Founder

Dennis Kennedy has an unwavering passion for people and works to ensure that all individuals receive equal opportunities in the workplace regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, physical or mental handicaps, physique, gender identity, or sexual orientation. In 2004, Mr. Kennedy walked away from his job to start the Texas Diversity Council because he felt a very strong need to create an organization that would champion Diversity & Inclusion across the state.

Four years later, Mr. Kennedy found himself launching the National Diversity Council (NDC) for the same reasons he started the state council. Currently, the NDC is made up of 16 state and regional councils. His vision is to have state and regional diversity councils in all 50 states. Visit the National Diversity Council for more information.

Along with the state councils, he has launched several statewide conferences focused on diversity, leadership and women. Currently there are conferences taking place in 32 States. Visit the National Diversity Conference or the National Women's Conference for more information.

Furthermore, Mr. Kennedy launched two additional national organizations in 2011 including the National Women's Council which focuses on advocacy for women and the Council for Corporate Responsibility, which seeks to educate organizations on the best practices in social responsibility. In addition, he is the creator of the DiversityFIRST™ Newsletter, a proud product of DiversityFIRST™ Publishing which is distributed in the following 13 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Tri-State (NY, NJ & CT).

Prior to his entrepreneurship, Mr. Kennedy spent several years as a college professor in the business schools at University of Houston Downtown, Texas Southern University, and University of Texas at San Antonio, teaching Business Statistics, Economics, HR Management, Compensation Management, and Diversity Management. He also spent 5 years working in a corporate environment in the field of Human Resources.

A graduate from the University of Houston Main Campus (UofH), Mr. Kennedy earned undergraduate degrees in economics, business management, political science and physical education; he also earned a MBA from University of Houston Main Campus as well. In addition, he was also a scholarship athlete for football. Mr. Kennedy is currently working on his book titled, CreatingYourSignificance™, which is a unique self-marketing strategy that allows individuals to create a successful personal brand. The book is slated for publishing on April 20, 2020.