Owner/Principal of Ovell Rome & Associates, Ovell Barbee Jr., is a renowned, visionary human resources leader, consultant and speaker with a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He’s held executive leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies in an array of industries including Motorola, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, General Motors/OnStar, Spectrum Health (now Corewell Health) and Indiana University Health.
In these roles, he drove sustained cultural change and reduced barriers for diverse populations with a “human-centered” approach that addressed systemic and unconscious barriers and bias. He implemented policies and practices allowing everyone opportunities to thrive within a corporate culture.
As a respected Human Resources and DEI thought leader, Ovell is an accomplished and sought-after speaker who chaired the National HR Healthcare Conference in 2022. He’s presented at the Healthcare, HR Management Institute’s National Forum, the Becker’s Healthcare Annual Meeting, the National Diversity Council’s National Black Men in Leadership Summit and many other local, state and national meetings. He’s been featured in webinars, podcasts, and news articles on Human Resources and DEI topics. He offers guidance and advice on HR and DEI topics through his website, AskOvell.com.
