Diane Gottlieb
Speaker Writer Advocate
I speak to HR and hiring leaders, managers and professionals to shift consciousness about those re-entering society after incarceration to transform organizational practices and policies that hurt companies, those with criminal records, and overall economic growth
About Diane
Diane Gottlieb is passionate about supporting the formerly incarcerated to successfully transition back into society, obtain meaningful, lasting employment and contribute to their companies. With a rich background in social work, education, and as the owner of a tutoring business, Diane is masterful at connecting with diverse groups of people and helping them see their value and worthiness. A lifelong learner, she holds masters degrees in creative writing, English secondary education and social work. Diane’s writing has appeared in numerous publications including Hippocampus Magazine, Brevity, and Entropy.
Signature Presentation
The Previously Incarcerated:
A Forgotten but Valuable Talent Pool
2.3 million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, and 95% of people incarcerated in state prisons will one day get out. To stay out and not reoffend, they need to return to some form of employment because joblessness is the single best predictor of recidivism that we have. According to the ACLU, close to 700,000 people are released from prison every year and “approximately 75% of formerly incarcerated individuals will remain unemployed a year after release.”
In this transformational and heart-shifting presentation, Diane Gottlieb shares powerful stories of people who have served their time and through work have turned their lives around and made positive workplace contributions. She presents research supporting the benefits to companies in terms of retention and employee loyalty when they hire formerly incarcerated individuals. By doing so, she shows them how to move beyond their fears and assumptions, illuminates the value these potential workers can bring to their workplaces, and challenges them to rethink their policies regarding hiring and training formerly incarcerated people.
By the end of this presentation, audience members will:
- Identify how policies and practices that prevent the hiring of the formerly incarcerated hurt those with criminal backgrounds and stifle organizational and societal economic growth
- Explore how their own backgrounds inform their biases and hiring decisions
- Discover how other companies have successfully incorporated formerly incarcerated individuals into their workforces and how they can too
Get in Touch
Interested in booking Diane for a keynote, business presentation or interview?