Yvette Porter (Past Speaker)

Yvette serves as the Manager of Purchasing and Contracts for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Information Technology (VUMC IT) in Nashville, Tennessee. Overseeing the Purchasing and Contract section in support of the research, teaching, patient care, and business operations, by delivering enterprise-wide, flexible, and adaptive information technology service. Yvette was Manager of Supplier Diversity for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and developed a strategic approach to engage diverse suppliers for a variety of lines of business including: Restaurant, Retail, Facilities, Construction and the Corporate Office. She increased diverse spend approximately 400% in a 3 year period by aligning strategic sourcing decisions with corporate policies. She also worked in the health insurance industry as a Commodity Manager/Small Business Liaison Officer. She teamed with procurement and legal to develop processes and procedures that made the inclusion of diverse suppliers a part of all procurement. Yvette has a BA in Organizational Management from Eastern University in St Davids, Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of the Women’s Senior Leadership Program at Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management. Yvette currently serves on the board of Directors for the Institute of Supply Management of Nashville Tennessee as well as the Middle TN Workforce Development Board. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Purchasing Managers - Central PA (Affiliate of ISM) as well as the Western Pennsylvania Minority Supplier Development Council, the PA, NJ & DE Minority Supplier Development Council and the Diversity Committee of Institute of Supply Management (ISM). Porter has served on many boards; Shalom House, Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, Harrisburg University, Central PA African American Chamber of Commerce and YMCA Teen Achievers. In 2015 Yvette was named one of America’s Top 30 Leaders in Corporate Supplier Diversity. In 2014 she was named one of America’s top 100 Leaders in Corporate Supplier Diversity, as well as Champion of the Year by the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council.