Inclusion Happens Before Day One: Creating a Better Employee Experience for LGBTQIA+ People
Inclusion Happens Before Day One:
Creating a Better Employee Experience for LGBTQIA+ People
Hosted by ATD Rochester Chapter
Wednesday, October 28th, 2026 | 6:00pm - 7:15pm ET | Zoom
About This Event
LGBTQIA+ candidates and employees begin forming impressions about a workplace long before their first day. Recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and everyday workplace interactions all communicate whether an organization’s commitment to inclusion is likely to be experienced in practice. This interactive session examines the employee experience through an LGBTQIA+ inclusion lens, with a focus on practical ways HR, Learning & Development, and organizational leaders can reduce unnecessary barriers, strengthen trust, and create more inclusive workplaces. Participants will be able to: • Identify common points of friction for LGBTQIA+ candidates and employees. • Examine recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding practices through an inclusion lens. • Recognize gaps between organizational values and employee experience. • Identify one practical action they can take to strengthen LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
LGBTQIA+ candidates and employees begin forming impressions about a workplace long before their first day. Recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and everyday workplace interactions all communicate whether an organization’s commitment to inclusion is likely to be experienced in practice.
This interactive session examines the employee experience through an LGBTQIA+ inclusion lens, with a focus on practical ways HR, Learning & Development, and organizational leaders can reduce unnecessary barriers, strengthen trust, and create more inclusive workplaces.
Participants will be able to:
• Identify common points of friction for LGBTQIA+ candidates and employees.
• Examine recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding practices through an inclusion lens.
• Recognize gaps between organizational values and employee experience.
• Identify one practical action they can take to strengthen LGBTQIA+ inclusion.
About Our Presenters
Rocco Vallerand | Founder, SAFETY Rocco Vallerand is the founder of Vallerand Inclusion Consulting and S.A.F.E.T.Y. (Support Alliance for Fairness and Equity for Transgender Youth). His work is centered on helping people and organizations create spaces where everyone feels respected, included, and able to participate fully. With a background in writing, counseling, advocacy, education, and public speaking, Rocco brings both lived experience and practical workplace insight to conversations about LGBTQIA+ inclusion, belonging, leadership, and culture. His approach is conversational, grounded, and focused on realistic changes people can actually use. Investment Members – Free as a Member Benefit Non Members – $20.00 Regional Webinar Series The ATD NYC Chapter is proud to participate in the ATD Mid-Atlantic Regional Webinar Series. This monthly webinar series is offered by the ATD Mid-Atlantic Chapters – Regional Programs Consortium which is comprised of the following twelve ATD chapters:
Rocco Vallerand | Founder, SAFETY
Rocco Vallerand is the founder of Vallerand Inclusion Consulting and S.A.F.E.T.Y. (Support Alliance for Fairness and Equity for Transgender Youth). His work is centered on helping people and organizations create spaces where everyone feels respected, included, and able to participate fully. With a background in writing, counseling, advocacy, education, and public speaking, Rocco brings both lived experience and practical workplace insight to conversations about LGBTQIA+ inclusion, belonging, leadership, and culture. His approach is conversational, grounded, and focused on realistic changes people can actually use.
Investment
The ATD NYC Chapter is proud to participate in the ATD Mid-Atlantic Regional Webinar Series. This monthly webinar series is offered by the ATD Mid-Atlantic Chapters – Regional Programs Consortium which is comprised of the following twelve ATD chapters:
Cooperatively, these chapters bring together the very best speakers from around all our networks to provide world-class presenters and content! We look forward to sharing these webinars with you for the rest of 2026!
ATD Recertification Credits ATD Mid-Atlantic Regional Webinar Programs are pre-approved through the ATD Greater Philadelphia Chapter by the ATD Certification Institute for continuing education credits. These credits are based on the ATD Capability Model may be applied towards recertification by Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credential holders. This webinar is eligible for credits in: Building Personal Capability - Cultural Awareness & Inclusion Impacting Organizational Capability- Talent Strategy & Management Add Meeting to Calendar
ATD Recertification Credits
ATD Mid-Atlantic Regional Webinar Programs are pre-approved through the ATD Greater Philadelphia Chapter by the ATD Certification Institute for continuing education credits. These credits are based on the ATD Capability Model may be applied towards recertification by Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credential holders.
This webinar is eligible for credits in:
Add Meeting to Calendar
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Accessing the Webinar A Zoom Registration link will be sent with your Registration Confirmation and Reminder emails. This is best completed within an hour of starting the webinar and will lead directly into the meeting. Completing registration more than an hour before the webinar will not lead directly into the meeting, instead resulting in another confirmation email from Zoom with a direct link to the meeting to be used later (at the time of the webinar). Recording By activating your webcam while attending this online event, you consent to be recorded. Your entry and webcam activation constitutes your consent to such recording for any purpose in connection with the event. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not activate your web camera during the event. Event Contact
Accessing the Webinar
A Zoom Registration link will be sent with your Registration Confirmation and Reminder emails. This is best completed within an hour of starting the webinar and will lead directly into the meeting. Completing registration more than an hour before the webinar will not lead directly into the meeting, instead resulting in another confirmation email from Zoom with a direct link to the meeting to be used later (at the time of the webinar).
Recording
By activating your webcam while attending this online event, you consent to be recorded. Your entry and webcam activation constitutes your consent to such recording for any purpose in connection with the event. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not activate your web camera during the event.
Event Contact
For any questions about this event, please e-mail dj.husted@atdnyc.org
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