About Andrea Horton-Meriçli (she/her/ella)

Hello and thank you for visiting Diversifuse! My name is Andrea Horton-Meriçli, and I am the founder and president at Diversifuse. I am a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant, facilitator, educator, and advocate. I identify as a mixed-race Latina, who was a first-generation low-income college student, and is a daughter of a first-generation immigrant, a former military brat, and a wife of a brilliant naturalized U.S. citizen. I have 20+ years of experience working in fields where DEI advocacy and education was at the forefront, including:

• Teaching in K-12, including special education
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to grades 4-11 in Istanbul, Turkey
• Teaching in Adult Education (ESL, GED, business communication, etc.)
• Service coordination for immigrants
• Business Services
• Career counseling/coaching for immigrants and other marginalized populations
• Mentor Programs
• Member of various Boards and Committees that help marginalized populations

These experiences have allowed me to learn, grow, and expand other people's and my DEI knowledge and actions, and implement programs and strategies to assist marginalized members of the community at all levels with the goal of helping to build inclusive environments. They have also fueled my passion for educational and organizational equity, social justice, developing inclusive environments, and helping community members develop awareness, understanding, and appreciation for others. I hold a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Cornell University, and am a Certified Workforce Development Specialist. I have also completed other DEI, mental health and wellness, self-care, and Project Management trainings and certification programs.

Before founding Diversifuse, I served as the director of the state employment office in Allegheny County, PA and prior to that I was the sole career counselor/coach at the largest adult education nonprofit in Pennsylvania, where I created educational resources, workshops, a mentor program, recruited and trained volunteers. While working in the adult education sector as a career coach assisting immigrants and other marginalized populations find sustainable employment and enter institutions of higher education, I realized that there was still a huge gap when it came to employers and organizations knowing how to work inclusively with marginalized populations. I also found this was the case during my time providing case management services for immigrant households. I gladly educated employers and educational institutions on DEI, PTSD experiences from refugees, emotional intelligence, inclusively working and communicating with non-native English speakers, cultural sensitivity and awareness, and other topics. These experiences increased my passion for DEI and training.

At Diversifuse DEI Consulting Services Consulting, we are committed to helping businesses grow and succeed. I work closely with our clients to understand their unique needs and develop customized solutions that drive results. Whether you're a startup, an established business, or an educational institution, I have the expertise and experience to help you with your DEI goals and initiatives and take your operations to the next level. Contact Diversifuse today to learn more about how we can help your business be inclusive and thrive.