Embracing Diversity: The Fundamentals of DEI

^{Elizabeth (Liz) Newkirk (she/her) currently serves as Manager of Digital Media at Loebsack & Brownlee, PLLC, based in Charlotte, NC. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Liz has a background in digital marketing and analytics, content creation, leasing, and overseeing the execution and design of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategies. Liz attended Johnson C. Smith University, located in Charlotte, NC, with a concentration in Business and a specialization in Marketing. She holds multiple certifications, including Organizational Culture and Diversity and Legal Environment from Arizona State University and a DEI certification from the University of South Florida, both earned in 2021. In 2020, Liz completed a Social Media and Digital Marketing certificate from Clemson University, she is also certified in Agile Project Management by the Project Management Institute and has an Equal Employment Opportunity Certification from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Liz has held leadership roles such as the GCAA President of the Suppliers Council and the Secretary of the GCAA Board of Directors, and she serves as the Education Foundation Board of Directors Treasurer. In addition to her involvement in the GCAA, Liz is the Chair of the Apartment Association of North Carolina (AANC) DEI Committee, the Vice-Chair of the AANC Suppliers Council, and the Inaugural Chair of the SCAA (South Carolina Apartment Association) Marketing and PR Committee. Liz has won the Social Media of the Year award six times and has been named the 2021 GCAA Volunteer of the Year recipient, the 2021 Supplier Partner of the Year (USAA), 2022, Triangle Apartment Association DEI Champion of Year, and the 2023 National Apartment Association (NAA) Excellence Award Finalist.}