Global ERG Network® Grows GENC 2026 with Access Fellowship and New Partnership

Fellowship expands GENC access for nonprofits; new partnership brings acclaimed authors and speakers, including Orange Is the New Black actress Tanya Wright

WINSTON-SALEM, NC, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Global ERG Network^® has opened applications for the inaugural GENC Access Fellowship, a new program that expands conference access for ERG and Inclusion Council leaders at small nonprofits. Selected fellows receive complimentary full registration to the GEN Annual Conference on November 9 – 11, 2026 — including access to every session, the Sponsor Reception, and the GEN IMPACT Awards Ceremony — along with a 90-day access to the GEN Co//Lab. Up to two fellowships may be awarded per organization. With applications closing September 11, GEN is encouraging eligible leaders to apply or nominate a colleague.

OPEN INVITATION TO LOCAL ERG & COUNCIL LEADERS
GEN welcomes local leaders to In Good Company: Pre-GENC Meet Up, a free evening of connection on November 9 at 7:00 pm. The gathering brings together ERG and Council leaders, along with HR partners from across the city to meet the peers they’d rarely find in the same room. The event is open to any local leader in this space, whether or not they’re attending the conference, and a quick response holds a spot. Registration is open through October 16.

NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BOOK AN AUTHOR
Global ERG Network^® has also entered a new partnership with Book an Author, a national marketplace that connects published authors with corporations, ERGs, educational institutions, and community organizations for speaking engagements, workshops, and live events. More than 400 institutions already use the platform, which makes literary experiences easier to reach while helping authors build sustainable careers.

Among this year’s conference speakers is Tanya Wright, who built her career by connecting the dots rather than walking a straight line. A two-time SAG Award winner (Best Ensemble) for her role on Orange Is the New Black, a Harvard Graduate School of Education alum (M.Ed., Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology), and children’s media entrepreneur, Wright shares the framework she used to bring four seemingly unrelated identities — Harlem, Hollywood, Harvard, and her own brand, Hairiette — into a thriving, multi-hyphenate career. In this interactive session, she walks attendees through a hands-on framework for auditing their own story by spotting gaps and leveraging strengths, and how the ability to adapt can be your most important asset in work and in life.

Book an Author co-founder Serena Li said, “One of the reasons we built this company is to make it simple for organizations to bring authors and their work to the people who’ll benefit from them. ERGs are a natural fit — they’re already creating spaces for connection and learning. Partnering with GEN puts our authors in front of an audience that takes storytelling seriously as a tool for community and growth, and we’re glad to sponsor Tanya Wright as the first of what we expect to be many shared moments.”

CONFERENCE AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
The GENC 2026 lineup brings together practitioners who have done the work, measured the results, and understand where the real pressure points lie. Highlights include Dr. Lisa Toppin’s session, “Everyone’s a Genius: Redefining Talent, Setting the Stage to Soar,” which gives attendees and their ERG members a framework for identifying and developing their own areas of genius. Brian Fishbone’s “Build It Light, Build It to Last” meets groups where they are and maps a structure designed to grow into what’s next — light enough to maintain, sturdy enough to sustain. Rounding out the featured sessions, teams of executives and ERG leaders from award-winning organizations will lead deep-dives into the leading practices that create big impacts, covering the real mechanics behind their work, the obstacles they encountered, and how they found ways through.

“GENC has always been about more than the agenda,” says Anna Ettin, Executive Officer of Innovation & Generational Transformation. “We bring together people who do this every day to talk about what’s working, what doesn’t, and what’s next. Some of our most valuable moments are the conversations in hallways and shared tables that turn into long-term connections.”

The full agenda and speaker lineup are forthcoming at globalergnet.com/conferences/genc/.

ABOUT THE GLOBAL ERG NETWORK
Powered by Tapestry Partner Solutions, the Global ERG Network^® is the premier strategy and learning partner for ERG and Council leaders and their organizations. GEN equips organizations to build the structures, capabilities, and systems needed to translate ERG and Council work into measurable business outcomes. Backed by more than 20 years of field-tested expertise, GEN combines monthly learning, an on-demand resource hub, and flagship events into a program that moves ERGs from well-intentioned to operationally connected.

For more information, visit globalergnet.com or follow GEN on LinkedIn.

Anna K Ettin
Tapestry Partner Solutions
+1 336-285-0440
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn

Media gallery