Who We Are
About Nova
Nova was co-founded by four women determined to change 'business as usual'. With decades of experience in advertising, communications, and diversity & inclusion, the Nova founders brought their unique superpowers together to create a change-making organization. Through the years, our Nova team has grown to include multiple practice areas and a variety of cross-industry experiences - continuing to strengthen our team’s ability to solve organizational challenges.
At Nova we believe that everyone deserves to work in an inclusive environment where they can thrive. We are a women-owned, BIPOC led business committed to evolving organizational culture and ensuring that everyone has an equitable opportunity to succeed.
Nova supports DEI and People leaders in building equity and attaining genuine change, regardless of where they are on the DEI path. We believe that when we know better, we can do better.
HOW NOVA OPERATES:
When you work with Nova, you're partnering with an organization that practices what it preaches. Nova is committed to creating a new "normal" in workplace culture.
- Nova provides full-time staff (and their families) 100% healthcare coverage for medical insurance
- Our medical insurance covers gender affirmation benefits
- Nova offers 8 weeks of fully paid parental leave
- Nova offers unlimited PTO and hybrid/remote/flexible working schedules
- Nova is fully closed for 2 weeks every summer, to offer recharging time and space to all employees
- Nova’s closed office holidays include election day, Juneteenth, Indigenous People’s Day, Eid Al-Fitar and Rosh Hashanah
Our Mission
Our mission is to make the world a more inclusive place by helping organizations build and sustain DEI programs with real impact. To us, impact must be both qualitative and quantitative - we should hear it in the stories and experiences of your employees, and we should see it in the business results.
Whether you're just getting started with DEI or are far along in the process, we can help you take your program to the next level. We don't just talk about DEI, we live it and love it.
If you're ready to take the next step on the journey, reach out to us today to learn more about what we can do for you.
Meet Our Team
Our Staff
Tiffany Hudson (she/her)
Over the past 15 years, Tiffany has worked closely with hundreds of clients developing and managing recommendations for critical engagements (with a specific focus on DEI for the past 7 years), and brings this experience to her role as Nova's Head of Accounts. Her passion lies in helping build brave spaces for underrepresented voices to shine. A quote from James Baldwin "not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced", has become a guiding principle for how Tiffany moves throughout life, and throughout DEI spaces as well. Tiffany was named one of Crain’s Notable LGBTQ Executives in 2021, and one of Business Equality Magazine's 2018 LGBTQ Leaders under 40 in 2018. She currently sits on the board for Race Conscious Dialogues, and holds a Masters from Illinois State University, with a focus on Management.
(SHE/HER)
Accounts
Brynne Hovde (she/her)
Brynne works across a variety of spaces to support equity and justice efforts. She brings her 20 years of experience in client services, organizational development and learning to bear as Nova’s Head of Operations. Brynne is a co-founder and board member of Race Conscious Dialogues, a dialogue program focused on deconstructing whiteness. She is an organizing founder of Represent Oak Park, a coalition committed to supporting Black candidates for local elected offices. And she serves on the Oak Park Community Relations Commission as an advisor to the board on issues of equity and inclusion in the village.
(SHE/HER)
Operations
Becca Glodoski (she/her)
Becca has over a decade of experience developing content and products that create impact. As Head of Product & Strategy, she’s built out new product suites and led cross-functional teams creating content that centers the audience. Becca works with Mutual Aid groups in Chicago and believes that community-based solidarity combined with corporate cultural evolution can transform our society as a whole.
(SHE/HER)
Product & Strategy
Facie Chiwanza (she/her)
Facie is a business development and client relationship professional with a consultative sales approach across several industries including Financial Services, Pharmaceutical, Technology and Professional Services. For over 12 years she’s been sharing her story with clients leading to successful growth and a transformation of how they work. Having lived and worked in the U.S., Toronto, Dubai, and Zimbabwe, she brings an international perspective to Nova’s work and client relationships.
(SHE/HER)
Head of Client Services
Taylor Witten (she/her)
Taylor the leader of our Project Management team, with 10+ years of managing multi-modal engagements. Her work focuses on Otherness, identity, and representation within contemporary culture. She’s an expert-level logistics manager and is the engine behind successful deliveries for our clients.
(SHE/HER)
Head of Production
Noor Ali (she/her)
As Nova’s Head of Learning, Noor designs the Learning Journey and Curriculum Pathways for our clients and our organization at large. Noor is a learning designer and facilitator with extensive experience with dialogue facilitation, training facilitation skills, and student affairs administration. As the Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Affairs at Northwestern University, Noor oversaw two main programs: Peer Inclusion Educators (PIE) and the Step Up Bystander Intervention Program. With PIE she was charged with curriculum building, training of students becoming facilitators and management of a team of student leaders who organize events for the program. Step Up is a Bystander Intervention program. She performed trainings for facilitators within Step Up and manage collaborations with numerous offices across campus. In her role as Assistant Director she also served as liaison to other campus partners including Residence Life and our Norris Student Center, offering workshops and trainings on social justice, social identity, inclusion, and more.
(SHE/HER)
Head of Learning
Jaci Devine (she/her)
For nearly two decades, Dr. Jaci Devine has been helping companies tell their story and reach their stakeholders with their unique voice. As both a writer and researcher, Jaci is passionate about the written word and understands how to harness that power into measurable results. Jaci specializes in strategic communication and research and measurement within organizations of all sizes, and brings that perspective to her role as Nova’s Head of Research. With a M.A. in Teaching, a Ph.D. in Intercultural Communication, and published work in both the fields of Communication and Adult Learning, Jaci’s approach blends culture and communication through the lens of an educator. She currently teaches Business & Professional Speaking at Dominican University outside of Chicago.
(SHE/HER)
Head of Research
Jasmine Nelson (she/her)
Jasmine is a certified diversity professional with more than 10 years of public relations experience in agency, non-profit, for profit and the fashion industry. Her background spans both traditional and non-tradition public relations strategy for clients. Jasmine’s skills include partnership building, strategy development, media relations, copywriting, virtual event production and executing integrated tactics to achieve campaign goals. She has led the design and execution of workplace diversity programs and product inclusion strategies that contribute to an organization’s bottom line.
(SHE/HER)
Strategy Lead
Keilah Johnson (she/her)
Keilah is a Strategist with a background in Higher Education and community building. She provides subject matter expertise and oversight throughout the lifecycle of a client engagement, bringing a depth of experience in talent management and inclusive practices as well as lived experience to benefit our clients as they navigate complex decision-making and resource allocation.
(SHE/HER)
Strategy Lead
Ariana Puentes Graham (she/her)
Ariana is an innate leader who isn’t afraid to takes risks and find creative solutions to solve problems. She has an M.A. in Organizational and Multicultural Communication with a concentration in Learning & Development, along with 6 years of experience in Account Management.
(SHE/HER)
Project Lead
Jessica Wilson (she/her)
Jessica is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in customer and client service. Her current focus centers around recruiting and sales, where she excels in establishing and maintaining robust client relationships.
An alumna of DePaul University, Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a specialization in Organizational Improvement and Culture. Her academic background complements her hands-on expertise in understanding and enhancing organizational dynamics.
Jessica's passion lies in connecting with clients to deeply comprehend their unique needs. This dedication empowers her to forge meaningful connections and offer strategic recommendations that are instrumental in driving our success from the front lines.
(SHE/HER)
Business Development Manager
Benjamin Henning (he/him)
Benjamin brings 25+ years in the retail & micro-mobility sectors to The Nova Collective as an experienced Project Lead, Community Organizer and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging) Consultant. He is highly skilled at creating professional development experiences for leadership/employees, event management, implementing workshop training, facilitation, curriculum development and team building. Benjamin is currently on the board of directors of Awake 501c3 and has previously held roles as the Director of Special Projects/GM Bike Share Toronto for Shift Transit, Director of Retail at Under Armour & was a member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee
(HE/HIM)
Project Lead
Casey Pilkenton (she/her)
Casey Pilkenton is a Project Lead at Nova with a strong desire to leave the world a better place than how she found it. She has over a decade of live production management experience and a background in theater that has taken her everywhere from writers’ and development rooms to the tech booth to center stage. Prior to her time with Nova, she worked at School of Rock Chicago where she managed performance schedules of over 200 students for their in-house programs. It was there she gained a soft spot for LGBTQIA Youth - helping them realize their equity and voice in this world, which remains a passion to this very day.. As a self-proclaimed “logistics enthusiast” Casey is determined to make sure her clients and colleagues are aware of every detail of a project from start to finish.
(SHE/HER)
Project Lead
Our Consultants & Facilitators
Wendy Mateo (she/her)
Wendy Barbera is a Chicago-based facilitator, curriculum designer, as well as a content creator and filmmaker. Wendy is committed to rewriting the narrative of corporate spaces AND media, holding space for important dialogue, and creating more opportunities for voices who have been historically marginalized. Wendy has 5+ years facilitating virtual and live learning workshops through education, application and guided practice.
(SHE/HER)
Facilitator
Marla Caceres (she/her)
Marla has over a decade of facilitation and consulting experience. She brings care and empathy to both training and qualitative research, and is particularly skilled at listening to experiences and reflecting back insights.
(SHE/HER)
Researcher & Facilitator
Jason Ball (he/him)
Jason Ball is an Organizational Development leader with a focused training in multi-partiality as a facilitator. He helps companies thrive during periods of change. He’s passionate about teaching people how to communicate and work together better. He’s developed training programs using the ADDIE/Agile method, and holds certification in Insights Discovery Licensed Practitioner, Culture Change, Situational Leadership II Training for Trainers, and Kirkpatrick Certified Professional – Bronze Level. He has delivered D&I and Leadership training for Fortune 100 companies, federal government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
(HE/HIM)
Facilitator
Andrew Eninger (he/him)
Andy is an experienced speaker and designer of learning programs for Fortune 500 organizations. He specializes in programs on Diversity & Inclusion, Collaborative Leadership, and Storytelling, and coaches other presenters on ways to engage audiences and nail their story.
(HE/HIM)
Facilitator
Robert Brown (he/him)
As the Director of Social Justice Education at Northwestern University, Robert leads several curricular and co-curricular social justice education initiatives. Prior to joining Northwestern, he held professional roles in Residence Life and Multicultural Affairs at Washington University in St. Louis and University of Wisconsin – Madison. He holds a BS in Finance and Community Service Studies and MA in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University.
(HE/HIM)
Facilitator
Becca Barish (she/they)
Becca is a Learning & Development Designer/Facilitator and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in leading learning programs across all levels of an organization to comprehend and operationalize core Diversity, Equity and Inclusion concepts.
(SHE/THEY)
Facilitator
Monique Rooker (she/her)
Monique has nearly 10 years of progressive media experience in communications strategy, entertainment branding, political communications and government relations.
(SHE/HER)
Strategic Communications
Justin Key (he/him)
Justin’s passion for business has led him to consult privately for Fortune 500 companies on creative entrepreneurship, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Key has become a highly sought-after speaker, nationally and internationally, while being Black Enterprise Magazine 2019 Man of Distinction, receiving the Key to the City of his hometown, and Alumnus of the Year from his HBCU alma mater. Justin holds an associate degree in Acting from AMDA College of the Performing Arts, a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from LeMoyne-Owen College, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship with a focus in Entertainment from Mount Saint Mary’s University.
(HE/HIM)
Facilitator
Lesley-Ann Brown Henderson (she/her)
Dr. Lesley-Ann Brown Henderson currently serves as the AVP for Inclusion and Chief of Staff at Northwestern University. is responsible for overseeing and responding to bias incidents reported through the RespectNU website; supporting students who are recipients of bias incidents; working with staff, faculty and students to engage in ongoing dialogue centered on social justice, respect, and inclusion; developing cultural competence training for staff and students; and collaborating with departments focused on student engagement by integrating cultural competency/inclusion programs in their activities.
(SHE/HER)
Facilitator
Jemia Williams (she/her)
Jemia is a DEI practitioner, consultant, and content creator. She has an MBA and completed the Georgetown University Executive Certificate Program in Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management, which prepares DEI leaders to analyze, diagnose, and address diversity and inclusion issues.
(SHE/HER)
Strategist
Vernon Mina (he/him)
Vernon is a dynamic facilitator with a background in both business and the arts. His candor creates environments where learners can authentically engage with our work.
(HE/HIM)
Facilitator
Aireen Arellano (she/her)
Aireen Arellano is a brand designer whose work has been featured on AdWeek, AdAge, Refinery29, and Forbes. She designs with empathy for our client’s goals and excitement for our collective vision.
(SHE/HER)
Designer
C.J. Arellano (he/him)
C.J. is a media creator specializing in genre-driven, comedic, and human interest content.
(HE/HIM)
Content Creator
Greg Mulvey (he/him)
Greg has over 20 years of digital and production experience, and has presented for Adobe at NAB among other industry conferences.
(HE/HIM)
Content Creator
Mario Lucero (he/him)
Mario is an experienced Strategist, Educator, and Artist, with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education and DEI industry (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion). He specializes in Organizational Workplace Culture, Project Administration, Facilitation, Employee Training, Inclusive Leadership, Research, and Curriculum Development. Mario has a Master of Arts (M.A.) focused on Latin American and Latino Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Media Arts & Design.
(HE/HIM)
Consultant
Lilli Parks (she/her)
Lilli has years of experience in web design/development, graphic design, and online marketing. Lilli is passionate about helping clients feel confident in the message and image they are presenting to the world, and believes in aligning with brands that are making a positive impact in our society.
(SHE/HER)
Demand Gen
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