Bathroom to Boardroom Champion
Celia is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, D&I champion, blogger, composer, musician, photographer, hiker and a filmmaker. She currently resides in southern california with her family. She is an Asian Indian who identifies as a Gender Variant person of color.
Growing up as a lonely closeted trans child in a conservative middle class christian home in Southern India, Celia writes and speaks passionately about her inner struggles, gender dysphoria and social challenges that she faced in her family, work, school and community both in US and India.
Professional Background : She is management consultant with over 20 plus years of demonstrated success in operating, growing and spearheading media, healthcare and life sciences engagements for the fortune 100 companies like Amgen, Gilead, Genentech, United Health, BlueCross and Americhoice. As a regional client partner with companies like IQVIA, Capgemini, Cognizant and Dun & Bradstreet, she has managed global cross-functional teams, implemented enterprise strategies, maximizing ROI for multi billion dollar clients. She has been consistently recognized for customer satisfaction and employee empowerment. She has a Bachelors and Masters degree in computer science.
As a diversity and inclusion champion she educates, empowers and advocates for (TGI) transgender and gender variant and Intersex individuals in the corporate world.
Community Advocate : Celia brings an intersectional blend of ethnicity, creativity, culture, religion and corporate experience in her “trans-evangelism”, as she likes to call it. She does free lance work for small to large size companies and volunteers for a few non-profit organizations, churches, institutions and community resource groups in United States and India. She is passionate in supporting marginalized communities and individuals by providing them a safe space to address various issues relating to bullying, gender discrimination, medical, behavioral, mental health and suicidal thoughts.
She is currently focused on writing policies, educating and building allies with local communities, business, churches, police dept, therapists, doctors and organizations that fights for civil rights and economic empowerment.
Achievements & Engagements :
• Founder and CEO of Rebekon Consulting LLC.
• Received the “Certificate of Recognition as Friend of the Port” in honor of the 2021 Women’s history month from Oxnard Board of Harbor Commissioners in Ventura County. California.
• Received the 2019 Human Rights Campaign’s equality award for “Outstanding commitment and service to our community” .
• Serving in the Executive Board for Trans Can Work, an Organization that focuses on Economic Empowerment for the Transgender and Gender Non Binary community in North America.
• Served in the community advisory board for Fordham’s HIV and Drug Abuse Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute (RETI), funded through the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
• Served as the INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR for Sahodari Foundation in 2018–2019, an India based transgender organization that empowers the transgender and gender non binary community through education and training in creative arts.
• Contributed to the policy changes in 2019 along with TransLatino Coalition in LA to make recommendation to the State for the trans/gnb community in California.
•Received the “2017 Visionary Award” from Satrang, a southern California south asian LGBTQ+ community to honor the vision, bravery and for speaking strongly against injustice in this political climate against Transgender community.
• She currents leads the Indivisible:Conejo LGBTQ+ ( Civil Right organization ) and active volunteer with Diversity Collective-Ventura, Toastmasters, PFLAG and FFLUID support groups in Southern California.
Topics that I am passionate about :
- Meaningful Inclusion starts from the Bathroom to Boardroom — Empowering Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex ( TGI ) and Gender Non-binary individuals in the workplace from the Bathroom to the Boardroom. Influencing the transgender ecosystem to eradicate Conscious and Unconscious bias.
- Meaningful allyship with the Medical Community — How to influence change and reduce bias in the four Pillar of Healthcare : Provider, Payor, Pharmaceutical and Policy makers towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
- TRANScending patriarchy in our workplace — The future is Intersectional. Why is it important to focus on your younger generation and Millennials.Why Mental Health is important for trans individuals.
- Building meaningful ALLIES within your Company — How can you create a PRIDE 365 culture — Instead of Pink washing & Branding Trans folks. HRC CEI Index good enough to bring about the change you need in your company ? Are your DEI champions just managing your brand and Optics ?
- Be a Proactive, not a reactive Organization — Organizational change is evident while introducing TGI individuals in the workplace. People, Processes and Technology changes needs to be addressed at every level within Business Functions, HR, ERG, Security and IT.
- Policy changes in HR, Recruiting, Training and Development — As the face of every company, why is it paramount for HR, recruiters and recruiting agencies to be cognizant and educated about TGI job seekers.
- Caring Community culture is vital for your company’s future — Your employees come from different backgrounds and everyone is engrained with Conscious and Unconscious Bias. Creating a caring culture with psychological safety is of utmost importance for your employees. Especially LGBTQ+ employees and jobseekers.
- The Science behind being Transgender — Why policies shouldn’t be made based on XX or XY ? What is Gender Dysphoria ?
Personal & Motivational
- Building allyship and trust within your family circle — Coming out as a TransParent to my 15 year old daughter. Focusing on our lives as a husband and Dad. I came out to my wife and daughter and now they are my biggest ALLIES.
- The Five Dimensions of my story- Dream-Doubt-Denial-Discovery-Destiny. While fighting for Trans rights my focus shifted towards human rights.
- The Invisible trans folks in India — Gender Identity : Not a recent trend but a 4000 year old culture.
- The state of my mental health — What COVID did to my Gender Dysphoria ? How are TGI individuals coping up with their mental health.
- Does Bible really discriminate against transgender individuals ? — Why do Christians use Bible to hate the LGBTQ+ community ?
Contact : celiasandaniels@gmail.com | linkedin : www.linkedin.com/in/celiasandaniels | Facebook : www.facebook.com/celia.s.daniels | Instagram and twitter : Celiasandaniels
A few Videos & Podcasts
Trans and Gender Non-Binary inclusion in the work place : https://youtu.be/YhFotytiYd0
Unboxing God ( Christianity and Transgender ) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcw36V59Zcg
Celia’s Music Video about Trans and Gender non-binary victims : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZjt2I2pixk
Blogs
