In her earliest days, Kellie Wagner, Founder and CEO at Collective — a DEI Lab, felt inclined to apply a structured set of academic processes to help companies create inclusive cultures. Over time, she realized the need to evolve. Today, her practice is immeasurably more nuanced. 

When she works with companies, she validates and provides context for individual narratives around sexism, racism, homophobia and all “isms” and phobias. But ultimately she aims to transcend narratives by helping people discover universal points of connection — the human need for respect, for instance, dignity and psychological and physical safety.