Episode 9:
Rosemarie Merrigan has 35+ years of experience working in non-profits and government sectors. Rosemarie has two distinct areas of expertise and experience in her career. One area is direct practice in various therapy and mediation settings. The second is on a macro level, providing diversity and inclusion as well as organizational development consultation, supervision, leadership development, administration, and training. She has been responsible for the development, implementation, and sustainability of a state agency’s Diversity and Inclusion Unified Strategic Work Plan. Rosemarie is also an adjunct at Augsburg University in the Masters of Social Work Multicultural Marco Practice Program. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work.
What you’ll learn about in this episode:
- How Rosemarie got involved in the field of diversity and inclusion work gradually over the course of her career
- Why the book Ethnicity and Family Therapy, edited by Monica McGoldrick, is a valuable resource for understanding ethnic backgrounds
- Why cultural competence work is worthwhile to Rosemarie, and why diversity work is critical at the Minnesota Department of Transportation
- How Rosemarie defines organizational development, and how change is a core component of organizational development
- Why change must be a structural part of an organization to ensure that it takes effect and becomes integrated into the culture
- Why individual development is an important component of change, just as organizational development is
- Why Rosemarie believes self-awareness and humility are important components of her work in diversity and inclusion
- How cultural competency, diversity, and inclusion are important both in the public sector and in private for-profit organizations
- What qualities a leader should have to fully support diversity and inclusion work, and why it matters that leaders are supportive of the work
- Why developing cultural competency can help the organization itself by improving morale and productivity
Additional resources:
- Ethnicity and Family Therapy edited by Monica McGoldrick: https://amzn.to/2Isst0b
- Website: www.dot.state.mn.us/equity-diversity/index.html