PEOPLE3 Events

🎥 Watch the Interview ⟶

During the conversation, Dr. Warner shares her journey from higher education to founding people3, and how her passion for inclusive workplace practices shaped her approach to organizational consulting. Drawing on years of experience working across corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors, she discusses how people3 customizes its culture and inclusion strategies to meet the unique needs of clients around the world.

The interview explores timely topics, including managing multi-generational workplaces and fostering belonging in various types of work environments. Dr. Warner offers insights on aligning inclusion and organizational culture efforts with company values and creating purpose-driven strategies to engage teams. The discussion underscores how organizations that invest in people-centered cultures are better positioned to excel in today’s evolving work landscape.

In a time of mounting legal pressures, polarized narratives, and shifting public expectations, many organizations are asking: How can we move forward with our organizational culture efforts without compromising our approach and lean into our people-centered values as an organization?

Dr. Candace Warner, Founder and CEO of people3, joined a powerhouse panel of leaders for the 2025 AWIN Summit to tackle this question head-on in the session titled “Culture and Belonging: Meeting the Moment.” Alongside Corliss Garner (Old National Bank), Mekesha Montgomery (Frost Brown Todd), and moderator Nikki Gibson (Dell), the panel explored the future of workplace inclusion amidst growing external pressures. A special thank you to AWIN Executive Director, Eve Hutcherson, for her leadership in bringing together this timely and necessary conversation.

Topics included:

• Misunderstandings about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) amid public and legal scrutiny
• How organizations are adapting communication and culture strategies
• Evolution of language around diversity, equity, inclusion
  Evolving role of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
• Future-proofing DEI and belonging initiatives

“As long as your organization has people, there will always be a need for this work–no matter what you call it. What matters is the work to be the best for your organization’s people.“

Following her presentation, Dr. Warner participated in a DEI Professional Panel alongside Dr. Linda Bing, Founder/CEO of Turning Point Leadership Group, and Maria Marukian, President of MSM Global Consulting. Moderated by Dr. Alexandria White, Senior VP of Reboot Accel, the panel discussed effective approaches to navigating complex conversations around identity, empathy, and the nuanced challenges of generational diversity and bias in the workplace.

People3 was honored to contribute to this important conversation, advancing the mission of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations.

Through the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS), Dr. Warner was a professor for the South Africa program in 2016 and led the India Study Abroad program from 2016 to 2020.

“Going to South Africa with TnCIS was a dream come true for me. I read Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane when I was 10 years old, and it changed my life and sparked my early interest and passion in focusing my work on racial, gender, and economic inequality. That early passion for people led me to pursue sociology and be an advocate for under-represented populations across the world.

The Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS) provided me with amazing opportunities in South Africa and India. Teaching students sociology in South Africa and visiting a country that had such an impact on my childhood and, ultimately, my career path truly impacted my life. Leading the India program for TNCIS was one of the most rewarding experiences in my career and changed the course of my work and business goals to focus more on cultural intelligence and diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

🎥 Watch the Interview ⟶

Broadcast on NewsChannel 5, the episode delved into the power of inclusive leadership in shaping today’s workplaces. Drawing from her experience working with people3 clients, Dr. Warner shared tips for aligning inclusion efforts with company values, designing equitable policies early, and empowering internal “champions” to support change. The discussion highlighted how new businesses can build inclusion and equity into their hiring and sourcing strategies, and how to move forward even if you’re unsure where to start. Dr. Warner emphasized that inclusion is not a box to check—but a continuous organizational culture practice that should evolve with the organization’s goals and people.

🎧 Listen to the Interview ⟶

Dr. Warner shared her personal story growing up in rural Mississippi and how it shaped her passion for economic, racial, and gender equality. Grounded in her background and experience as a sociologist and educator, she went on to launch people3, a Nashville-based consulting firm that focuses on organizational culture in the workplace.

Throughout the hour-long conversation, she and Kraus explored the connection between leadership and inclusion, the need for cultural humility in today’s global workforce, and how generational and identity-based differences shape employee experience. Emphasizing people3’s mission—“include all people, create the culture, produce results”—Dr. Warner made the case for centering the employee experience, building trust, and designing culture strategies that align with both business goals and human needs.

In a session entitled Implementing an Effective DEI Strategy in Organizations, Dr. Warner discussed best practices and effective approaches for implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies within energy, utilities, technology, and engineering organizations. Dr. Warner delivered the session on February 8, 2022 at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Convention Center to over 200 attendees.

This session highlighted people3, Inc.‘s experience with creating solutions that work for STEM industry clients and tackling big questions on innovation, renewable energy, and creating a workforce that effectively meets the demands of a rapidly transforming industry.

Dr. Warner also discussed the importance of leadership alignment in organizational DEI strategies and a framework for sourcing and retaining diverse talent in technology and engineering fields.

Hosted by the Greater Nashville Technology Council, Candace Warner, CEO of people3, along with, Nate Vaughn of Red Hat, Sandi Hoff of Nashville Technology Council, and Ashford Hughes, Sr. of Metropolitan Nashville Government had a great discussion with library directors from across the United States to discuss Nashville’s growth and the importance of continuing the innovative inclusion efforts already underway in government, industry, and the arts. Nashville is not just a hot spot, but a welcoming and inclusive one.

Dr. Candace Warner, Professor of Sociology and Founder/CEO of people3, Inc. moderated the discussion with panelists: Sandi Hoff, Vice President of Education at the Nashville Technology Council, Kimberly Tate of Asurion, Carnell Elliott of Dell Nashville, and Auralia Baggett, Research Analyst for Soluto Lab at Asurion.

Panelists included Kimberly Tate, CPRW of Asurion, Robert Lawrence Wilson of Culture Shift Team, Yanika Smith-Bartley of Asurion, and Hasina Mohyuddin of Vanderbilt University, and moderator Candace Warner of people3, Inc.