Leah Smiley, CDE®

Leah Smiley, CDE®, is the founder and president of Institute for Diversity Certification (IDC) Inc., a global education technology (EdTech) firm that specializes in next generation management practices and professional Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) certification. As a LinkedIn “All-Star,” Mrs. Smiley has facilitated hundreds of presentations for more than 10,000 professionals and executives around the world, as well as consulted with over 100 organizations. The company was recognized twice on the 2022 and 2023 Inc. 5000 listing as one of the fastest-growing companies in the Midwest. 

With more than 15 years of experience in the DEIA field as well as 25+ years as a master of training and organizational development, Smiley is a DEI industry thought-leader. Through IDC®, she has helped thousands of Diversity and Inclusion leaders in all 50 US states and over 30 countries achieve their dreams by conferring the industry-recognized Certified Diversity Professional (CDP)® and Certified Diversity Executive (CDE)® credentials. IDC is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and is currently pursuing accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Further, IDC has registered its extensive catalog of intellectual property with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Smiley's work has been featured on international and national radio and television programs, as well as in Forbes, Fortune, and Entrepreneur magazines. Additionally, her work has been reported in the USA Today, Huffington Post, Business Insurance, Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Business Journal, Indiana Minority Business Magazine, Associations Now, Franchising World Magazine, MEA Magazine, Lexington Herald Leader, Philadelphia Tribune, Philadelphia Business Journal, Naples Daily News, City Sentinel, Lee and Low Books, and more. She was also quoted in "The Inclusion Revolution Is Now: An Innovative Framework for Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace" by Maura G. Robinson and published by iUniverse.

Smiley has a blended family and lives in Indianapolis with her husband, whom she met while they were political science majors at Hampton University. She holds a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE)® designation from the Institute for Diversity Certification (IDC)®.