Eric Yordy
Professor of Business Law and Ethics
Northern Arizona University

April 16, 2025
6:00 p.m.(ET)

The Impacts of Religion in the Workplace. From business owners who stick to their religious principles and refuse service to potential customers to employees who want to wear religious symbols on work uniforms, religion has the potential to create conflict and contention in the workplace. And what might have once been an internal conflict to resolve, in today’s economy, when religion creates conflict in the workplace, it often leads to publicity and public outcry from one or both political extremes. This discussion will look at some of the issues recent businesses have faced and some of the outcomes of the conflicts.

Professor Eric Yordy is a full professor at The W. A. Franke College of Business, teaching Introduction to Business Law, Advanced Business Law, Business Ethics, and Accounting Ethics. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Wyoming, his Juris Doctorate from Cornell Law School, and his Master of Education in Counseling and Higher Education Administration from Northern Arizona University. He has served as Associate Dean of the business college, Interim Executive Director of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, and Chair of the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance. He was the founding Director of the NAU Institute for Public and Professional Ethics in Leadership, an interdisciplinary initiative on campus to increase work in ethics both on campus and in the community.

John Mandyck
CEO
Urban Green Council, NYC

March 27, 2025
6:00 p.m.(ET)

With the U.S. again out of the Paris Climate treaty and political winds favoring fossil fuels, it’s easy to wonder if sustainability is dead. To the contrary, in this lecture John Mandyck will detail how sustainability will live and grow as cities and states fill the void, China steps in to lead demand, and climate risk drives markets. John will also discuss how investors and corporations are navigating new political realities.

John Mandyck is the CEO for Urban Green Council, a nonprofit organization based in New York City dedicated to decarbonizing buildings for healthy and resilient communities. Since 2018, John helped triple the organization’s reach with research, public policy development and education, shaping some of the world’s foremost climate laws for real estate and buildings. His role provides insight to the impacts of urbanization, climate disruption, energy grid transition, environmental policy and fast-moving changes to the built environment.

Previously, John retired as the global Chief Sustainability Officer for United Technologies Corporation after a 25-year career with the Fortune 45 company. He’s an adjunct professor for sustainability at the University of Connecticut School of Business and served as a visiting scientist at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He’s the co-author of the book Food Foolish, which explores the hidden connection between food waste, hunger and climate change. He has published articles on sustainability trends in Harvard Business Review and other outlets.

Past Event

Tanya Valdez
Associate Professor of Law
George Washington Law School

March 11, 2025
6:00 p.m.(ET)

With each new President comes a new immigration policy. This presentation will examine myths and truths about immigration policy, explore current events relating to immigration, and identify the consequences of immigration policy on individuals inside and outside the United States. This talk will also address the impacts of immigrants on the American economy and current events related to immigration policy at the time of the presentation.

Past Event

Sameer Somal
CEO of Girl Power Talk and Blue Ocean Global Technology

November 19, 2024
12:00 p.m.(ET)

With the rise of the billion dollar SHEconomy, women are more influential than ever in business, politics, and society. When women have greater leadership roles, companies are more profitable and corporate boards outperform more effectively. The pathway for leadership for women begins when girls are educated, valued, and empowered to lead. Join us for a conversation with Sameer Somal, Co-Founder of Girl Power Talk and Girl Power USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping young women to become leaders in business and society. We will learn how these organizations inspire young women to strive to be their very best in their personal and professional lives, and show how passionate engagement with girls today empowers women to feel valued and build a career full of purpose tomorrow.

Sameer Somal is the CEO of and Co-Founder of Blue Ocean Global Technology and Co-Founder of Girl Power Talk USA. Sameer leads client engagements focused on digital transformation, risk management, and technology development. He proudly serves on the Board of Directors of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Girl Power USA. Committed to building relationships, Sameer is an active member of the Abraham Lincoln Association (ALA), Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB), American Bar Association (ABA), and other organizations. A graduate of Georgetown University, he held leadership roles at Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Scotiabank. Sameer is also a CFA Institute recipient and was named an Iconic Leader by the Women Economic Forum.

Past Event

Lauren Cleary
Ethics and Compliance Professional at Patagonia

October 21, 2024
6:00p.m. ET

The right to privacy stands as a fundamental pillar in the pursuit of a just and equitable society. In this session, we’ll examine the importance of building ethics and compliance programs in business with an emphasis on how these priorities can ensure we act responsibly, protecting and respecting the relationships developed with our communities. We’ll explore the intersection of ethics and compliance and consider how businesses can leverage thoughtful privacy practices to build trust and promote ethical business practices throughout industries.

Lauren Cleary is an Ethics & Compliance professional at Patagonia. Lauren earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at Arizona State University and earned her Master’s degree in the study of Law from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, with graduate certificates in Compliance and Financial Compliance. With a passion for politics and social justice, Lauren interned for the United States House of Representatives and the United Nations Association, San Diego throughout her education. Lauren established her compliance career as a generalist in the financial industry and currently specializes in privacy at Patagonia.

Past Event