Latasha Harling
Latasha, a seasoned diversity and human resource professional, currently holds the position of Chief People Officer & Diversity Officer at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. With over 15 years of experience in various industries such as hospitality, education, and healthcare, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role.
Outside of her work at the museum, Latasha is dedicated to assisting organizations in enhancing their community impact, workforce planning, and diversity initiatives. She volunteers her time at The Free Library of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Prison System, and various shelters and transitional housing programs in the city, providing job readiness training to individuals re-entering the workforce. She has a particular focus on supporting women and minorities, especially those with disabilities, in their professional endeavors, and actively contributes to equity initiatives in Philadelphia and its surrounding areas.
In addition to her commitments at the museum and volunteer work, Latasha serves as a Trustee and Diversity Committee Chair at The Academy of Natural Science of Drexel University. She also plays a role in the governance and executive committees of The Education Law Center, where she helps develop strategies to increase diversity in board leadership positions.
Dr. Erica Patterson, D.M.
Dr. Erica Patterson, DM, is the Director of Contracts Management & Supplier Diversity in the Supply Chain Department at Philadelphia Gas Works. She has over 15 years of professional experience in various disciplines of business across both private and public sectors; including Business Management, Business Administration, and Human Resources.
Erica is a Spark Member of the Forum of Executive Women in Leadership and involved with several boards of non-profit organizations with a focus on children, adolescents, families, supply chain, supplier diversity, and academia. She is a life-time member of University of Phoenix’s Lambda Sigma Chapter of Delta Mu Delta International Honors Society, and holds several degrees, including: a Doctor of Management (DM) in Management and Organizational Leadership, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Erica has worked for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), Arkema Chemical Manufacturing Company, and Sunoco, Inc.
She is currently attending the University of Pennsylvania Penn Carey Law School, pursuing her Master in Law, and enjoys spending quality time with her son.
The Rev. Thomas Szczerba
The Reverend Thomas J. Szczerba, Jr. has served as Associate Rector at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Radnor since August 2022. Thomas is an integral part of the parish, leading the fellowship, outreach, and newcomer ministries.
Thomas serves as the co-leader of a group in the Diocese, The Center for Courageous Women of Faith, which works to preserve the history of the Philadelphia Eleven and Bishop Barbara Harris. He has extensive experience in youth ministry in the Diocese of New Jersey, where he served prior to attending General Theological Seminary in New York City. He has served as Alternate Deputy in the Diocese of NJ for General Convention in 2015 & 2018, and held internships at The General Convention Office, Trinity Church Wall Street, and Grace Church Manhattan. Thomas is married to Marissa, who is a fourth-grade schoolteacher, and they just welcomed their first child Zion Michael Szczerba, this April.
Janette Tarafa
Janette Tarafa, GPHR, SHRM-SCP is the Founder & CEO of Inspire Growth. She has over 10 years of experience in the human resources field, focusing on driving business transformation through effective strategies.
At her company, Janette provides strategic HR consulting and solutions, as well as hosts workshops, and project management, among many other services. In the past, she has worked for ELEVA Solutions, Inspire HR International, BioNews Services, as the HR Director for the Town of Smyrna, DE, and PPR Capital Management. Janette holds several degrees and certifications, including a Global Professional in Human Resources Certification (GPHR), SHRM Certified Senior Professional Certificate (SHRM-SCP), and Professional in Human Resources Certification (PHR).
She is multi-lingual, speaking Italian, Spanish, Haitian Creole, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese.
Chris Trotz, M.D.
Christopher Trotz, MD, CPE is the Vice President of Physician Services at St. Joseph’s Health. He started his career South Jersey Family Medicine Associates and has a wealth of experience in the healthcare industry.
He has worked for Inspira Health Network as the Executive Medical Director, where he led strategic recruitment initiatives, redesigned the compensation model, and acquired multi-specialty practices to meet business development goals. Dr. Trotz also played a key role in implementing High Reliability Organization practices for patient safety and was involved in a clinical transformation initiative to transition the health network to value-based healthcare contracting.
Christopher also holds additional certifications such as being a FAA Licensed Commercial Drone Pilot, a Certified Physician Executive from the American Association for Physician Leadership, a Diplomate of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine.