with a client diverse roster, including brands such as Kappa, Edition Hotels, Moet Hennessy, Collective Design Fair, 1800 Tequila, Jose Cuervo, Viola Cannabis, FaZe Clan, BMW, Skullcandy headphones, and more. Most recently Pristina launched DKCulture, a division of DKC dedicated to bridging the gap between "the culture" (i.e. Black clients) and GenZ.
Education:
-
New York University, Master's Degree in Corporate Communications
-
St. John's University, Bachelor of Science, and a four-year starter on the Women's Soccer Team