Risha Grant

Risha Grant is an internationally recognised diversity, equity and inclusion expert, author, and CEO of Risha Grant LLC. As a woman of colour growing up in conservative Oklahoma, Risha’s first-hand experiences with societal biases, discrimination and inequality have profoundly shaped her mission to promote racial equality. Her powerful lived experiences fuel her dynamic work as a keynote speaker, consultant, and advocate. Risha’s speaking topics include ‘Get Rid of Your BS’, which empowers organisations to create impactful diversity communications and market to diverse audiences; ‘Build an Inclusive Culture’, offering strategies to attract and retain top diverse talent; and ‘Attract Diverse Markets’, which deepens understanding of bias and equips companies with tools to navigate and dismantle it internally and externally.

Risha’s early career foundations were laid with an AA in Mass Communication from Northern Oklahoma College, earned on a full athletic scholarship, followed by a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Kansas State University. In 1998, she launched Risha Grant LLC, the first full-service diversity and inclusion communications consulting firm in Oklahoma. Her passion for sharing her expertise also led her to author two influential books: That’s BS: How Bias Synapse Disrupts Inclusive Cultures and the Power to Attract Diverse Markets (2017) and Be Better Than Your BS: How Radical Acceptance Empowers Authenticity and Creates a Workplace Culture of Inclusion (2023). Alongside her consulting and writing, Risha further showcased her communication talents as a community correspondent for KJRH-NBC’s JustUs segment, building a strong reputation for helping major organisations such as the U.S. Air Force, Samsung Electronics America, the Reserve Bank of Kansas, and NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder embed diversity into their core strategies.

Over the years, Risha has garnered an impressive list of accolades. She was named one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Women Leaders in HR by PeopleHum in 2021 and recognised as one of Real Leaders’ 40 Top Women Keynote Speakers. Among her awards are the NBA OKC Thunder Changemaker Award, Inclusive Leadership Award, and the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Her influence has been further acknowledged by Entrepreneur Magazine, naming her among 9 Speakers Turning Crisis into Opportunity, and she has been consistently listed as a Top 100 HR Expert and Top 100 HR Influencer.

Through her core speaking topics, Risha addresses the urgent need for racial equality with authenticity, boldness, and actionable advice. She helps audiences understand bias at a fundamental level, empowering them to build inclusive cultures that drive innovation and growth. Her sessions are rich with practical tools, from recognising the roots of bias to marketing authentically to diverse audiences. With her passion, credibility, and powerful real-world strategies, Risha Grant is hired by leading organisations who are serious about creating lasting, meaningful change in diversity, equity and inclusion.