2015 Out & Equal Workplace Summit

This workshop will present the challenges of managing an LGBT program at many levels, with a focus on the rural agriculture and government sectors. When the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the LGBT special emphasis program (SEP) in 2010, there was little existing guidance to direct the LGBT program. This led to a variety of LGBT SEP models across the 17 agencies in USDA. As USDA navigates a cultural transformation into “One Team, One Purpose”, there is a unique opportunity for the agencies to work through rebranding together, especially for the LGBT SEP. We will explain how SEPs differ from ERGs, discuss how SEPs are staffed across the department, and share tools of program management, including business plans, training materials and the #RuralPride initiative.

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