Next Leadership Lecture Series Features Belonging and Inclusion Strategist, Consultant, and Trainer. V.P. Parker
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock welcomes its very own alumnus V.P. Parker for the Department of Applied Communication’s Spring 2025 Leadership Lecture. Parker is a business owner, principal consultant, strategist, and master trainer with VP Enterprises & Consulting.
For the Spring 2025 Leadership Lecture, Parker will address “What is Inclusive Leadership?” by focusing on and discussing the six signature traits of inclusive leaders, according to the research conducted by Deloitte. He underscores that the traits set one apart from other leaders in that inclusive leadership requires intentionality in displaying the six traits. This is an important concept because some theories assert that the best leaders are born with the traits that set them apart.
“By championing inclusive leadership, we not only enrich organizational culture but also drive innovation and creativity through leveraging the wisdom and perspectives of the people in the organization and the people around us,” Parker said.
Through his consultant business, Parker has spent 30 years working as a belonging and inclusion strategist, trainer, and consultant for various clientele including Procter and Gamble, Caesars Entertainment, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Energizer. He graduated from UA Little Rock with his bachelor’s degree in speech communication and went on to receive his graduate degree from the University of Charleston. He is recognized by the National Diversity Council as a Certified Diversity Professional. He believes that inclusive leadership is both an art and a science.
He is well known as a keynote speaker and a presenter for Howard University’s School of Accounting Annual Leadership Development Conference for 15 years. His engaging and interactive presentation on Inclusive Leadership has been a staple with young leaders at Arkansas Boys State for over a decade.
“My aim is for students to leave empowered with both knowledge and actionable insights,” Parker said. “Ultimately, I hope the presentation ignites a commitment to being a leader who is aware of one’s own weaknesses and biases and engages in cultural humility, while also committed to being intentional about creating belonging, inclusion, and psychological safety for the team members they are leading.”
The presentation will be held on Zoom from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18. To sign up to attend the Zoom presentation, go to this link: https://ualr.at/leaderlectures.
