River Bend Associates Inc. is an human resource global training and management consulting firm specializing in the areas of  diversity, equity, and inclusion, custom training design and facilitation, and strategy development. For over 25 years RiverBend has  been instrumental in helping organizations manage change and development through custom designed interventions. Our goal is to meet the people where they are to support their individual and organizational growth

RiverBend, founded by Laura Kangas, is a team of  diverse outstanding consultants with years of varied experiences in many industries. The philosophy in all our work is to support awareness and growth in the most effective and supportive way, and to treat everyone with dignity and respect. We also partner with other consulting firms on a regular basis to deliver leading-edge training, consulting, strategy development, educational offerings, and coaching.

Laura has worked in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion for many years, as an internal DEI manager,  and as an outside consultant. She is known to many as a pioneer in the DEI area, and a “troubadour for diversity, equity, and inclusion”. She is an outstanding training designer and facilitator, organizational and human resource development strategist, writer, published author, and speaker