The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable

GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
Caroline Raffi and Mathew Jacobson - Founder and CEO of Ducere Global Business School, at GlobalMindED
Meet Caroline Raffi, VP Enterprise, Ducere Global Business School
First Gen Iranian Immigrant Uplifts Women and Aspiring, Inclusive Global Business Leaders
Caroline, what is your personal narrative? What key moments in your life led you to where you are?

I am a first generation immigrant Middle Eastern woman from Iran. I moved here when I was 19 years old. Being a young female in a country like Iran not only meant that I was a second class citizen, but it also meant there would not be much growth opportunity, from a career point. Even though I was born and raised in Iran, I learned from an early age what it meant to be a minority. Not only I was a woman but I was also Jewish. So my worth in society that was male dominated by extreme religious groups was very low.

Despite my love for the rich traditional culture of Persia, I was fortunate that I was able to flee my country and move to the US. I quickly learned that even though I was in the USA, I was still a minority. At college I was referred to as “that girl” because my school was mostly white and I have colored skin. At work I was well aware that I was treated as a “woman”. I learned how to deal with men at the work place when they were being condescending, I learned that many of the behaviors I dealt with “like a lady” actually had a name called “sexual harassment” and I learned that until I don’t standup for myself without fear and prove myself with pride, I will always be just a “pretty face” regardless of how smart I am.

One of the best things I did for myself was completing my MBA. There were only 8 women out of a total of 38 in my class. I was inspired by my women colleagues and truly got the education, confidence and credibility I needed. From there I started a company, consulted for companies and now am doing what I love most, giving back and helping others achieve their goals.

How do you leverage your role at Ducere Global Business School to ensure that a diverse talent pipeline is being created for the workforce?

Because of my background and the understanding that I have from experience, I have been conscious of providing “additional” help in any way that I can, especially to professional women and minority groups. In my organization, the majority of the senior leadership are female. Our culture has an intimate understanding of the unique challenges for women in getting further education, and providing additional help to overcome barriers such as cost, time, and juggling work, home and study responsibilities. We have dedicated women in leadership programs, and have significant budgets to offer scholarships for our “women in leadership” MBA's. We are proud that our Patron, H.E. Joyce Banda, is one of only two female elected presidents from the entire African continent. Our first university chancellor was the first Prime Minister of Australia. Not to mention we have 50 women world leaders that are part of our faculty group from CEO's entrepreneurs, professors, humanitarians and public sector leaders.

As a social enterprise, we collaborate with many organizations, to close the gender and diversity gap in order to provide world class MBA's that are accessible and affordable.

What professional and personal benefits did you gain by attending the GlobalMindED 2022 Conference?

The GlobalMindED conference was very inspiring! I had the privilege of making great connections. I was even more educated about DEI initiatives, needs, concerns, and issues at the work place. The presentations and speakers from all over the US, were incredibly inspiring and knowledgeable.

Attending the GlobalMindED conference this year made me even more proud of the work we are doing at Ducere, and motivated me to push even harder for what our goals and plans for DEI and gender equality in the workplace are. I'm confident that many of the connections I made will lead to ongoing collaboration and partnership opportunities.

What hopes do you have for your future partnership and work with GlobalMindED?

I hope to be able to contribute more to the GlobalMindED community, to be able to help other members achieve their goals. I hope that we can grow our network of partners and grow stronger and more effective year after year.

What advice would you give to future Inclusive Inspirational Leaders?

  • Work with passion and love, trust me the outcome will be exceptional.
  • Even though most of us are working from home these days make the effort to go out and make in person connections. Attend conferences, networking events and 1-1 meetings is critical to build genuine connections.
  • Don’t just hear, listen and understand.
  • Be interested in people’s stories, their strengths and weaknesses and the why behind each of those.
  • Be kind and empathetic, people can feel when you are being genuine or not (even if you are on Zoom)
  • Read, learn, and educate yourself .You never know what you don’t know. Also help educate others.
  • Go after education. It is not just about the books, it is also about connections, about discipline, dedication.
  • Stay active both physically and mentally! Mental health matters as much as physical health matters
  • Trust your gut and Stay focused.
June 2022 Conference Summary in Photos and Videos
We had an inspiring conference in June after two years of virtual gatherings due to COVID. If you missed that, you can still be a part of the experience through the photos from the 2022 GlobalMindED conference, as well as seeing the complete program for connections and inspiration.



Video remarks:


Save the Date! GlobalMindED 2023 June 7-9 in Denver: Join College Delegations, First Gen/Diverse Students and Inclusive Leaders in Education, Business, Government and Foundations
Honoring the 2022 Inclusive Leader Award Winners. Please see their stories:

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