Diversity consultant, Tellabs VP and former executive to speak at summit
7/8/2009

Phil Brozynski, Media Relations Manager
(630) 829-6094
pbrozynski@ben.edu

Arin N. Reeves, J.D., Ph.D., a consultant on racial and ethnic diversity, Tellabs executive Jean K. Holley and Jennifer Hou Kwong, who overcame extraordinary challenges in her personal and professional life, will address the third annual Women’s Leadership Summit on October 9, 2009 in the Krasa Student Center at Benedictine University.

The summit, hosted by the Benedictine University College of Business, begins with registration and a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and continues with speakers and lunch until 1:30 p.m. Registration is $35. Tables of eight are $280. Expo tables are $250. Register online at www.ben.edu/wls or call the College of Business at (630) 829-6206.

Reeves has worked in the areas of racial, gender, age, sexual orientation, class and cultural diversity for more than 15 years. Her work with The Athens Group, which she founded, focuses on diversity issues within law firms, corporate legal departments, legal places in the government sector, law schools and professional law associations.

Reeves currently serves on the American Bar Association Center for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, and has also served as an adjunct professor at Northwestern where she taught classes on law and society. She earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University.

Holley is executive vice president and chief information officer for Tellabs, where she is responsible for developing and implementing a company-wide strategic information technology plan. She directs all production application processing, application support and technical services for telecommunications networks at Tellabs.

Holly earned a master’s degree in computer science/engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla. She also serves on the board of Giant Steps of Illinois, a school for children with autistic spectrum disorders.

The daughter of a high-ranking government official in China, Kwong and her family lived through the chaos, hardship and deprivation of the Cultural Revolution. She recalled her family’s ordeal in her memoir, “Mulberry Child,” written under the name Jian Ping, a sprawling family saga and an inspiring tale of resilience and determination told through the eyes of a child. She is currently working on her next book, “Parallel Worlds,” about raising her daughter in the United States and the inherent conflict between generations and cultures.

Kwong earned a master’s degree in international affairs and a master’s degree in film from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Jilin University in Changchun, China. She held various positions at Crown Imports, the largest beer importer in the United States, and was National Director of Tsingtao Beer before leaving the company. She recently founded MoraQuest LLC to focus on writing, speaking and consulting on bridging cultural differences.

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