In Action...
The greatest moments are working with our clients and building partnerships to make a difference.
Rhonda Talford Knight, PhD
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
CEO & Founder
Dr. Knight has almost 20 years of experience developing and implementing DEI strategies. As CEO, she drives strategy to support the business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and create a foundation of sustainable practices. She is passionate about creating cultural understanding, awareness, and sensitivity in order to help individuals be advocates for themselves and others. Dr. Knight is held in high regard for creating open spaces of inclusion through meaningful dialogue by ensuring all voices are heard, respected, and valued. While this type of work is not considered easy, she comes highly recommended by her clients in the work she has done with and for their communities.
Recognized nationally and internationally for her work, Rhonda received the 2019 Pacesetter Award from her undergraduate alma mater, Otterbein University and was named 2018 Women Worth Watching @Profiles in Diversity Journal and in 2014 received the Multicultural Institute/Agency Award from the National Association of Multicultural Education. She is an invited guest speaker and requested expert panelist in DEI strategy, coaching and mentoring, and leadership development.
Rhonda is committed to supporting women and girls, and volunteers with: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Alpha Sigma Omega Chapter of Columbus, Ohio, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, Columbus School for Girls, Dress for Success, WELD, and The Women’s Fund. She is a founding member of the Matriots, an Ohio independent political action committee, former board member for: ROX™ (Ruling Our Experiences), the national leader on research, education and programming for girls; The Childhood League Center, committed to serving children under the age of 6 with developmental delays; and serves on the executive board as the treasurer for WSBA, supporting women small business owners throughout Central Ohio.
She is a two-time graduate from The Ohio State University with a doctoral degree in Social Studies and Global Education with a focus in Cultural Competency and Technology. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Otterbein University, where she continues to find ways to support the campus community.
Danielle Willis
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
DEI Consultant and Executive Coach
Danielle Willis is the former Senior Vice President of Employee Engagement & Chief Diversity Officer of National Church Residences. As the first to lead the office of employee engagement, she provides valuable expertise and support to ensure that the diversity and inclusion strategy she developed is embraced at every level in the organization. This challenging, but rewarding, work is driven by her vision of an inclusive environment where all staff and residents feel welcomed, supported and valued. She embraces and promotes servant leadership and collaboration to achieve an employee experience based on purpose and integrity, never shying away from making foundational changes when necessary.
In previous roles at National Church Residences, Danielle served as Vice President and then Senior Vice President of Human Resources. She joined the company as the only minority executive, and quickly set about changing that dynamic to better represent the diverse communities National Church Residences serves. A more diverse leadership, including persons of color and female vice presidents, exists because of intentional recruiting and internal growth. She also recognized that the company needed to make compensation changes to better live up to its goal to solve societal problems. She introduced and championed the Aspirational Living Wage Initiative to support the financial health and well-being of employees with significant pay increases and base retirement contributions. National Church Residences has since earned Best Places to Work recognition and continues to strengthen its focus on employee and resident inclusivity.
Prior to joining National Church Residences, Danielle progressed from manager and director level roles at Red Roof Inn and spent her final years with the company as Vice President of Human Resources. Her commitment to employees and cultural leadership had lasting impact and earned her recognition as Corporate Employee of the Year. She supported staff and worked with leadership to drive a successful divestiture and acquisition and she oversaw the transition of the corporate office to Columbus, Ohio. She advocated for innovative solutions, including the assistant general manager staffing strategy and company-wide floating general manager position to address a costly recruiting and property management challenge.
Danielle’s lived experiences as the “only” throughout her education and career continue to shape her personal and professional goals as she understands the struggles that come with being under-represented. She strives to create and strengthen environments where everybody is welcomed and all voices are heard and valued. Organizational integrity is a principle she stands by, committing her skills and knowledge to help her colleagues and companies meet the high standards they set for themselves.
Her values in the workplace extend from genuine dedication to family, faith and community in her personal life. She serves on the boards of the Ohio State University Total Health and Wellness Clinic and Leading Age Ohio. She is also an executive board member of the Eastern Union Missionary Baptist Association and a youth director. She champions for quality of life for all at every stage in life, a passion fueled by her experience with adoption and caring for her mother with dementia.
Tierney J. Bates, PhD
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
Consultant
Jeannette Henson, MEd
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
Consultant
Grace A. McDaniel, PhD
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
Consultant
Adrian L. Sullivan
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
Consultant & EEO Specialist
Tawanna Williams, MEd
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
Consultant & DEI Curriculum Specialist
Edward E. Wachtel
The Knight Consulting Group, LLC
Consultant
Taylor Brown
The Knight Consulting Group,LLC
DEI Consultant