Biography

Mercedes Naficy D’Angelo has been an intercultural communication practitioner for 30 years. She recognized the connection with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion over 10 years ago, adding DEI to her practice. She has led global and regional sales teams, managed client relationships with a variety of Fortune 500 companies, and small startups.

Mercedes is a graduate of Princeton University, with an A.B. in English Literature and a Certificate in Theater and Dance. This focus in theater has helped hone her facilitation skills, enabling her to keep participants in her sessions not only engaged but entertained. Mercedes also holds an MBA from Tulane University with a concentration in Human Resources Management and Organizational Change. She is a certified coach with the International Coaching Community (ICC, London, England), and is also certified in the Cultural Orientations Inventory, and the Global Competence Aptitude Assessment.

Her passion is consulting with senior leadership and Human Resources leaders to support them in developing and executing with excellence innovative solutions to address their talent management and diversity, equity and inclusion needs. Mercedes’ strong experience in sales, marketing, and business strategy, enable her to work with functional leaders such as supply chain, R&D, and manufacturing. She helps identify where organizations can enhance mutual appreciation and understanding to create an intentional culture of inclusion, knowing this will speed up individual performance, and ultimately, companywide innovation, engagement, and revenue growth.

Over her career, Mercedes has presented at national and international conferences on a variety of topics: Global HR Competence Development; Global Diversity and Inclusion, and International Assignee Support at conferences such as Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and many of their local chapters around the USA, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), The International Benefits Group and the European Relocation Association (EuRA) multiple times.

Happiest when sharing her passion for diversity and culture with an audience, the following short testimonial is one of many reflecting her passion and talent as a facilitator and a speaker:

“Powerful, clear, funny: one of the best speakers I heard at SHRM. Full of both conceptual & practical content – Excellent.” SHRM 2013

A product of a bi-cultural family (1⁄2 Iranian and 1⁄2 Puerto Rican), Mercedes has lived and/or worked in Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East. She has a deep appreciation for the impact of cultural competencies on performance and behavioral health. This experience, including relocating internationally with her four children gives her the insight needed to help organizations tailor their global talent development programs to their needs.

Mercedes believes that there is always something new to learn when working in our diverse global societies. She says her marriage is living proof of this!