About us

Alex duBuclet, Founding Principal

Alex’s background includes corporate and executive search experience, enabling him to understand the client and service provider perspective. Since founding Equity Solutions in 1998, he has completed search engagements for numerous Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. and internationally. He is well-regarded in the human resources community for making diversity, equity, and inclusion an embedded part of Equity Solutions value proposition.

Alex has led successful sourcing and full lifecycle recruitment engagements for financial services firms, manufacturing companies, nonprofits, hospital, IT, medical device and pharmaceutical clients for permanent and interim placements. In addition to his talent acquisition and talent management leadership, Alex is an engaging and dynamic cultural competence trainer and executive coach.

Under his leadership, Equity Solutions has evolved into a talent management firm offering innovative solutions including, RPO services, performance-based retained executive search, interim staffing, MWBE identification and development, organization/leadership development and assessment services.

Prior to establishing Equity Solutions, Alex managed professional recruiting at Citigroup (formerly Salomon Brothers) and Bank of America (formerly NationsBank’s Global Finance Unit). He participated with executive management in strategically building organizations domestically and internationally. Alex has managed internal executive search functions and was responsible for the development and implementation of diversity-focused recruiting strategies.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“No matter what you do, do it willingly.” – Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Alex duBuclet, Founding Principal

Alex’s background includes corporate and executive search experience, enabling him to understand the client and service provider perspective. Since founding Equity Solutions in 1998, he has completed search engagements for numerous Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. and internationally. He is well-regarded in the human resources community for making diversity, equity, and inclusion an embedded part of Equity Solutions value proposition.

Alex has led successful sourcing and full lifecycle recruitment engagements for financial services firms, manufacturing companies, nonprofits, hospital, IT, medical device and pharmaceutical clients for permanent and interim placements. In addition to his talent acquisition and talent management leadership, Alex is an engaging and dynamic cultural competence trainer and executive coach.

Under his leadership, Equity Solutions has evolved into a talent management firm offering innovative solutions including, RPO services, performance-based retained executive search, interim staffing, MWBE identification and development, organization/leadership development and assessment services.

Prior to establishing Equity Solutions, Alex managed professional recruiting at Citigroup (formerly Salomon Brothers) and Bank of America (formerly NationsBank’s Global Finance Unit). He participated with executive management in strategically building organizations domestically and internationally. Alex has managed internal executive search functions and was responsible for the development and implementation of diversity-focused recruiting strategies.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“No matter what you do, do it willingly.” – Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Katie Mahendra

Katie Mahendra is a Client Manager who acts as a bridge between our organization and clients to ensure their satisfaction by thoroughly understanding clients’ needs and by providing the right solutions to address them. She builds lasting relationships with clients by staying in contact regularly to mitigate the challenges of current projects and anticipate future needs of the client. Katie has 9 years of sales leadership experience and has built a vast network during her time in the field. Her commitment to working as part of a team in a collaborative way has ensured longstanding relationships with colleagues and clients. She is a member of ACHE, NAHSE, and NAHLE.

Katie holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas in Sports Management. In her spare time, Katie enjoys staying active, cooking, and spending time with family.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin

Yamna Quadri

Yamna Quadri is an Organizational Development Project Manager specializing in operational solutions through communication, analyses, and efficiency. Working in the healthcare industry for over 10 years has helped Yamna develop her business acumen.

Her career in clinical and administrative roles enabled her to gain a comprehensive understanding about the healthcare sector and other industries. She is responsible for planning, communicating, and executing various projects. Yamna is able to provide customized support to various stakeholders, from C-suite executives to front-line employees. At an organizational level, she assists with strategic plan development and implementing solutions.

Yamna graduated with a Psychology degree from the University of Michigan and earned her Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has also earned a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) certification from the University of Utah. Addressing DEI challenges in the workplace while promoting innovative processes to overcome these challenges is one of her passions. In her spare time, she is a movie buff and enjoys traveling.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself, and then stand up for somebody else.” -Maya Angelou

Ron Estrada, MFA

Ron Estrada is a Senior Client Manager with Equity Solutions. Based in Chicago, he has over 20 years of experience in sales, account management, customer relations, clinical advising, marketing, advertising, and promotional content development across diverse industries. He thrives on working as a customer-centric problem solver, partnering with an enthusiastic clientele base, and networking to pursue new relationship opportunities that lead to bolstering community engagement and facilitating equitable business practices.

Ron earned his BA from Purdue University and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College in Vermont. In his time away from work, he enjoys playing rugby, writing, watching movies with his family, sipping bourbon, and listening to Nick Cave, the Grateful Dead, and Stevie Wonder while relaxing in his hammock.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Robin Pratts, MA

With 25 years of experience in health system management and program administration, Robin’s passion centers on community-facing initiatives that reduce disparities and champion the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion for senior management and leaders.

Her track record of professional areas of expertise include: community engagement, affinity health program models, cultural competency, diversity, leveraging community and faith partnerships to improve equity for diverse populations, community board and advisory development, grant writing, and foundation/philanthropic relationships.

As a seasoned professional, Robin has served in various leadership positions in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. She has presented at local, regional, and national conferences on health disparities for women and underserved populations. She joined the Equity Solutions team in 2020 as a Senior Consultant.

Robin was part of the planning and development of the DePaul Center of Community Health Equity and Rush University Medical Center partnership. In 2018 she received the Unsung Heroine Award from the Cook County Board of Commissioners for her community work in reaching women in underserved communities to improve health outcomes. The initiative entailed a robust, culturally competent model to educate and improve health behaviors and lifestyle choices. The Health Legacy Program she created was recognized and funded by the Cigna Foundation and continues to take place throughout the Chicago-land area.

Robin earned her bachelor’s in science degree from Xavier University of Louisiana, and master’s degree in Health and Hospital administration from Sarah Lawrence College in New York.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” – Gwendolyn Brooks

Michael Watkins

Mike is Equity Solutions’ Director of Client Engagement, bringing more than 20 years of experience to our client relationships. His background includes client-facing roles across a range of industries, each requiring the willingness to thoroughly understand client’s needs, and the ability to provide the right solution to address them. Mike recognizes the value of true partnerships and handles each of them professionally and impactfully. His expertise includes creating and executing custom solutions when no existing solution provides the right fit. His skillset includes negotiating pricing, terms, and other contractual elements to create win/wins for clients and Equity Solutions. He also participates in regular product, industry, and systems trainings to stay current regarding trends and resources.

Immediately prior to joining Equity Solutions, Mike was a Client Manager at Dex Media. Before that, he worked for Gary Steelheads, Lexmark International, and Xerox Corporation. Mike graduated from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker

Meshca Grammar Ploss, JD, MA

Mescha Grammer-Ploss, JD, brings over 10 years of experience to a Senior Consultant role at Equity Solutions. Her particular strengths are legal, healthcare and policy consulting, along with M&A, operational and compliance risk management. She began her career as a medical malpractice defense attorney, working with clients such as CNA and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Mescha moved over to the Illinois Attorney General’s office and worked closely with citizen protection agencies and helped create and implement legal policies and protections for at-risk communities. As a Regional Attorney Advisor for the U.S. Social Security Administration, Mescha advised Federal Judges on the practice and implementation of Federal Disability law, its budgetary controls and its procedural implementation.

With an understanding of legal and policy spaces, Mescha decided to formalize her experience at the University of Chicago’s Harris School. As a result, she was able to assist United HealthCare expand their Medicaid reach with prison populations and assist the University of Chicago in creating the Southside’s first trauma center in nearly three decades. Currently, she applies these experiences to tackling health disparities in outcomes as it relates to race/ethnicity and gender. As a former Senior Advisor/Practice Director for Leavitt Partners and founder of JoiHealth, she has developed curriculum and trained federal and state agencies, hospital systems, and alliances on practical, evidence-based solutions to these problems.

Mescha has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Juris Doctorate from The University of Iowa. She also has a Master of Arts in Health Administration and Policy from the University of Chicago.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – President Barack Obama

Marc Cabe, MS

Marc Cabe is an Organizational Development Project Analyst specializing in organizational development solutions for various organizations. Marc is responsible for collecting and analyzing data and developing deliverables for projects in a timely manner.

Marc has experience utilizing data driven insights to develop learning strategies and best practices for organizations in different fields. He has developed insights for a variety of organizations including Non-profit Organizations, Corporate Law Firms, Educational Institutions, and a Fortune 500 company. He is passionate about utilizing his experiences to ensure more diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices are instituted to reduce disparities for marginalized communities.

Marc has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University Chicago and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Asian American Psychological Association.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Observe your environment. Invite people into your life that don’t look like you or think like you.” – Mellody Hobson

Lisa Burton, MBA, MA

Lisa is a change leader with over 20 years of experience leading teams in large global corporations, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. She is passionate about building capabilities of individuals and teams.

As Director of the Organizational Development Consulting Practice at Equity Solutions, Lisa guides the team by breaking down silos and successfully delivering solutions. She is a collaborative partner who brings ideas and visions to reality with an inclusive, empathetic, and innovative approach. Lisa is committed to applying project and change management to solve issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Lisa has a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Government from Claremont McKenna College and a dual MBA and MA from W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and Thunderbird School of Global Management. She has certifications in PMP, Prosci Change Management, Kellogg Strategic Change Management, and Certified Scrum Master. In addition, Lisa serves on the board of Reba Early Learning Center.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Change comes from listening, learning, caring and conversation.” – Gwen Ifill

Latham Williams, JD, MBA

Latham Williams, JD has over twenty-five years of experience serving on boards and advising boards and senior leadership teams on a variety of issues including matters relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. He excels at career and performance coaching, executive recruiting and leadership assessment and development.

Latham served over eleven years as the chief legal officer at Hudson Global. He also was a member of its Leadership Team and served as a board director on approximately twenty foreign Hudson Global subsidiaries. Latham was an equity partner in the Chicago offices of Gardner, Carton & Douglas (now, Faegre Drinker) and Sidley Austin LLP.

He was a guest lecturer at the University of California-Berkeley (Haas Business School), Stanford Law School, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, Chicago-Kent College of Law, the American Medical Association, and the American Dental Association.

Latham holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with honors from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, a master’s degree in business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. He studied at the University of Ghana and participated in a foreign language study abroad program in Bogota, Colombia. Latham is proficient in oral and written Spanish.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“NO is a complete sentence.” – Megan LeBoutillier

Kyneshia Mackle

Kyneshia Makle joined Equity Solutions in 2020 and holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from Illinois State University.

While at Equity Solutions, she manages administrative duties and maintains project timelines. Working closely with various teams, she ensures any project deliverables are properly conducted while coordinating resources, equipment, meetings, and information.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are.” -Oprah Winfrey

Kaeleigh Borcia, MA

Kaeleigh Borcia, MA, is an Organizational Development Project Analyst who uses data-derived solutions to help improve the lives of other individuals. Kaeleigh is responsible for synthesizing and analyzing data, directing client workstreams, and creating project deliverables in a timely manner. Kaeleigh has a background in both organizational consulting and learning and development, providing a unique perspective and understanding of how individuals and resources across different organizations and industries operate.

Kaeleigh has two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies, and earned her Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the Chicago School of Psychology. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, she is passionate about partnering with others to identify and eliminate the root causes of health inequities. In her spare time, she enjoys being active with her dog, traveling, and live music.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity, there is beauty, and there is strength.” – Maya Angelou

Josh Ward

Josh Ward has been a member of Equity Solutions team since 2013. Josh has exhibited leadership, dedication, and superior client management. In 2018, he was promoted to Chief Operations Officer. In this role, he provides executive leadership and mentorship for all operations. He is responsible for all delivery system programs and services, sales, customer satisfaction, human performance and development, and business growth.

Prior to Equity Solutions, starting at the tender age of 7, Josh worked for his family’s corporate photography business. He was able to leverage his operational business experience as well as the art of taking orders from mom.

Josh has a bachelor’s degree in political science from DePaul University. Born and raised in Chicago, he loves spending time with his family and friends, which includes activities such as biking, live music, and cooking.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go, and why you want to get there.” – Kofi Annan

Gloria Mejia, MBA

Gloria Mejia, MBA, PMP, DASM (She/Her/Ella) is an Organizational Development Sr. Project Manager. She is a forward-thinking individual who brings over 10 years of experience championing process improvement initiatives. Gloria understands the importance of sponsorship and strategic alignment for DEI initiatives and enjoys leveraging technology for real-time, cross-functional collaboration. She is passionate about neurodiversity and helping organizations spearhead and advance their Organizational Development efforts focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Gloria holds an Improvement Coach Certificate from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and a certificate for Leading Racial Equity and Inclusion in Organizations from Northwestern University.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Better is possible. It does not take genius. It takes diligence. It takes moral clarity. It takes ingenuity. And above all, it takes a willingness to try.” – Atul Gawande

Eddie Velasco

Eddie joined Equity Solutions as a Research and Sourcing Analyst where he has worked on locating talented leaders and building a diverse candidate pool through researching, identifying, and executing effective search strategies. He is dedicated to finding talented individuals that can help lead organizations to greater success.

A native of Mexico and a DACA recipient, Eddie brings in experience with the Latinx community and the issues they face within the United States. In addition to Equity Solutions, Eddie is a successful soccer coach in Lexington, KY.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”

Aura Recuero, MBA, MA

Aura Recuero- Little, joined Equity Solutions Team in 2022 as the new Director of Data and Analytics. In her role, she oversees the generation and development of dashboards and visuals that incorporate the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.

Prior to Equity Solutions, Aura led the management, development, and administration of the Fort Worth Texas County Hospital Constituent Database and ensured its quality, consistency, and accuracy. Aura was solely responsible for data integrity and analysis, staff training, database security management and administration,n as well as the payment portal management to maximize fundraising revenue while always holding the confidentiality of their donors.

She also led the CRM efforts at Texas Motor Speedway, one of the eleven properties owned by Speedway Motorsports LLC., leading marketer, promoter, and sponsor of the NASCAR and IndyCar Series and NHRA. She enjoyed analyzing demographic, psychographic & consumer behavior, and fan driver affinity data.

Aura is proudly made in Panama and Fort Worth adopted. Aura brings to the Equity Solutions team over 15 years of national and international professional experience in the public and private sectors, including philanthropy, sports, and entertainment industries, and the IT consulting world.

Aura holds an MBA, dual Master of Science in Management and System Information Audits and a bachelor’s degree of Systems Information Engineering from USMA, Panama, Republic of Panama.

When she is not “loading data”, Aura loves to spend quality time with her family, her husband, and her lovely dog. She currently serves her time and talents in many local nonprofit boards such as, Cancer Care Services and Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas to name a few.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“To build a strong team you must see someone else’s strength as a complement to your weakness not a threat to your position or authority.” – Christine Caine

Audra Davis, PsyD

Audra Davis, PsyD, is an Organizational Psychologist who connects research with practice. She leverages formal training, unending passion and a 20+ year track record of successfully developing people and organizations’ potential to bridge where they are and where they want to be. She has guided organizations on maximizing business results through people development initiatives.

Dr. Davis has extensive leadership experience working in and consulting to non-profit and for-profit organizations spanning numerous industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, education, and government, among others. She also has functional expertise in various human resource and organizational effectiveness areas, such as global diversity, talent acquisition, talent management, customer service, business process improvement and quality. She is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt and is certified in Executive Selection Assessment.

Dr. Davis is Managing Partner and leads the Organizational Development practice at Equity Solutions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from DePauw University and a master’s and doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Rutgers University. She is a 2016 Diversity MBA Magazine Top 100 Under 50 winner, and a former member of the DePauw Board of Visitors.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” – Lao Tzu

Asher Rudnick

Asher Rudnick joined Equity Solutions in 2021 as a Research and Sourcing Analyst. They are now a Talent Acquisition Specialist, focusing on diversity and creating connections with executives who are interested in developing their careers and expanding their networks.

As a queer person, Asher brings experience with the LGBTQ+ community and the issues and challenges they face in the workplace. Outside of Equity Solutions, Asher likes to hike and camp with their wife and son.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“I’ll fight for you because I am you.” – Harvey Milk

Robin Hackett-Bradley, MPA

Robin Hackett-Bradley, MPA, is an Organizational Development Project Coordinator with over 5 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Her interest in DEI first began while she was working as a Clinic Coordinator at Rush University Medical Center. Robin saw firsthand some of the disparities and inequities that affected certain groups of patients every day. It was there at Rush where she decided that she wanted to do truly transformational diversity, equity, and inclusion work.

Prior to joining Equity Solutions, she worked as an Associate Consultant assisting in the creation and facilitation of DEI trainings and surveys for clients. Today, Robin is responsible for managing client project implementations and collaborates with the Project Manager and OD Analysts to deliver excellent client engagement experiences.

Robin earned her Master of Public Administration degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart School of Business and received her Bachelor of Art degree in Journalism from Roosevelt University. A Chicago Girl to her core, she enjoys giving back and volunteering in her community, finding new recipes to try, and exploring the city’s restaurant scene.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“Invite people into your life who don’t look or act like you. You might find they challenge your assumptions and make you grow.”- Mellody Hobson

Alex duBuclet

Alex duBuclet’s background includes corporate and consulting experience enabling him to lead our team with a keen understanding of the client and service provider perspective. He has completed workforce performance engagements for numerous organizations from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies in the U.S. and internationally. He is well-regarded in the human resources community for helping clients leverage and improve their organization’s diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence to develop a more equitable culture.

Alex has led successful engagements within the financial services, healthcare delivery, IT, medical device, environmental and pharmaceutical sectors. Solutions delivered have included: equity assessments, implicit bias and cultural competency training, company-wide diversity recruitment strategies, bias-mitigated workforce development programs, diversity focused executive search, and development of supplier diversity programs focused on delivering company, community, supplier, and customer impact.

FAVORITE QUOTE

“No matter what you do, do it willingly.” – Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

In partnership with an organization’s leadership, we design customized talent acquisition, leadership and organizational development solutions.

MEET OUR TEAM

Alex duBuclet

Audra Davis, PsyD

Josh Ward

Lisa Burton, MBA, MA

Michael Watkins

Katie Mahendra

Ron Estrada, MFA

Gloria Mejia, MBA

Yamna Quadri

Marc Cabe, MS

Robin Hackett-Bradley, MPA

Kaeleigh Borcia, MA

Asher Rudnick

Eddie Velasco

Kyneshia Makle

Aura Recuero, MBA, MA

Robin Pratts, MA

Mescha Grammar Ploss, JD, MA

Latham Williams, JD, MBA

OUR APPROACH

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

EQUITY SOLUTIONS

EQUITY SOLUTIONS