Ownership Culture & Labor – Integrating Union Employees into Your Ownership Culture

Lindsay Shafer is a Consultant at Praxis Consulting Group. She currently provides ESOP communications services, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, strategic planning, and other organization development services to nonprofits and employee-owned companies. Lindsay has over 15 years of experience as a facilitator and trainer and project manager, and has worked with for-profit, nonprofit, government, and education clients. She is passionate about helping clients enhance their understanding of the value of diversity in all levels of the organization, develop more inclusive policies and practices that contribute to an ownership culture, and communicate across differences. Prior to joining Praxis, Lindsay worked in the nonprofit sector where she focused on project management, content development, program evaluation, and conference planning. She has worked with dozens of clients to evaluate programmatic needs and design and implement customized DEI programs. Lindsay believes that more equitable and inclusive workplaces not only attract and retain diverse talent, but also provide leadership opportunities for all. Lindsay holds a BA and MA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Matt Hancock helps organizations develop ownership cultures that are inclusive, resilient, and innovative. In addition to employee-owned firms, Matt has extensive experience working with labor-management partnerships and non-profit organizations in the United States and the European Union. Prior to joining Praxis, Matt co-founded Chicago Tech Academy (ChiTech), Chicago,s first technology-focused high school. Matt began his career in Bologna, Italy, where he earned a Master,s in Cooperative Economics from the University of Bologna (Italy). He authored a book, Compete to Cooperate, about the cooperative movement there. A member of the European Organisation Design Forum, Matt holds a BA in history from Skidmore College, a Green Belt in Lean/Six Sigma and is the past Chair of The ESOP Association,s Ownership Culture Committee.