Episode 13: Inclusion
28 April 2021
Stephanie Gilliard
VP, Legal Affairs/General Counsel
Colonial Downs Group, LLC
EPISODE NOTES:
In this episode, we’re discussing inclusive leadership: what it means, why it matters, and how it accelerates productivity, equity, and innovation at work. Our guest is General Counsel and DEI executive Stephanie Gilliard. She explains the behaviors and attributes of inclusive leaders, the perils of code-switching, the influence of implicit bias, why inauthenticity defeats progression, and how conflict and dissent can be a catalyst for holistic decision making.
Stephanie J. Gilliard, Esq. is Vice President, Legal Affairs/General Counsel – Virginia for Colonial Downs Group, LLC. Colonial Downs Group, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, operates a thoroughbred racetrack in New Kent, Virginia as well as several gaming/satellite wagering facilities throughout the Commonwealth.
Stephanie is responsible for the direction and oversight of Colonial Downs’ legal department, compliance program, regulatory matters, corporate social responsibility program, legal transactions and litigation, employment issues, intellectual property portfolio, diversity, equity and Inclusion initiatives, and all legal matters in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
She has practiced law for 20+ years in several jurisdictions and has primarily worked in the healthcare/life sciences space before starting her position with Colonial Downs in 2018. Stephanie possesses diverse legal and business experience leading high-performing teams of attorneys, contract administrators, and outside counsel to achieve company goals and manage risk. Stephanie prides herself on being a “solutions-driven global leader and strategic partner” with corporate executives and senior business partners to advance business objectives by providing high-quality and timely legal advice, and negotiating material contracts.
She began her legal career in New York City as a prosecutor in the Special Victims Bureau and then as an Associate at a boutique labor and education law firm. Stephanie transitioned in-house to the New York City Mayor’s Office of Contracts and Procurement, where she began her focus on transactions. Stephanie is well versed in corporate law, having taught college-level courses in Business Law, Human Resources Law, and Labor Relations Law at a private institution in Brooklyn, New York.
She is a corporate governance expert with substantial experience as Corporate Secretary for a large healthcare system and other non-profit Boards of Directors.
Stephanie earned her law degree from Albany Law School of Union University and an English undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Albany. She is barred in New York State and the Commonwealth of Virginia (Corporate Counsel).
Website: Colonial Downs
LinkedIn: Stephanie Gilliard
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