As a first-generation Nepalese immigrant, Kamana Khadka arrived in the United States with a heart for empowerment. It led her to volunteer as an ad hoc interpreter for Nepali Bhutanese refugees, where one mother couldn't communicate her child's symptoms to a doctor, and an older man was unable to consent to his own treatment.
Khadka quickly realized that, with current systems not designed with underrepresented people in mind, refugees and other minority groups were rendered invisible. But reality didn't deter her from challenging the status quo; she later founded an Arizona-based, refugee-led professional medical interpreting enterprise, training over 65 interpreters across 29 languages. By providing translation services, she sought to equip immigrant communities with tools and advocates to navigate an otherwise complex industry.
"I strove to help refugees by building a system where they had power," said Khadka. "Then, I modeled every single initiative I ran in corporate, healthcare, nonprofit, and DEI work after those years."
Kamana Khadka's commitment to business inclusion
Khadka's beginnings planted the seeds for Inclusion Multipliers. Instead of presenting another workshop, training, or program to target individual development, she proposed transforming organizational structure from the bottom up—setting up a culture where leaders could spread inclusion more meaningfully.
During our conversation, Khadka further explored the business case for workplace belonging and how inclusion must be its foundation. Here are her top three takeaways for creating an environment that encourages "inclusion multiplication" and fixes systems rather than adhering to them. 
1. Reframe diversity and inclusion as talent development.
Erasure and invisibility are expensive, and leaders will notice as their best talent decreases in size and quality. Over the years, especially as entire budgets and departments were slashed, it became clear that treating diversity as an initiative rather than an opportunity for employee engagement was an expensive mistake.
Khadka addressed the harsh reality of such repercussions:
"Data says that disengaged workers cost US businesses $1.9 trillion annually in lost productivity. Turnover costs can range from $75,000 to $150,000 per departure at the mid-management level. But companies with above-average diversity generate 19% more innovation revenue—so, altogether, these are business statistics we need to take note of. Call [diversity and inclusion] performance strategy, talent development, or engagement infrastructure. Redefine it. Don't stop pursuing it, because the need for people to feel seen, valued, and capable is not a political position; it's human nature, and it shows up in retention numbers."
Diversity and inclusion strengthen workplace belonging, and workplace belonging decreases turnover rates. It addresses innovation deficit and leadership pipeline weaknesses, setting up a healthier company lifespan in the long run.
2. Empower employees with access and power.
Khadka stated that advocacy is the first step to empowerment, while a transition of power is the catalyst for powerful growth. She illustrated that leaders must "build systems before programs," because the former persists while the latter disappears without adequate funding.
The systems that truly nurture employee success require sponsorship and advocacy. Leaders must practice spotlighting their teams when they're not present and celebrate their achievements strategically to open additional doors.
"Networks may be transactional, but communities are generative. They hold you when systems fail, so invest in them to carry you through the hard seasons," said Khadka.
A company culture that focuses more on people rather than their output helps build more meaningful relationships and connections. Khadka highlighted that a meaningful community doesn't have to be conceptual—all it takes is one leader who decides to set a new example by uplifting each employee in turn.
3. Build an inclusive, self-sustaining company culture for longevity.
For an inclusive workplace to last, companies must assess their leaders' behavioral shifts beyond a single training metric. Even if a participant willingly engages in productive dialogue during a 45- to 90-minute session, but demonstrates no change for the rest of the work week, any level of training is moot.
Khadka concluded:
"How can leaders create psychologically safe spaces? They must ensure diverse perspectives inform business decision-making. Surface blind spots and challenge group thinking before they become costly. Build for replication, not just reach. One leader who multiplies is worth more than 1,000 people who attend a workshop and forget about it on Monday morning."
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