Testimonials

TESTIMONIAL CATEGORIES

  1. DEI Leadership Development
  2. Cultural Bias & Inclusion
  3. Going Southern
  4. Storytelling & Writing
  5. Religious Diversity
  6. Community

1. DEI LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

“Deborah is a Change Agent, a thought leader. She was an advocate for diversity and inclusion long before it was popular, a current trend of events. It can be lonely at times doing this kind of work when others do not understand or get it. Seems like more people are getting it. She is a true pioneer. I am proud to call her my colleague and friend. As editor in chief – Deborah has made ADR a mainstay, a cornerstone, a center for discussion, a proving ground of ideas and discussion for change. Keep going – keep pushing – keep leading.”
~ Mauricio Velasquez, Diversity Training Group – President

“In my role as a Human Resources Manager, the training and cultural awareness of the Matrix Model Management training will allow me to relate to others as they would like without assuming what they want or need.”
~ Valoria Armstrong, TN American Water – CEO

“When Ms. Levine introduced her story methods and Matrix Model System, lights bulbs went off. Telling our stories breaks down barriers and lets us react on a different level.”
~ On-Line Wall Street Journal

“One of the most beneficial items I learned as part of the Global Leadership Class was using the art of storytelling as a conflict resolution tool. The Matrix Model System allows me to gauge my comfort level when interacting with others, and helps in making decisions that all those involved can agree on.”
~ David Ortiz, La Paz de Dios/Past President

“Deborah Levine is a wise, experienced, thoughtful teacher who takes an intentional, critical approach towards teaching others about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  It’s not just data, facts, policies, and trends; Deborah strategically pulls from her knowledge, background, and pivotal  life experiences, showing you how to facilitate and leverage the theoretical and empirical controls of the DEI discourse.  Deborah questioned my views, challenged my perceptions, and charged me with taking some trips into my past to unearth that which fuels those very same views and perceptions.  I never thought much about using storytelling as a means to enter into and mainstream DEI discussions.  As life would have it, everyone, EVERYONE has a story to tell; our values, principals, beliefs we espouse – they all begin with a story.  One challenge with DEI is the access point.  Everyone is starting their inquiry, their discussion from a different place.  Alignment and accord is rarely reached if we start off at divergent points.  The story, albeit it different because we are different, but the story is one we all have.  We can access ours, bringing to life the potential of understanding someone else’s.  Deborah teaches you how to invite people in, align outcomes, and adopt/create shared language….all through storytelling.  For this lesson I am grateful.  I am able to take the real and objective technical details surrounding DEI and juxtapose them with the access point for all through storytelling.  Thank you Deborah!”
~ Kianna Scott, IHI Holdings, LLC

“I’ve known Deborah for almost a decade, engaging in dialog regarding Diversity and Inclusion from time to time. Her efforts and resilience in providing sound advice and consulting, with practical and pragmatic results, is nothing short of spectacular. Her passion for the work shines and her tenure in the field is among put her with the pioneers of diversity and inclusion long before there were any such names. Her expertise is some of the most valuable you will ever find and I highly recommend reaching out to her for professional and/or organizational development for now and our collective future. Deborah is a leader in getting people, places and things to work together better through recognizing our capabilities and opportunities.”
~Zen Benefiel, MBA,  Transitional Life Coach

“I highly recommend Deborah Levine as an author, teacher, and speaker on the subject of Diversity. She is in a class of her own any time the subject of diversity surfaces in a conversation among erudite people. She has more published books and articles on diversity than any other person in the world. Deborah has been extremely intuitive since the early seventies as she talked and wrote about the positive influence of cultural diversity on society and in the workplace. She has always expressed views and concepts on diversity far in advance of them being recognized by the most progressive companies, organizations, and higher learning institutions. That’s why she is known internationally as The Diversity Futurists.
Her speaking and storytelling skills are unparalleled because of her ability to connect with diverse audiences of all ages ranging in size from a dozen to many thousands. Deborah connects with audiences by always remaining authentic and allowing the influence of her early years as a little girl growing up on the island of Bermuda to surface. Her Jewish Family’s business was the leader in implementing diverse hiring practices on the Island. Now you understand from her accomplishments and heritage why she earned a diversity writer and speaker classification of her own, The Diversity Futurists.”
~ Glynn Hodges: Executive Director, John Maxwell Team

h3>2. CULTURAL LITERACY & INCLUSION

“Deborah, is a lottery of cultural experience.  Her ability to incorporate relevant storytelling with her wisdom makes her an ideal trainer or speaker for your events needing an expert on diversity. Whether as a panelist, keynote speaker, or workshop facilitator, if you want to have a positive impact on the cultural unconscious bias of your event, contact her, Deborah is the Dynamic Diva of Diversity!”
~ Vincent Phipps, M.A., CSP (Certified Speaking Professional)

“The Matrix Model Management System is an excellent tool, especially for team building, dealing with conflict and decision making, and Deborah’s incredible skill in utilizing this tool makes all the difference. Her work has become an invaluable part of the City of Chattanooga’s economic growth due to the combination of her leadership, willingness to serve, and her phenomenal skill with bias tools often used poorly by others.”
~ Rae Bond, Chattanooga & Hamilton County Medical Society /Executive Director
“The talk on Cultural Diversity at the Child Abuse conference was very informative and the Matrix Model Management System will equip our professionals and community member to handle different situations, always keeping diversity in mind. Child abuse knows no boundaries and affects children from all ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.”
~ Renee Nail, Children’s Advocacy Center/ Executive Director

“Your guide, Inspire Your Inner Global Leader, has been very inspirational to all the students. The personal anecdotes and focus questions make the book relatable to everyone, and it has helped to learn even more about myself. Your support has been outstanding: I could not have done the Youth Global Leadership Class without you.”
~Nisha Boyington, Founder, Youth Global Leadership Class Chattanooga

Deborah Levine  is outstanding at bringing together diverse constituencies and creating synergy within otherwise disparate communities. Levine has cultivated publications from scholars and students on our campus through publishing a widely distributed Diversity Report which has featured articles by several of our faculty (including my own work). Most significantly, she worked with a student author to produce a resource for classroom teaching, the STEM Women Study Guide.  She organized and cultivated sponsorship for the Women GroundBreakers Storytelling for Women’s History month for several years in a row. These events featured women who were pioneers in the STEM fields, women within Chattanooga’s immigrant community, and other Chattanooga leaders.
Levine’s expertise in cultivating diverse groups and increasing their understanding and communication with each other is priceless. When I helped organize a national meeting about crossing religious boundaries, Levine was a featured speaker and panelist. She was the highlight of the event, teaching an Israeli dance as an icebreaker, speaking emotionally and educationally about the challenges of being a bridge-builder, and cultivating honest and productive presentations. Few people have her range of expertise. She has helped us commemorate Holocaust Remembrance, is speaking to my women’s rights class this semester, and has addressed the entire faculty regarding how to cultivate understanding across cultural boundaries.
~ Lisa Clark Diller, PhD, Chair, History and Political Studies Department, Southern Adventist University

3. GOING SOUTHERN

“It was a pleasure having Deborah Levine as the keynote speaker for our annual College of Liberal Arts Diversity Symposium, in March 2018.  Deborah is, not only a charming and emphatic individual, but also well versed in the topic of interest to us here in the south, where we are starting to see a wonderful increase of international individuals and companies especially in the automotive industry.  She gave useful tips and insights and was mindful in structuring her talk by starting with an academic/ intellectual context. She then brought up sociological/anthropological theories and finished with practical examples to connect well with our student attendees.
The reception showed that not only her talk resonated with the audience but that the speaker was well liked and her expertise appreciated.  Students felt comfortable in asking questions and approaching the speaker afterward. Will definitely consider having Deborah back to our campus in the future.”
~ Dr. Giovanna Summerfield, Professor and Associate Dean for Educational Affairs. College of Liberal Arts: Auburn University.

“Deborah’s “Going Southern” session is a primer that eases the acculturation process for those newly arrived in The South. I could have used this information when I first moved to Chattanooga in 2001. Great stories, examples, and historical facts abound in this contemporary addition to the growing body of Diversity and Inclusion literature.”
~ David Ortiz, DEI professional

“Deborah Levine has artfully written an enlightening book for new southerners. As well as learning from her book GOING SOUTHERN, I absolutely enjoyed reading it.”
~ Alnoor Dhanani, CEO/Owner of Double Cola Company USA“Going Southern: The No-Mess Guide to the South is an entertaining as well as practical introduction for anyone who wants to live, work, play, and learn in the South. Ms. Levine’s own family history and background prepared her to view her adopted Southern culture with appreciation for its rich idiosyncrasies, its ancient roots, and its importance to the success of travelers and immigrants from other parts of the world. Her insights are warm and vital because she delivers them in an engaging storytelling style that is itself an example of Southern literary culture.”
~ Dr. Roger G. Brown, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga / Chancellor Emeritus

“Most books about cultures tend to present objective data about a region, then go on to describe the population in cultural dimensions, and then list the do’s and don’ts. Going Southern inclines to another approach and bases her insights on the history and attitudes of the South, particularly on the value of storytelling, showing how heritage enters everyday life. So the book becomes a collection of tales, both directly about the author’s experience, as well as about what others have learned by the first-hand experience of living and hearing tales told in the South. Out of this, then, come salutary “tips,” summary lists of behaviors both to do and to avoid.”
~ Dr. George F. Simons, Founder of diversophy.com

“In the old Southern tradition of telling stories, Deborah shares her magnificent knowledge and experience of the South with the unique kindness of the region. To me as a German part-time Southerner, her advice is worth gold.”
~ Beate Ziehres, Editor-in-chief of the German magazine, Regjo

4. STORYTELLING

“Mrs. Levine has devoted her life to combating hate and building peace and understanding within communities. She is a prolific writer and wonderful storyteller, weaving stories of her involvement in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing into her father’s personal stories as a Nazi hunter.  Levine helps foster learning and promote understanding within local communities, online, and in the organizations with which she works. Her tireless efforts to engage communities in dialogues have resulted in 15 books and numerous guides and resources from which we can all benefit.”
~ Susan McCuistion, President, daiOne
“In celebration of Women History Month, Deborah Levine delivered an inspiring presentation to UNM-Valencia Campus in New Mexico on March 31, 2021. Hosted at Valencia, the online delivery also included other branch campuses. Sharing her family history, Deborah spoke on the women in her family and how each generation passes its spirit of volunteerism and passion for reading and writing to the next one. I am grateful for Deborah’s generosity with her time as well as her family stories.
~ Dr. Julia So, University of New Mexico /Valencia
“The stories in Inspire Your Inner Global Leader are riveting because they are written in a conversational stye… it’s as if the reader is hearing you tell it as opposed to reading it.”
~Dr. Mark Mendenhall, J. Burton Frierson Chair of Excellence in Business Leadership, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
“Deborah Levine becomes an important guest speaker in my course “ Media and Diversity” as she shares her knowledge and expertise in diversity with students. Her guest speaker session is well structured and inspiring. Students listen attentively to her interesting personal and professional stories about gender, race, and religion. Deborah motivates young generation to critically think about different aspects of diversity. She provides outstanding students with the opportunity to publish short articles related to any diversity issue that influences them on a personal, academic, or professional levels. By doing so, she helps future scholars, graduate students, and professionals to pay attention to diversity issues in different communication fields such as advertising, social media, and public relations.I sailed through the ADR website in about 4 days because it’s sectioned into digestible topics that kept me curious to learn more. What’s more, the different topics cover all aspects of diversity from different perspectives. ADR gives me direction and motivation to sort out the latest trends related to diversity issues.
Thank you, Deborah. I’m super-grateful for our collaboration. Your continuous work to support diversity is remarkable. You are a catalyst for change.”
~ Dr. Nagwan R. Zahry, Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga“I loved the Bunny Bear intro video. I grew up with Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood — your voice and storytelling cadence took me back to being a child and hanging on his every word. Adults talking to children in a way that shows them they are respected, valued, encourages them to use their imagination, think for and love themselves AND to value and respect others ❤️ we need more of that!
~ Kate Hall, community activist

“I so much enjoyed listening to Bunny Bear Adventures in Diversity Land. I think that if I were a young child who has just moved to a new country, I would love to hear the adventures and the difficulties and the homesickness and the fun of a person like Deborah Levine. Her experiences in moving to the United States from Bermuda are so heartwarming and sad and happy, all in one little girl’s life.
I would highly recommend Bunny Bear Adventures to any child who is the new child on the block.  Deborah makes one feel that anything is possible in a new situation.  And her voice would make any child feel as if you are talking to just him.”
~ Mary Jane McKinsey, grandmother & teacher

5. SPIRITUALITY & RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

“I want you to know how blown away everyone was with your presentation today. It was impeccable. You hit it out of the ball park. I don’t know if we’d had anybody who engaged the group like you did. The enthusiasm, the expression and animation, the eye contact. You were truly where you described – whether in college or in Bermuda. We were with you. That’s skill my friend. It’s always a pleasure to watch a pro at work. And a pro you are.
    You are an inspiration to me and thousands of others around the world, many of whom you have not met. They know you and your heart from your books, articles and animated talks and presentations. People like you are consistently helping to make this world a better place for all. Keep living your dream and changing lives! ”
~ Glynn Hodges: Executive Director, John Maxwell Team

Dr. Levine hosted a dynamic training for our staff on Religion in the Workplace. Her passion for the subject shone through with every element of the training. She provided strategies for how managers and colleagues can approach this sensitive topic with mindfulness and respect. Her real life experiences were key to taking the training from theory to the real world application. I would absolutely recommend any workplace offer this training to their staff.
~ Omar Syed: HR Director, U.S. Dairy Export Council

“Thank you beyond words for this time we had together. Truly your wisdom – each piece of your education and experience and life have combined – with your teacher’s heart, healer’s spirit – to bring to us the core of working with diversity. You take us to the heart of the matter. You have given us wisdom and knowledge and tools that will only impact our ministry – it will touch, change and grow each of us. Thank You for Religious Diversity at Work!
~ Shari Hofstetter: Pennsylvania Chaplains Association Annual Conference

“The lessons in Teaching Curious Christians about Judaism provide a taste of Jewish life even if no Jews live in our neighborhood. The responsibility to build a relationship of mutual respect remains true today… The key to further growth is the education and formation of children and adults alike.”
~ Sr. Mary Ellen Coombe nds,: Former Director of the Office for Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs, Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago

“If we are to live with our deepest differences and build a nation out of these differences, then we must learn about one another in our classrooms. The Religious Diversity in our Schools case study is good evidence that, when properly understood and applied, the religious liberty principles of the First Amendment protect the conscience of every parent and student.”
~ Dr. Charles C. Haynes: Director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum“As a kid growing up, one of my very favorite television programs (when television was in its early adolescence…yes I am that old!) was “Superman” starring George Reeves. At the very outset of the show, with the ‘Superman’ march playing in the background, was the superhero’s statement of purpose: Superman fought for “truth, justice and the American way!” Deborah Levine today stands in the place of the fictional “Superman” and fights for truth and justice in the American Diversity Report (ADR). Entries to the monthly American Diversity Report are vetted as to accuracy of fact and documentation of source materials cited. ADR addresses the important issues confronting us with integrity and with respect for their complexity.
Ms. Levine, founder and editor, an award-winning author in her own right, provides a forum for writers with integrity, the highest of moral and scholastic standards and skill to share their sense of justice and truth with others towards the betterment of the human condition. While the fictional “Superman” leapt “tall buildings in a single bound” in pursuit of his crusade against crimes against the “American way”, the American Diversity Report cuts through the tangled webs of deception and confusion to present us with food for thought about pathways to a better human interaction in such diverse areas as education, politics, art and religion. I highly recommend the American Diversity Report for those interested in “truth, justice and integrity of thought.”
~Pastor William Hicks, Chattanooga, TN

6. COMMUNITY

“The lack of diversity and understanding in the corporate environment is crippling creative, thoughtful individuals from success in their careers; leaders must be credentialed in understanding the bias that accompanies diverse populations in the workplace. Deborah Levine- you have been my mentor – as well as a source of inspiration and hope since graduate school at Vanderbilt University; you helped me understand how my cultural background as the first American born daughter of a Yugoslav alien post WWII shaped my ethics , worldview and life path through your books and articles.💙🎶🙏🎹”
~Heidi McCarthy, Fellow of Quadrivium
“As a Veteran (U.S. Army) with a disability, I’ve learned from ADR the much-needed importance of DEI. Lessons I’ve learned and will teach; the “E” is not just for “equity”, but for “endurance”, and diversity is not just for the theory of acceptance, but for appreciation.”
~ Venita R. Thomas, Venita Thomas Workforce Development Consulting Services LLC

“Thank you once again Deborah for all you are doing in the humanitarian world. The priceless impact you are making in the lives of inmates in and outside of the correctional facility walls speaks volume. We have followed your work keenly, and at this point we must say you remain not only as a beacon of Hope to the inmates but also as a role model to our NGO as well. We at CENPRIR (now Impact One Plus Foundation) are deeply appreciative of your impactful work.”
~ Isowo Smart, CENPRIR / Impact One Foundation
“Diversity seems to be the priority in all times, in all areas, in all countries. But in theses rising crises we all have to stand to our high values and save them against all low ideas! There is no place for destruction, extremism and hate! Construction, variety and love lead to respect and diversity! This must be clear in all brains and hearts!!!”
~ Kordula Klimpel, Unternehmensinhaberin bei ZAK Zentrum für Angewandte Kommunikation
“The American Diversity Report fills an important niche in social justice work, and publishes an interesting and useful array of articles. The publisher, Deborah Levine, is a one-person wonder and a national treasure. Her positivity overcomes great obstacles.”
~ Marc Brenman, ADR Advisor
“ADR has and continues to serve as a valuable resource for those involved in diversity work. Kudos, kudos, kudos.”
~ Terry Howard, ADR Advisor
AWARDS

Forbes Magazine: Top 10 Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazers
Women’s Federation of World Peace: HerStory Award
International Books for Peace AwardTennessee Women’s Leadership: Excellence Award
Chattanooga Media Award
Girls Inc. of Chattanooga: UnBought & UnBossed Award
American Planning Association/Chicago: Student of the Year

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Global Leaders of the 21st Century