
Meet Diversity & Inclusion Center

Leslie Aguilar
CEO | Author of Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts
Read Leslie's Full Bio
Leslie Aguilar is the founder, CEO and principal consultant with Diversity & Inclusion Center, a full-service, WBE consulting firm. She has designed and facilitated hundreds of workshops on diversity & inclusion, cultural competence, inclusive communication, intercultural communication and multicultural customer service.
Leslie is author of the best-selling Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts and Ouch! Your Silence Hurts video-based training programs.
Prior to forming her own firm in 1992, Leslie worked fifteen years with The Disney Company in Guest Service, Guest Relations, The Disney University, and Disneyland Paris. She developed learning programs for new projects such as Disney Vacation Club sales division, cast member orientation at Disneyland Paris, the Disneyland Paris Counterpart Program for European executives and managers living in the U.S. for two weeks to six months, as well as repatriation for U.S. staff returning from Paris. Later, in a consulting role, Leslie developed and facilitated over one hundred Inclusive Communication training sessions for leaders across the Disney organization, and implemented an internal Train-the-Trainer / coaching process. In addition, she served as a Team Leader and Lead Facilitator for Walt Disney World’s initial diversity training, delivered to 4,000 Disney leaders in nine weeks.
Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language. She was educated at the University of Valencia, Spain; the North American Cultural Institute, Guadalajara, Mexico; the University of Paris IV (Sorbonne), France; and Stetson University, Florida. She also studied at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, as a Rotary International Scholar.
Originally from Orlando, Florida, Leslie currently resides in east Tennessee where she enjoys painting as well as kayaking and hiking with her husband Frank.
Leslie is recognized as a leading curriculum developer in the field of diversity & inclusion, creating learning programs, tools and resources that are both INNOVATIVE and PRACTICAL. Examples of learning resources authored or co-authored by Leslie include:
Videos
Online Learning Programs
Facilitator-Led Learning
- Ouch! Workshop / Keynote / Coaching
- Diversity & Inclusion Skills for Leaders
- Intercultural Communication
Assessment Instruments
- Diversity Competencies Assessment™
- Customer Service in a Diverse World
Action Planning / Strategy Development
Books | ePublications
Contact Leslie Aguilar | 407.859.1191 | ![]() |


Leslie Aguilar
Facilitator
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Glen Howard
Facilitator
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Miguel Valenciano
Facilitator
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Glenn Brome
Facilitator
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Jane Hyun
Facilitator
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Bill Hertan
Facilitator
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Robin Johnson
Facilitator
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Inclusion Allies Coalition
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Coalition
Inclusion Allies Coalition
Read the Coalition's Mission

TopDog Learning Group
eLearning Design & Strategy
Steve Yacovelli
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Judith Leslie
Website & Print Design
Judy Leslie
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TriPartners
Design & Strategy
Bill Hertan
Read Bill's Bio

SunShower Learning
Filmmaker
Joel Lesko
Read Joel's Bio
Currently, Joel focuses his lens on the workplace, producing programs to help people and organizations create more respectful places of work. Joel’s first training video was delivered on VHS tape, so that tells you how long he’s been in the business.
Drawing on his love of filmmaking and newly-developed appreciation for eLearning, Joel has created an eclectic library of learning programs that are known for their authenticity, emotional impact and clear action steps. His work has been honored with dozens of industry awards for creative excellence and is in use by organizations like AT&T, UCLA, Microsoft, McDonald’s, Yale New Haven Health and thousands more.
In 2007, Joel first partnered with D&I subject matter expert Leslie Aguilar to adapt her book, Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts. The program has become one of the bestselling and most beloved D&I training videos of all time. He’s also partnered with other authors to explore unconscious bias, LGBTQ allies, leadership soft skills and unintentional intolerance.
Recently, Joel has begun delivering in-person and webinar workshops on unconscious bias. When he’s not on the road or producing programs, Joel can be found in his backyard in Ashland Oregon, writing film scripts and building stick fences to keep his young Aussie puppy, Nova, out of the tomato patch.