Our Team

The Founder

Erika Walker (Walker-Thomas)

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For entrepreneurs, executives and professionals, Erika Walker brings a wealth of experience to her clients. As President and CEO of The Walker Thomas Group, she has earned a stellar reputation for engaging public speaking, experiential facilitation, meaningful coaching, and practical consulting. Erika also has an in-depth understanding of diversity and inclusive intelligence with a passion for addressing women’s issues in both business and society.

Erika is a native Chicagoan with over 23 years of professional experience providing Human Resource consulting to a variety of small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, colleges/universities and municipalities. She is a professor at LATAM Business School, author of A Woman’s Vault, and the creator of Wine, Women, and Woo along with various tools to close the gender gap for women.

Prior to The Walker Thomas Group, Erika was Vice President of The Kaleidoscope Group, a niche diversity consulting firm and has held multiple consulting positions with Aon Hewitt, one of the leading human resource consulting firms in the world. Her work has provided opportunities to work with entrepreneurs, C-level executives, HR managers, and external partners. Erika has designed gender and diversity strategies, conducted cultural assessments, global learning strategies, and addressed attraction and retention issues for general and diverse populations. She has delivered solutions to clients throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. She is certified to administer Myers-Briggs, DiSC and a certified coach.

Vice President

Maylene Peña, PHR

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Maylene Pena, PHR (MAY-leen PE-nyuh), is a proud Latina and a Chicago native who grew up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Professionally, Maylene began work in the DE&I space about 20 years ago. However, real-life experiences in diversity and equity began in early childhood. Maylene’s parents were born in Puerto Rico and came to the United States as teenagers. Raised in a community that was predominantly Spanish speaking, Maylene held the role of interpreting for adults. From a young age, she became aware of the disparity of how people were treated based on skin color and language. It was evident to her that individuals were not given the same level of respect or dignity, simply because of a barrier in communication.

Instead of giving up, Maylene became an advocate for people of color in her community in various ways. She continues to find joy and fulfillment in helping others gain access to health resources, food, and education. She is dedicated to helping community health officials and other public servants understand and dismantle systemic racism. Maylene is also a pastor of a Christian church and has seen her ministry poured out into her professional workspace. “It has come full circle that I can now do this full-time.”

In early 2019, Maylene joined forces with the Walker-Thomas Group, a comprehensive diversity and inclusion consulting company as Vice President, focusing exclusively on People Operations and DE&I topics. Maylene helps organizations that “know there is an issue but can’t put their finger on it.” When resources are exhausted, employees are calling for more, and existing programs have reached their capacity, Maylene and her team step in to address their needs and develop a customized strategic plan.

For Maylene, living inclusively boils down to one thing, which is the capacity to love and accept others. In order for individuals and organizations to truly embrace and live inclusively, Maylene believes we must all get past our egos. She has worked with many individuals afraid to travel down the DE&I road because they are afraid to lose something. Instead, Maylene encourages the mindset, “There is enough pie for us all to eat.”

Maylene describes herself as a “forever optimist,” committed to viewing the metaphorical glass as half-full. With decades of experience in DEI space, she has seen great progress. Although she recognizes there will always be work to do, Maylene affirms this generation for honing in and making intentional space for differences. “This generation is coming to the table expecting differences and asking questions for anyone who doesn’t fit into what is already understood.” Maylene’s advice to this generation of leaders centers around what can be done as a collective. Although we can’t dismantle racism as individuals, everyone can do their own part. One of her favorite sayings is, “We can’t boil the ocean, but I can warm my pot.”

Over the years Maylene has worked in various industries as a subject matter expert in the field of Human Resources, Operations, Process Improvement, Training & Development, Organizational Design, and Facility Management. Maylene is certified as an OSHA Trainer, A PHR and is also certified as an Instructor through the ACA (Association of Credit and Collection Professionals).

Maylene prides herself on her ability to connect with individuals on many levels and aid them in realization of their goals and aspirations. Maylene is a mother and a wife and is passionate about social justice and is happy to marry her love for people and her need to see them excel and finally live their customized version of the “American dream”. When she is not busy helping others, she is most likely to be found soaking in the sun or spending the day outdoors simply enjoying nature.

Executive Coach

Herb Long, CPC

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Herb Long is an executive coach who works with leaders seeking to navigate the ever-changing challenges of dynamic organizations. As a coach and partner of executives at all levels, Herb uses the coaching method that optimizes the client’s strengths and abilities to create sustainable change.

 With over 25 years of experience, Herb has met many the difficult challenges his clients face. Because of his background, Herb is able to help individuals and teams gain insights, develop a plan for success, and deliver strong results. Together they uncover solutions that allow people to be authentic while maintaining alignment with organizational goals.

 Previously Herb served as Vice President of Unified Industries Incorporated, an engineering services firm, and later served as President of the consultant engineer Legion Design. As an executive, Herb developed strategic alliances in Africa, Asia, and Europe and led multi-party negotiations for international development projects. Herb developed the strategy for the sale of a software division, implemented the strategy for the divestiture of a subsidiary, and developed new lines of business. In addition, Herb has teamed with investors, bankers, CPAs, and attorneys resulting in the IPO of a strategic partner.  Herb has led efforts that have doubled revenues, strengthened balance sheets, and earned awards from clients. He has also managed teams through crisis and downsizing.

 A serial entrepreneur, Herb founded the radio holding company Allegheny Communications Group, and later sold the company providing investors with returns in excess of 1,000%. Herb created Hilltop Properties, a residential real estate investment and property management company, that employed data analytics to generate higher returns for clients. He also served as Partner at Capstone Risk Management, a firm that provided Tier 1 insurance and risk management solutions to large organizations. Collaborating with major brands, Herb has developed successful experiential marketing campaigns to improve customer lifetime value. Herb has served as a strategy consultant for startups and mature organizations in healthcare technology, financial services, real estate, and infrastructure services.

 Herb has served on the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Urban League, the arts and education non-profit Step Afrika!, and the public company Pyrocap, International. He is a founder of the National Urban League Young Professionals, and he serves as a volunteer for the New York Urban League.

 A Certified Professional Coach, Herb earned an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a BBA in Finance from Howard University. In his spare time Herb enjoys snowboarding and martial arts. A native of Philadelphia, Herb now resides in New York with his daughter Makana.