"From Mistrust to Momentum: Turning Employee Voice into Culture Change During Turbulent Times"

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Organizational turbulence such as leadership transitions, restructuring, low morale, or historical inequities can leave employees feeling unheard and disconnected. In these moments, rebuilding trust requires more than messaging. It requires structure, transparency, and a clear path from employee voice to visible action.

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In this case based session, Eric Glenn, Director of Organizational Development at Virginia Tech University Libraries, and Sertrice Shipley, CEO and Founder of Plan to Action, share how they partnered to address deep mistrust within the Libraries. Through a mixed methods employee experience survey, qualitative listening sessions, and facilitated community circles, they surfaced patterns of pain, possibility, and hope and translated that insight into a layered culture strategy.

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Participants will explore how to turn feedback into momentum through early interventions, mid range structural improvements such as supervisor development, and long term culture infrastructure including shared governance redesign. The session also highlights the importance of selecting the right external consultant, grounded in trauma informed and evidence based practice, to rebuild credibility and avoid unintended harm during vulnerable moments.

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Attendees will leave with a practical framework for repairing trust, reconnecting employees, and building sustainable culture change in low trust environments.

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Participants will leave ready to:

1. Translate employee voice into action using a structured data-to-decision framework.

2. Select and partner with external consultants in ways that strengthen credibility and trust.

3. Design layered culture strategies that balance quick wins, leadership development, and long-term infrastructure.

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Speaker Bios:

Eric Glenn, CPD is the Director of Organizational Development for the University Libraries at Virginia Tech, a Visiting Program Officer for the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), and the past President of the Virginia Tech Black Caucus. He leads key initiatives including the libraries’ residency program, supervisor development, employee engagement, and overall organizational effectiveness. Eric earned a B.S. in Neuroscience on an athletic scholarship at King University.

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His career journey spans sales, research, and librarianship, reflecting his belief in the non-linear nature of success. Eric holds multiple certifications and has completed training through Cornell, Virginia Tech, the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice, and the Institute for Diversity Certification, all focused on cultivating inclusive, psychologically safe, and welcoming work environments.

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At Virginia Tech, Eric plays a central role in guiding organizational change and stewarding long-range strategic planning efforts, helping leaders and teams navigate evolving workplace needs with clarity and intention. His work blends strategy with empathy—supporting leadership development, strengthening communication, and building the capacities required for sustainable, human-centered leadership across the organization.

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He is currently pursuing a master's in Leadership and Human Resources with a concentration in Workforce Development at Louisiana State University. Eric remains deeply committed to fostering well-being and a strong sense of belonging across the Virginia Tech community and beyond.

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Sertrice Shipley is the CEO & Founder of Plan to Action, a culture and inclusion consulting firm and the co-author of Inclusalytics: How Diversity Equity and Inclusion Leaders Use Data to Drive Their Work. She earned her M.S. in industrial Organizational Psychology from Radford University.

Prior to leading Plan To Action, she made significant contributions as Co-Owner & Chief Consulting Officer of Mattingly Solutions. Her dynamic consulting has benefited clients like the National Association of Women Business Owners, Koppers, and American Humane, delivering comprehensive culture solutions ranging from strategic planning to employee listening assessment to learning and development.

A respected inclusion and culture thought leader and public speaker, Sertrice has been invited to speak at prominent events like the Society for Human Resource Management, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and various city Chamber events across the United States.

Beyond her professional endeavors, she is deeply committed to community service. She holds prestigious positions such as Chair of the board for Blacks in I/O, serves on the Board of Directors for the Lucy Daniels Center, and the Board of Advisors for GoBe Kids. Additionally, she contributes her time and insights to national organizations like the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority.

Residing in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband Abraham and their dog Winston, Sertrice continues her mission through Plan To Action, leveraging her deep-rooted knowledge and commitment to foster inclusive workplace cultures.