Meet One of the Speakers for the 2023 IIBEC International Convention and Trade Show: Ellen Thorp!

Listen to Ellen speak at the 2023 IIBEC Convention on Monday, March 6 at 3:00 p.m.

Leading up to the convention, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) will be featuring speakers so that you can get to know them ahead of time. Don’t miss their presentations! Register today to take advantage of extended early-bird rates! One of the speakers at the show will be Ellen Thorp from National Women in Roofing (NWIR) in Denver, Colorado. Ellen will be speaking on Monday, March 6 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Her seminar will be: The Business Case for Challenging the Status Quo and Improving Employee Culture.

To get to know Ellen, we asked her a few questions about her upcoming session and her experience in the industry:

Question: Why should people attend? 

Answer: It’s not 1985 anymore where employees should just be expected to be grateful to have a job. Progressive business leaders understand that embracing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) principles in the workplace is good for all employees and will improve employee culture.

Q: What can attendees look forward to learning from you/in your session? 

A: Research and evidence-based information on DEI. While we do have some anecdotes and case studies, the bulk of the presentation is based on grounded research in management best practices and the role that DEI plays.

Q: What is your favorite convention memory? 

A: Seeing the increase of women in leadership roles at architectural engineering and construction firms and also in volunteer leadership positions at IIBEC over the years.

Q: What are you most looking forward to at this year’s convention? 

A: Flying back and forth between IIBEC, National Women in Roofing Day and the International Roofing Expo!

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from history, who would it be? 

A: John Boling, Bob Card, Janial Mack. All are great conversationalists, which is sadly becoming a sort of lost art.

Q: What are you currently reading or watching?
A: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry. South to America won the 2022 National Book Award for nonfiction and I’m originally from Alabama, so I’m excited to be reading it.

Learn more about IIBEC in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit iibec.org.