Congratulations to David deBardelaben-Phillips, Operations and Special Project Leader of Health Action Council, for being celebrated by Crain’s Cleveland Business as a professional who has an impact in Northeast Ohio for advocacy work in the LGBTQ community. David was one of 21 professionals honored for their business, civic and philanthropic achievements while highlighting their work on LGBTQ equality and inclusion.
Among many accomplishments, David was noted for successfully advocating for Medical Mutual in 2009 to change their policy and provide domestic partner benefits for LGBTQ prior to marriage equality. He also helped create the curriculum used to train businesses about LGBTQ sensitivity in preparation for the 2014 Gay Games.
In his private practice and as the founder and president of Energetic Awakenings, deBardelaben-Phillips employs his skills as a health practitioner, educator and life coach, and as the vice president of the board of Plexus, an LGBTQ-focused business organization in Northeast Ohio, deBardelaben-Phillips conducts corporate inclusion training around the region and was a key player in helping fund and hire the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce affiliate’s first executive director.
His dedication to equality and inclusion includes working as a racial justice facilitator at the Cleveland chapter of the YWCA, and as a member of the Pastoral Relations Committee at the Pilgrim United Church of Christ, where he provides insights and support to the largely LGBTQ congregation.
In his work as a faculty member at the Institute of Core Energetics based in New York City, one of his major initiatives is to update the textbook on how to explore biases and be more inclusive.
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