Patricia C. Pope is CEO and co-founder of Pope & Associates, Inc., an organization that specializes in diversity, inclusion and culture change.  Since 1976, they have worked with over 250 of the Fortune 500 and have trained over 800,000 participants across the globe.  In 1977, she and her late husband, Merlin G. Pope, Jr., coined the term "diversity" to refer to the changing demographics of the U.S. workforce.  In 2007, both she and Merlin were recognized as pioneers by Profiles in Diversity Journal.  In 2012, she was selected and honored as one of 13 "Diversity Legends" at the inaugural conference of the International Society of Diversity and Inclusion Professionals.  She has also received awards from the Cincinnati Business Courier, Enterprising Women, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, and has been selected as one of the top 100 women-owned businesses in Ohio for three consecutive years.

She received her MS degree in Organization Development from Pepperdine University in 1994.  Her Master's Thesis was on "The Illusion of Inclusion: Women and Minorities in Corporate America."  


She frequently speaks on Diversity and Inclusion at national conferences, professional associations, Women's Leadership Forums, universities and military Equal Opportunity Conferences.  She currently serves on the External Advisory Board for Kent State University, and the SHRM Taskforce for developing ANSI-approved standards for Diversity and Inclusion.