Our services

Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)

As certified IDI practitioners, Progressing Forward, LLC offers the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) as part of our commitment to building organizational and individual capacity for intercultural competence.

The IDI is a research-based assessment tool that measures how individuals and groups experience and engage with cultural difference. It provides powerful insights into how your team navigates cultural diversity—making it an ideal entry point or supplement to DEI strategy and leadership development.

Why organizations choose the IDI:

  • Clarity through data: The IDI offers a clear snapshot of current intercultural mindsets at both individual and group levels.

  • Customized growth plans: Participants receive guided feedback and coaching to support movement along the intercultural development continuum.

  • Team alignment: Organizations gain a shared language and understanding around cultural difference—critical for teams seeking to deepen their equity work.

  • Integration with broader strategy: IDI results can inform hiring, training, leadership development, and DEI initiatives across departments.

  • Applicable across sectors: Particularly effective for nonprofits, educational institutions, and arts & culture organizations engaging with diverse communities and audiences.

We facilitate IDI debriefs and coaching sessions in person, online, or in hybrid formats, and integrate findings into your larger DEI journey to ensure the assessment drives sustainable action, not just insight.

Coaching and Strategic Planning

Dr. Diaz provides targeted DEI coaching and strategic planning to help organizations:

  • Design inclusive policies, practices, and resources

  • Develop intercultural competence and conflict navigation frameworks

  • Build curriculum through an equity lens

  • Engage and align all stakeholder groups—from staff and board to students and community partners

Services are offered in-person, online, or in hybrid formats, ensuring flexibility and accessibility.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Roque Diaz is a dynamic keynote speaker who weaves together storytelling, research, and humor to engage audiences in meaningful conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Drawing from his lived experience as a first-generation, neurodivergent Puerto Rican leader, Dr. Diaz brings authenticity and insight to every stage he steps on.

Whether speaking to a national arts conference, a nonprofit board retreat, or a university audience, Dr. Diaz tailors each keynote to resonate with the unique needs and culture of the group—be it orchestras, educational institutions, small grassroots organizations, or large-scale institutions. His talks challenge, inspire, and equip attendees to reimagine equity as a collective responsibility grounded in belonging and impact.

Our Approach

We use a research-based DEI framework to help organizations of all sizes and structures develop principles and competencies that lead to authentic, measurable, and sustained equity efforts. Whether you're beginning your journey or refining your strategy, Progressing Forward helps you lead with intention and impact.

Organizations We Serve

Now more than ever, Progressing Forward, LLC is here to support nonprofits, corporations, and educational institutions as they navigate growing uncertainty, policy shifts, and the evolving federal landscape. We understand that organizations—and the people within them—need practical, sustainable tools to stay grounded in their values while adapting to external change.

Led by Dr. Roque Diaz, we partner with mission-driven organizations across the public and private sectors to build internal capacity and strengthen community partnerships. Whether responding to national rollbacks or internal restructuring, we help clients move forward with clarity, cultural responsiveness, and strategy.

Specialist Area: Arts & Culture Organizations/Education Institutions

Progressing Forward specializes in working with arts and culture organizations and educational institutions, recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities these sectors face. Dr. Diaz brings deep experience navigating creative ecosystems and educational systems, offering capacity-building strategies tailored to their specific contexts and needs.

Learning Cohorts

At Progressing Forward, LLC, we offer customized Learning Cohorts designed to support sustained growth, reflection, and community building across nonprofits, educational institutions, and arts & culture organizations. These cohorts provide structured, yet flexible environments where individuals and teams can explore equity-centered leadership, cultural competence, and systems change in a collaborative setting.

Our Learning Cohorts are ideal for:

  • Nonprofit and school leadership teams

  • Educators, teaching artists, and cultural workers

  • Board members and community partners

  • Emerging leaders and DEI practitioners

Each cohort experience includes:

  • Interactive, multi-session learning arcs that integrate DEI competencies with sector-specific challenges and opportunities

  • Facilitated dialogue, reflective practices, and peer exchange to deepen learning and foster relational trust

  • Real-time application tools and accountability frameworks that support long-term organizational impact

  • Adaptable formats to meet the needs of your team—available in person, virtually, or through a hybrid model

Whether your organization is just beginning its equity journey or seeking to reinvigorate its strategy, our Learning Cohorts provide a supportive, brave space to build shared language, sharpen leadership, and center belonging.