Training & Workshops
Opportunities for Learning
Gender Education Center
The Gender Education Center offers presentations, workshops,
diversity training and consulting to help employee groups and administrative
teams deal effectively with diversity related issues in the work place. The
1992 Minnesota Human Rights Act amendment includes Transgender people. Many
organizations are unsure how this will effect their particular situation or how
to deal with gender related issues as they develop. We offer many different
approaches to training & workshops and can develop programs specifically
targeted to your situation.
The work place is a continually changing, culturally
diverse entity. Administrators, managers, supervisors, and employees need
to be aware of the needs and expectations of their internal and external publics.
Through training and education these groups can adjust their behaviors to develop
better working relationships with persons different from themselves. This training
is timely because of the recent changes in the State Law and the inclusion of
transgender people with in that law. The thrust of the training effort is to
recognize that groups who differ from the traditional cultural framework make
positive contributions to the work place and community.
These workshops are designed to give
basic first hand information about the transgender community. They include
general presentations, information packages, audience interaction, and questions
and answer sessions. The participants will have a chance to interact directly with
members of the transgender community and develop an understanding of the underlying
issues involved.
Diversity workshops & training sessions:
These workshops are similar to general single session except that they are designed for participation by an entire work group, division or corporation. After each session, an evaluation will be given and the information gathered will be used to make succeeding sessions more applicable and meaningful for the subsequent groups.
Developing GLBT segments for existing diversity training:
We will meet with your HR department to help you develop a diversity needs assessment instrument for your organization. The information gathered from this instrument will be used to determination whether additional segments are needed in your diversity training sequence which will address the 1992 Minnesota Human Rights Amendment and its effect on your situation or organization.
Work group
training designed for specific audiences:
These workshops are designed with specific work groups in mind. The organization identifies work groups which they feel can benefit from diversity education. Administrators, managers, supervisors, and key employees familiar with the work group’s training needs meet with GEC and gather insights and observations about the dynamics operating with in the identified work group. This information is used to design diversity education training specifically to meet the needs of the group.
Management/leadership team consultation & resource:
We will meet with your management team or other identified group to help work out specific problems currently effecting that group. The dynamics of this resource can be as diverse as the situation may need or demand. This approach is an excellent way to deal with situations on a personal level before conflicts escalate.
On call consulting services:
This service can provide a on-call resource, consultation and mediation service on a monthly retainer basis. Use of the service includes telephone consultation, in-person consultation, and mediation services if needed. This preventive use of resources allows organizations to address work place issues before conflicts escalate and consume human resources.
GEC’s Principal Trainer
Debra Davis is the Founding
Director of the Gender Education Center,
a non-profit Minnesota corporation dedicated to transgender
support, advocacy and education. The education and outreach
programs she directs are extensive. In the last 12 years
the Gender Education Center has given over 600 presentations
and workshops to groups of all kinds involving more than
22,000 participants. They have presented over 90 workshops
and training sessions to mental health clinics, therapists
and health professionals. They have also worked with
numerous companies and employers in the transitioning of
transgender employees. The Gender Education Center is
the only transgender organization doing this kind of
work in the Upper Mid West.
• Frequent keynote speaker on transgender issues at conferences, conventions and College campuses.
• Advisory Board of Out for Good, a support organization for GLBT youth, staff and parents in the Minneapolis Public Schools (5 years)(recruited at its formation).
She has been involved with training, education and program
coordinating for over 35 years. She has a B.S. in Education &
a M.S. in Communications. She also has extensive experience
in planning, developing & presenting adult in-service
programs, and has taught graduate level college courses.
• Community advisory board for Transgender Services at the Program in Human Sexuality, University of Minnesota (formed in 1998).
• Host of KFAI-FM’s “T time with Debbie Davis,” a radio talk show (8 years).
• Director of Educational Outreach Program, CLCC (City of Lakes Crossgender Community - 12 years).
• Facilitates corporate planning, workshops and training when transgender people transition on the job.
• Works with numerous local women’s organizations (including Chrysalis, the Sexual Violence Center and several battered women’s shelters) on the inclusion of transgender women in their programs.
Past Activities:
• Community Advisor for Focus POINT, a local GLBT newspaper (4 years).
• Grants committee for Philanthrofund (3 years).
• Past vice president of CLCC (City of Lakes Crossgender Community).
• Past Advisory Board for the Transgender - HIV/AIDS Education Program at the University of Minnesota.
• Facilitated small groups in transgender HIV/AIDS education at the Univ.y of MN.
• Planning board for University of Minnesota’s “Differently Gendered Lives,” a week- long transgender program.
• Helped plan “Genders that Be,” a month-long celebration of gender with programs and events sponsored by Intermedia Arts - March, 1996.
• Facilities Committee, Headwaters Foundation -"Walk for Mankind." (2 years)
• Chair for Lambda Justice Center’s holiday fundraiser at Neiman Marcus raising over $10,000.
• Authored the Transgender Chapter of the “‘1995 Governors Task Force Report on Gay and Lesbian Issues."
• Instrumental in the inclusion of transgender women in the 1998 national anti- violence against women legislation .
• Worked with Hennepin County Sheriff’s office to form a policy and guidelines for the treatment of transgender offenders during incarceration.
For information contact:
Gender Education Center
Presentations, Workshops & Training
Return to GEC home page