Staff

J. Goosby Smith, Ph.D.
President and Principal

Informed by 12 years of teaching, research, and consulting experience, Dr. Smith brings to each project a deeply rooted commitment to improving organizational performance by facilitating the creation of organizations with inclusive, generative, diversity-friendly climates. Dr. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Management at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, where she serves as inaugural Co-Chair of the University’s Diversity Council and guides assessment on the Seaver College Diversity Council. In August of 2006, Dr. Smith relocated to Indianapolis where she is a faculty member at the College of Business Administration at Butler University.

As a past Director of Research for D.L. Plummer & Associates from 1997 to 2001, Dr. Smith was both familiar with and committed to the firm, its values, and its clients when she became its second President in January of 2006.

As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Smith’s intellectual contributions are in the area of managing diversity. She has published, presented, chaired sessions, and served as a panelist in the areas of management education and diversity in higher education at conferences sponsored by the Academy of Management, the American Psychological Association, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologists, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Smith received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and her M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Deborah L. Plummer, Ph.D.
Founder

Dr. Deborah Plummer is currently the Director of Diversity at Cleveland Clinic Health System. Dr. Plummer began the corporation in 1988 as the consulting arm of Psychological Health Care, Inc.

As a researcher and author, Deborah has published numerous articles and written several book chapters on managing diversity. She has edited a professional text on the field of diversity management and written a non-fiction book on communicating across racial lines. Deborah is a noted speaker of numerous formal paper presentations and invited presentations to the professional community and a regular guest psychologist for News Channel 5.

Bill Appleton, MA, CDP.

Currently a training specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, Bill has been an educator for the last six years and has served as the Associate Director of the Missionary Cenacle Volunteer program. Mr. Appleton earned a B.S. in Environmental Policy, Institutions and Behavior from Rutgers University. He holds a M.A. in Psychology, Diversity Professional Specialization from Cleveland State University. Mr. Appleton is a Certified Diversity Professional, a certified teacher and a Master catechist. Bill is also the former Manager of Non-Profit, Faith Based, and Educational Initiatives at D.L. Plummer & Associates.

The Associates

Our Associates represent some of the best consultants in the diversity field. They are involved in all facets of diversity work and several have international consulting experience. All associates hold advanced degrees, have specific training or coursework in diversity management and possess senior level consulting skills.

C. Greer Jordan, MBA.

Greer is completing her doctoral studies at Case Western Reserve University's Department of Organizational Behavior. She has 19 years of engineering and management experience in the automotive industry. She holds a M.B.A. from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Greer is also former Vice President and Partner at D.L. Plummer & Associates.



 

Steve Slane, Ph.D.

Dr. Slane is the Director of the Clinical/Counseling Program at Cleveland State University and a faculty member of the Diversity Management Program. Dr. Slane has written and published extensively in the areas of stress and coping and impression formation. He is a former partner in Northcoast Behavioral Research Group, is a Senior Analyst for Tactical Decisions Groups, and is currently a partner in the Center for Effective Education. He has consulted for a variety of national and local firms including Smuckers, TRW, GenCorp, Wyse Advertising, Land of Lakes and KeyCorp. A former chair of the Department of Psychology at Cleveland State University, Dr. Slane holds a Master's degree in Experimental Psychology from Idaho State University and a Ph.D. in Social-Personality Psychology from the University of Nebraska -Lincoln. He is editor of the Journal of Psychology Practice and is active in state and national organizations directing graduate training in Psychology.

Melodie S. Yates, Ph.D.

Dr. Yates is the Director of Diversity Training and Research at Cleveland State University and former Director of Affirmative Action. Her professional interests include diversity training, prevention of sexual harassment, and issues of equity and social justice. Her research focuses on organizational and environmental climate. She has over twenty years experience consulting in the diversity field, particularly with non-profit, community-based organizations and educational institutions. Dr. Yates received a B.A. in History and M.Ed. in College Student Personnel from Colorado State University. Her Ph.D. is from the University of Iowa in Post Secondary Education and Student Development.

James A. Dailey, M.B.A.

Mr. Dailey has over 30 years of Human Resource Management experience in major corporations. He has held management positions in most of the HR disciplines, including Recruitment & Selection, Benefits Administration, Training & Development, Diversity/Affirmative Action, Compensation/Incentive Compensation, Employee Relations, Labor Relations/Negotiations, Discipline & Discharge, Safety Program Management, Reduction-In-Workforce Planning and Implementation. The bulk of this experience was gained at FirstEnergy Corporation (electrical utility holding company) and The Sherwin-Williams Company. Previously, he served as a Credit Analyst, Accounts Receivable Manager, Field Credit Supervisor for an 11-state sales region, college Mathematics Instructor and organizational development and diversity consultant. He earned both his B.A. in Mathematics from Case Western Reserve University and his M.B.A. in Finance from Benedictine University ( Illinois ).

Velvet Landingham, Ph.D.

Dr. Landingham is an Assistant Professor of Management and Information Systems at Kent State University – Geauga. Her primary areas of research and consulting are organizational development, virtual team effectiveness, team dynamics, and impression management. Dr. Landingham has over a decade of organizational development and distance learning consulting experience with a variety of organizations in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Before earning her Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University ’s ( Cleveland ) Weatherhead School of Management in 2004, she earned her B.A. in Public Relations from Syracuse University and her M.P.A. from Carnegie-Mellon University . Prior to entering academe, Dr. Landingham designed, managed, and implemented technology-based global training and information technology (IT) initiatives for major corporations.

Pat O. Davis