Sema Burney

Background

About Sema Burney

Navigating DEI can be challenging, but it's my mission to make it achievable. As a leader, you probably struggle at times to keep up with the changing demographics in the workplace. Whether it's the terminology we use, the identities that we hold, the cultures surrounding us, everything is constantly in evolution. It can be confusing. The fear of saying or doing the wrong thing may have you frozen. My job is to be your guide through this journey. A journey that has no finish line. I use a non-judgemental, hands-on approach to help leaders make sense of the complexities in today’s diverse workplaces, helping you to become the inclusive leader that you aspire to be. I partner with organizations across various sectors. I lend my expertise to the following areas: 1⃣ Training & Facilitation: Engaging, interactive workshops that make DEI concepts accessible and applicable, equipping your teams with the skills to foster a truly inclusive culture. 2⃣ DEI Strategic Planning: Customized, data-driven DEI strategies that align with your organizational goals, transforming workplace culture with sustainable impact. 3⃣ Conference Speaking : Presentations that inspire and educate, drawing on personal experiences to demystify DEI and energize audiences toward meaningful My name is Sema. I am a passionate, fluently bilingual DEI consultant who started working in this field long before it became "cool" to do so. I started my career over 20 years ago by being asked to calculate the ROI of diversity. You can imagine how much has evolved since then! I am born and raised in Montreal and am the daughter of immigrant parents from India and Pakistan (yes, crazy mix I know!) I grew up questioning my own cultural identity and how it fit into the richness of the Quebecois culture. With time and reflection, I figured most of this out but there are some days where I need a reminder -) When I am not working, you can find me kicking around a soccer ball, dancing to 90s hip hop or trying to decipher the slang of my two boys. Apparently I am her.