2024 NOMINEES & HONOREES ANNOUNCED

Oliva Hoeft is a marketing manager at Google who is passionate about amplifying diverse voices who are driving innovation at the intersection of technology and society. As a global leader of the Google Aboriginal and Indigenous Network, she empowers Indigenous communities within and outside of Google. She also serves as a trustee for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Olivia is a proud citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin.

I am a tech and sport innovator. As a mission-driven leader focused on closing the digital divide, I help leaders create SMART City and infrastructure roadmaps in both rural and urban areas. I collaborate with community stakeholders to deepen relationships and co-create future strategies for self-defined pathways. My superpowers lie in creating strategy, team building, and relationship cultivation to unlock other worldly opportunities. Educated at my HBCU, Clark Atlanta University, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins, I rely on my Brooklyn grit, family love, and faith in God to dream big. Most importantly, I am the proud mother of my son, Chase.

Nandita is a TEDx speaker and Accessibility Product Manager at Microsoft. She has been inducted into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame and named Influential Woman of Manufacturing 2019 by Putman Media. She has been recognized globally through the Stevie Award as Social Change Maker of the Year for her disability advocacy. Her influence echoes beyond corporate corridors reaching pages of reputable publications and media such as Times of India, Forbes, NASDAQ, and Business Insider.

Drew Afualo is a creator, advocate, podcast host and author best known as the internet’s “Crusader for Women”. Her hilarious, no-BS approach to shoveling misogyny out of TikTok via viral takedowns, takes female empowerment to new levels. She’s a preeminent feminist leader of her generation with an audience of over nine million. She’s also a proud Samoan who often spotlights her heritage and uplifts others in the AAPI community. She’s one of Time’s Next Generation Leaders, and one of Forbes’ Top Creators of 2023. She was the official Oscars 2023 red-carpet correspondent and her first book will launch July 30th.

Gabby Beckford is an award-winning travel and lifestyle creator @packslight. She has over 500K+ followers and has been to more than 50 countries—many completely solo! A true multi-hyphenate, Gabby has worked with huge brands including Delta Airlines, Sony, and Marriott and given a TEDx Talk on Delusional Confidence. Through Packs Light she’s dispensed more than $30,000 in travel grants. Her next goal? Hosting her own TV show to continue her mission of inspiring BIPOC women to skip “why?” ask “why NOT?”, and to transform their lives through travel.

I’m Leah Smart, an interviewer and editor for LinkedIn News, where I explore what it means to live “the good life.” Since 2022, I’ve hosted the podcastEveryday Better with Leah Smartand its companion newsletter. Each episode brings insights from researchers or inspiring stories from authors, aimed at enhancing our personal and professional lives. Our show has won notable awards for “most inspirational” podcast and ranks as a top education podcast on Apple.I live in Manhattan with my husband and our two dogs. We relish weekend adventures—whether exploring outside the city or catching a Broadway show.

Agency: FCB Chicago
Client: Digital Public Library of America

America is facing a book banning crisis. In 2023 alone, 3,059 books were banned – more than in any other year. The Digital Public Library of America holds that our democracy relies on our freedom to read. And believes books should always be available to everyone. DPLA geo-fenced the footprint of every library that banned the books and made those books available for any person when they are within those libraries. Sending a strong message to the book banners – that every time they try to take a book off the shelf, the DPLA will put it right back, virtually.

Agency: Rethink
Client: KitKat

KitKat has long been synonymous with the ‘break’ and its various meanings and interpretations within culture – the water-cooler break at the office, the serendipitously unplanned break, the mental break. But one break that hasn’t been celebrated by brands is the break that happens every evening during the holy month of Ramadan — Iftar — the breaking of your daily fast. That’s why we created the limited-edition KitKat Iftar Bar: a KitKat Bar with 30 pieces – one for each day of RamadanWe wanted to find a way to authentically celebrate this break with the Muslim community.

Agency: FCB Chicago & FCB New York
Client: Ad Council

“Love, Your Mind” takes the form of a personal letter encouraging you to tend to your mental health. It focuses on a segment who tends to suffer most but face strong stigma, which skewed toward Black and Hispanic men. Despite reporting challenges, over half see reaching out for mental health help as weakness. “Love, Your Mind” reframes mental health from a perceived weakness to a tool that helps unlock one of their strongest values in life: success

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland
Client: American Indian College Fund

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2023, the American Indian College Fund (AICF) in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy Portland released its latest campaign titled, “Move Aside” featuring Reservation Dogs’ Elva Guerra of the Ponca Nation and directed by Erica Tremblay of the Seneca-Cayuga, that showcases the unwavering potential of Native American college graduates who are entering the workforce.

These graduates are innovators, healthcare providers, forestry techs, Senators, and NASA rocket scientists. They are leaders, mentors, and future change makers. When society makes room and moves aside for tomorrow’s Indigenous graduates, it supports the future. When society becomes a friend and ally, it is legitimizing Indigenous peoples’ place in the world.

Agency: McCann Detroit
Client: U.S. Bank

Last year, U.S. Bank was expanding in California, which is 40% Hispanic. To earn our way into the lives of these consumers, we needed to understand their lived experience. Which led us to something a lot of us take for granted: language.This inspired Asistente Inteligente – the first and only Spanish language voice assistant for banking. Only 23% of immigrants from Spanish speaking countries speak proficient English. But that number jumps to 94% for their grandchildren’s generation. Because of that, millions of first-generation kids become their family’s translators. It’s one of the most American stories that had never been told.

Bayyina Black is an award-winning creative sustainability and social impact expert. Her 10+ years career has been dedicated to championing positive business-wide evolution and driving change on a global scale no matter who with or where she opens her laptop. Bayyina has brought her relentless passion for helping brands and businesses align with their purpose and people to her current role with digital advertising agency, R/GA. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Pivots, throughout her 6-year tenure, Bayyina has worked within R/GA’s Ventures Studio, Content Studio, and Creative department as both a Producer and Art Director. The common denominator in every role she’s held was her passion for social impact and purpose-driven action initiatives which led to her becoming R/GA’s first Global Director of Sustainability and Impact. Bayyina’s most notable accomplishment in this role has been creating R/GA’s flagship pro bono program, Make/Good for Businesses designed to help close the racial wealth gap by providing creative and strategic services for Black, Indigenous, Latine and Asian small businesses and non-profits. To date, the program has provided services to 25+ underrepresented businesses and non-profits and aided in funding over $1M to them through grants and donations. Named a Rising Star of Madison Avenue by Business Insider and Global Connector by R/GA, Bayyina’s impact can be felt from having led initiatives from Brooklyn to Brazil. She is also the co-creator of Grupo de Negros (GDN), the Afro-Brazilian business resource group based in São, Paulo, Brazil. Her most recent projects include co-launching with Founderland, PAM, the AI-powered platform for female founders of color designed to practice their investor pitches, launching RISE, the new DEI brand for advertising holding company, Interpublic Group (IPG) and partnering with Black Women for Black Lives to create an NFT for the #blackinukraine movement which helped save over 5,000 people of African descent strained in Ukraine. Bayyina takes great pride is serving as an advisor for ESG-focused entrepreneurs as well as a mentor to professionals seeking to live more fully in their purpose. As an avid traveler and digital nomad, Bayyina splits her time between Brooklyn, NY, Salvador/São Paulo, Brazil and Kingston, Jamaica with her passport always in tow. When grounded, she still flies high moonlighting as a licensed drone pilot and can often be found blowing bubbles at music concerts and passing out sunflowers to add a little sunshine to people’s day.

Lisa Torres has nearly 30 years of experience in creating an inclusive advertising ecosystem and mentoring industry leaders. As President of Publicis Media’s Cultural Quotient, she has spearheaded a data-centric approach to understanding diverse consumer segments. Lisa co-founded the Once & For All Coalition, which has increased budget allocations to diverse suppliers by 50% and launched a $35 million Inclusion Investment Fund, generating over half a billion media impressions. A fierce DE&I advocate, Lisa has received numerous accolades and is a key player in Publicis’ diversity initiatives.

As a proud, neurodiverse Latina, Sonia Bisono has dedicated herself to creating a more equitable workplace and industry—all a testament to how she wants to see the world.

Throughout her 19-year career at Wieden+Kennedy, she has grown and evolved the agency’s trafficking practices and ADA compliance. Prior to Wieden+Kennedy, she spent five years at the Spanish-language television network Univision, where she worked in everything from ad sales to field producing and editing.

As a single mother who lost a child to gun violence, she is continuously making space to help others and give a voice to the voiceless.

Judith Harrison leads global diversity, equity and inclusion at Weber Shandwick, which she has guided to recognition as a champion of DEI with honors including an unparalleled four PRWeek/PR Council Diversity Distinction in PR Awards. Her open forums for employees, Time to Connect, which bring people together for transparent conversations about sensitive cultural issues, including racism, anti-Semitism, misogyny and violence, were recognized as a best practice by Harvard Business Review. Judith is past president of the PRSA Foundation and two-term president of New York Women in Communications. She is the only individual to hold both positions simultaneously.

Marc Wilson, PhD joined FCB Chicago in 2020 to lead the agency’s Strategic Inclusion practice, where he is responsible for all DE&I initiatives as they relate to the agency. Over his 15-year tenure as a strategist, he has used his strategic acumen and intimate knowledge of the multicultural space to help build dozens of blue-chip brands across several global agencies. Marc’s passion for bringing multicultural values and insights to the mainstream has driven him to lead the development of “Upstream Inclusion” — FCB’s unique proprietary process to help businesses create more inclusive work. A husband and father of two, he finds his greatest joy spending time with his family and their dogs.

A trailblazing DE&I advocate with over a decade of experience in marketing, operations, and change management. As an executive at Ogilvy, she leads initiatives like the Modern Exchange and bespoke programs, embedding inclusion into practices for employees and clients. Known for leading through innovation, she has given the industry many of its “firsts”—including the first global leadership program for Black men. In her previous role, she launched global “Belonging” trainings for over 100,000 individuals and established a global supplier diversity council. Founder of Levelset, Saif-Hands, and “ToATee,” Tope actively volunteers, is a Mental Health Ally, and enjoys traveling, surfing,and literature.

Brandon Butler is partner/Chief Content Officer at Majority, an Atlanta-based crea=ve agency. With a background in adver=sing, marke=ng, and tech, he has worked with brands like General Motors, Sprite, MLB, and Amazon. His career includes roles at Accenture, Edelman, and the NBA. Butler is also the CEO of BuLer.ATL, a cultural voice in Atlanta. BuLer.ATL’s 404 Scholarship has raised over $250,000 for Metro Atlanta students since 2021. He was on Adweek’s Crea=ve 100 (2021) and Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders (2020-2023).

Ian Mackenzie is McCann Worldgroup’s Global Creative AI Lead and Chief Creative Officer of McCann Canada. He is a white member of the LGBTQ+ community and has a long record of working with and in support of marginalized communities. His work has promoted LGBTQ+ safety and acceptance, combated anti-Black racism and supported survivors of sexual violence. Notable efforts include celebrated campaigns for Black & Abroad (“Black Elevation Map,” “Go Back to Africa”), PFLAG (“Destination Pride”) and Bimbo (“Greatest Guide”). He also worked as a reporter covering the equal marriage beat in Canada at the LGBTQ+ bi-weekly newspaper Xtra!.

As a globally touring recording artist, writer and award-winning social entrepreneur, Lachi—born legally blind—has dedicated her career and craft to amplifying disability, neurodivergence and mental health within mainstream discussion. As Founder/CEO of the U.N.-recognized platform RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities), Lachi has collaborated with the GRAMMYs, Netflix, Tidal, Live Nation and more on disability-inclusive programs and solutions. From speaking on accessibility at the White House to the BBC to PBS to TEDx, Lachi’s work has been lauded in NYTimes, Billboard, Essence, Good Morning America and USA Today, where she was named a 2024 Woman of the Year.

This is the story of how a partnership, between the Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) and FCB Canada, became many partnerships. About how partnering with Google, the United Nations, GoogleAI, Fitbit, and LinkedIn, has allowed this partnership to tackle a new challenge the Down syndrome community faces every year. We answered questions for expectant parents, we changed Google’s voice algorithm to better serve the 78 million people around the world living with atypical speech, we led a global research study to prove the link between fitness and cognition, and finally, we made the Down syndrome community visible to employers.

Most brands sponsor sports events.
Michelob ULTRA expanded the limits of how fans can watch live sports games.
We invented Dreamcaster technology which helps blind sports fans enjoy live NBA games more easily via sound, haptics, and generative braille.
But how could we prove that blind people could fully understand the action?
We launched the technology by empowering Cameron Black, a blind writer, to become the first blind person to commentate a live NBA game.
And now, we’ve created a Dreamcaster web-based mobile app that blind and visually-impaired fans can use to enjoy games at arenas like Madison Square Garden.

Cultural preservation is a critical and often overlooked part of equity. True inclusion starts by being seen and understood. WhatsApp and Giannis Antetokounmpo exemplify this spirit.

WhatsApp’s product and brand mission is to bring people closer to their cultures and communities, and Giannis is a global NBA superstar with cross-cultural roots. When Giannis and WhatsApp teamed up for the brand’s first-ever global partnership in 2023, they saw the potential to demonstrate the power of culture to create impact. They focused on the issue of language and literacy: mother tongue language books are one of the most cost-effective literacy interventions, yet 40% of children globally lack access to mother-tongue educational materials.

In Nigeria, Giannis’ home country, 70% of children cannot read with meaning. Together, WhatsApp and Giannis partnered to shine a light on this issue globally and make a direct impact—co-founding an on-ground arm of a literacy NGO in Nigeria and reaching 900,000 children globally in just six months.

Giannis’ origin story exemplifies the importance of cross-cultural identity. Greek-born and of Nigerian descent, Giannis credits WhatsApp with helping him stay connected to his friends and family around the world for years while he built a career in the NBA abroad. Growing up in Greece, his mother’s Igbo lullabies became a vehicle for passing on Nigerian culture and language. As a father and philanthropist with a vision to make an impact and connect more deeply to his roots, Giannis, his family foundation—the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation (CAFF)—and WhatsApp teamed up with NABU, an international nonprofit creating culturally responsive children’s books in mother tongue language to preserve culture and improve literacy rates.

Together, WhatsApp, Giannis, CAFF, and NABU embarked on a collective mission to pass down Nigerian culture through mother tongue children’s books. As part of this collaboration, the group co-founded NABU Nigeria—bringing the organization’s work to a market where mother tongue language books can make a massive impact but where previously no on-the-ground presence existed—established NABU’s ABC Lab in Lagos, and sponsored the creation of dozens of children’s e-books in Igbo, Giannis’ mother tongue. The six-month campaign included global digital activations on socials and streaming, including the release of an original film “Ugo: A Homecoming Story,” which highlights Giannis’ visit to NABU Nigeria’s new lab. The campaign also included a local activation in Houston, TX, the U.S. city with the largest diasporic Nigerian population, engaging over 150 kids during a celebratory afternoon at a local Boys & Girls Club.

As a result of this partnership, nearly 900,000 children engaged with NABU globally over six months (a 45% increase over their monthly average), providing them with proven tools for increasing literacy and cultural preservation. In addition, direct search for NABU increased by 2,500,000%, engagement with NABU’s content nearly tripled globally, and over 2M unique users visited NABU’s website within the six-month campaign period. NABU continues to create and disseminate free mother-tongue children’s ebooks across the globe, working across 10+ countries and serving over 7M children.

Ivan Delgado, Cincinnati-based Designer at Landor, brings four years of experience building transformative brands for global clients. Passionate and articulate, he challenges cultural conventions while championing inclusivity and student outreach. Ivan’s thought leadership promotes a competitive advantage for businesses and inspires industry-wide conversations on creative excellence. With his expertise in brand strategy, visual identity, and cultural transformation, Ivan has shaped brands like The Human Rights Campaign, The Coca-Cola Company, and SC Johnson. Ivan’s versatile talent has been featured in Communication Arts Magazine and recognized at Graphis International, Graphic Design USA, and the Transform Awards in North America and Europe.

Jazmin Eusebio is a Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging & PR Manager at Highwire PR. In this role, Jazmin combines her passion for social justice with her skills in strategic communications and media relations. At Highwire, she is an active voice in the Internship Program and Mentorship committees, where she dedicates time to create and refine workplace trainings for junior staff members. She has been recognized by PRNews, Diversity Action Alliance, PRSA, and the Social Impact Awards for her contributions to DEI and dedication to creating spaces and opportunities for historically marginalized communities and emerging young professionals.

In his day job, Shahamat Uddin is an account supervisor at Praytell agency, specialized in their travel and corporate reputation practice areas. Throughout his three years at Praytell, he’s successfully participated in and won five new business proposals, tripling the size of the agency’s travel practice. Outside of Praytell, Shahamat is a notable freelance writer, covering queer and South Asian issues for a variety of outlets including Vogue, New York Magazine, The Nation, Teen Vogue and more. He also serves as the communications director for the 501c3 non-profit, Artists Climate Collective.

Named on the 2024 Campaign Magazine UK A-list and one of their 2023 Trailblazers of the Year, Chloë Davies is an award-winning founder, creative, passionate social impact consultant, chef, and entrepreneur who has dedicated much of her 20+ year career campaigning for inclusion and equality in all spaces, whether in-house at agency level, corporate organizations, or through wider community engagement. With over 15 years of experience in retail, artist management, and PR, Chloë has honed her expertise in leadership, social impact, and inclusive representation. Her work centers around authentic storytelling, creating spaces of belonging, mental health & well-being, self-empowerment, culture change, and workplace advocacy. Simply put, she is trying to change the world for the better.

In April 2023, she founded ‘It Takes A Village Collective’—a global hub for Black women in advertising, media, marketing, and comms whose mission is to ensure that 1 in 5 people in adland will be a Black woman by 2028. By celebrating and championing them, for their talents to be seen, heard, and amplified, and together shaping the collective industries into a space where Black women can have agency and thrive.

She is also one of the 8 Co-founders of ‘Join Our Table’—a community platform created with a purpose to use their collective power to amplify the amazing work of Black female talent in the UK advertising, marketing, and media industries and build an uplifting space for Black women to be visible, feel supported, and succeed.

She is a member of ForbesBLK, WACL, MEFA, and BLOOM UK. Alongside volunteer roles for UK Black Pride and The London Queer Fashion Show, she is an Ambassador for Mental Health First Aid England, Founding Ambassador (Community Engagement) for LBTQWomen, and a Trustee for The London LGBTQ+ Community Centre Charity.

In 2024, Chloë will take on the role of Chair of Judges for Campaign UK’s ‘40 over 40’ Awards, is a member of the D&AD24 Impact Jury, a Judge for the Pros Awards, and a returning judge for the Creative Circle and Prolific North Creative Awards.

Kati Fernandez is an Afro-Latina born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Cambridge, MA, with a wealth of experience in content creation, strategy, production, management, operations, and marketing. As ESPN’s Senior Director of Content Development, Kati currently oversees the strategy and development of compelling content across ESPN+ Originals, ESPN Films, 30 for 30 documentaries, and ESPN Special Projects. Additionally, Kati is a HearstLab Scout, actively participating in evaluating potential HearstLab investments at pre-seed and seed stages, TechStar Mentor, and is the current Vice President for WISE Boston (Women in Sports and Events).

Theo is an ECD at JOAN and is known as an award-winning creative, brand strategist and content specialist with over seventeen years of experience. His never-ending mission to see the beauty and obscurities in life and challenge conventional thinking has led him to work with large global brands, launch effective campaigns and create award-winning films.Theo is a graduate of Humber College, an advisor at HXOUSE, and a mentor at One School. He also previously taught at the George Brown School of Design and sits on the advisory committee.Theo continuously establishes himself and his partners as progressive creatives and marketers.

Queen Latifah is a Grammy and Emmy award-winning and Oscar-nominated musician, actress, producer, label president, author, and entrepreneur. Her previous film credits include JUNGLE FEVER, SET IF OFF, CHICAGO, BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, THE LAST HOLIDAY, BEAUTY SHOP, LIFE SUPPORT, BESSIE, and GIRLS TRIP and her television credits include Living Single and Star. Latifah starred in the live television adaptations of The Wiz Live! for NBC and The Little Mermaid Live! for ABC.
Latifah can currently be seen in the hit CBS series The Equalizer, of which she is also an executive producer. The show will premiere its fifth season on October 20th.

Dany Garcia is the Founder and Chairwoman of The Garcia Companies, a portfolio of human-centered brands including the UFL, Seven Bucks Productions (JUMANJI franchise, Hobbs & Shaw, Rampage, Red Notice – Netflix’s number one most watched film of all time), ZOA, Teremana Tequila, the Project Rock line at Under Armour, Acorns, Atom Tickets, and Salt & Straw. With her passion for building global enterprises and advocating for diversity in business, matched by her love for professional sports and personal athletic ambitions, Garcia redefines what it means to build brands built directly from values – merging high performance with joyful experiences.

Ashley Henderson is an LA Native, Howard Graduate, mentor, leader and friend. College served as an incubation period for mastering the skills needed to perfect her craft. It was through internships at Interscope Records, W.H.U.R Radio in DC, and the desk of Michael Eric Dyson where she learned the art of business and how it intersected with creativity. She then led regional events as a manager at Estee Lauder, Mac Cosmetics where the entrepreneurial spark eventually became too bright to ignore. After a long corporate run, she founded League 22 and the rest is still being written.

Above all else, Jason Campbell is a Caribbean immigrant first. His Caribbean roots colors his creativity, his perspectives and was instrumental in how he got to where he is today. These same roots power his leadership and legacy inside and outside the walls of Translation. 

Although his career has extended across some of the top agencies, he found Translation to be a place where he could test many of his beliefs around the true value of diversity and its creative power. As the Chief Creative Officer at Translation, an agency that’s legacy is founded on pushing culture forward; it takes fearlessness and vulnerability to lead within a space dedicated to breaking free of the dated norms of the advertising industry. 

He has a storied career that has led him to work with the likes of Nike, the NBA, Verizon, Impossible Foods, Airbnb, and perhaps most famously, Beats by Dre, for whom he made the Cannes Lion Titanium-winning “You Love Me.”  Prior to Translation, Campbell graduated to applause. Adweek named him one of the ‘Top 5 Ad School Graduates’, and the One Club awarded him the prestigious Patrick Kelly Scholarship.

Yet early in his career, Jason realized that learning from the best was even better when you could share it with others. This not only led him to a teaching position at Miami Ad School but has shaped his impact across the industry. 

Campbell took up the reins as the Chief Creative Officer of Translation in the summer of 2020. That summer, the industry had a knee-jerk reaction to go after black and brown talent, and yet at Translation, where diversity was already pure at its core, he delved straight into the deep end of getting to know his team remotely. He made an immediate impact. That impact was felt through his conscious effort to get deep quickly and to exert trust and belief in the creative department he inherited. 

He carries a sense of pride across all the creatives he’s mentored and championed. Of his team at Translation in particular, he religiously speaks of their focus, talent, and drive that gets them through each project and the tough tasks. He has continuously advocated for what happens when you unleash diversity and creativity in business.  

He’s been able to build a team that doesn’t look one way or sound one way; it’s a team of differences. The diversity of background, talent, and thought allows him to empower his team to keep each other honest on many things. “We don’t assume the right answer, there’s a lot of debate and a lot of conversation about what’s right.” 

Campbell understands how to distill a brand’s story to its true essence and combine that with the cultural climate to build a moment an audience can’t miss. This, in combination with his ability to uplift others to reach new creative heights, is his true art.

88rising is a pioneering global music and media company representing the best of Asian talent and culture. Since its inception, 88rising has paved the way for many music industry firsts for its artists. Under the leadership of founder & CEO, Sean Miyashiro, the company has also grown its brand to include a global festival, Head In The Clouds Music & Artist Festival, and special partnerships with the likes of Coachella, Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and many more. With over 200 million followers across global social media platforms and over 50 billion streams and views, 88rising’s global influence is undeniable.

Adrienne Hayes is the Vice President for Global Subscriptions & Customer Growth Marketing at Google. Previously, she served as the VP of Marketing for Google’s first-party devices and services, including Pixel, Nest, Fitbit and Google Store. She helped advocate for and sponsor research focused on building better, more accurate camera technology in Google’s products – particularly for people of color and low vision. Adrienne has also held leadership roles at PR and Marketing agencies working alongside C Suites for the world’s top brands. She is currently the Global Executive Sponsor of Google’s LGBTQ+ employee group and serves on GLAAD’s Board of Directors.

Brian Anthony Moreland is a celebrated producer in theatre, film, and television, recognized for his visionary work. Honored on EBONY’s Power 100 List and named one of “Variety’s 2020 Top 10 on Broadway to Watch,” he has received two Tony Award nominations. His notable Broadway projects include the acclaimed The WIZ and an upcoming OTHELLO with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. His impressive portfolio features hits like The Piano Lesson and The Lifespan of a Fact. Based in New York, Brian is deeply committed to the arts, supporting initiatives through TDF and various boards, and championing diversity and inclusion.

Geena Rocero, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, is a four time Emmy Nominated and Award Winning Producer, Writer and Director. She is 2023 Glamour Woman of The Year, recipient of A1 Award in Gold House’s A100 List and OUT100 List. Her award winning memoir Horse Barbie is the recipient of THEM Now Awards for Literature. She Directed and EP the EMMY and GLAAD Media Awards nominated CARETAKERS series with PBS.On March 31, 2014, Rocero came out as transgender in a viral Talk at the annual TED Conference. Geena has spoken at the White House, World Economic Forum and UN.

DIVE Studios is a leading digital media company renowned for its innovative content and advertising solutions. Specializing in K-pop, Korean Entertainment, and Gen-Z culture, DIVE creates viral shows, podcasts, and creative projects that seamlessly blend cultural insights with cutting-edge media. With over 7 million social followers, 1.5 billion views, and up to 85 million monthly viewers, DIVE Studios is the largest international K-pop media company. Their expertise in advertising, digital marketing and collaborations with the world’s biggest stars have made them a dynamic partner for many of today’s leading brands.

MAKERS is a Yahoo media and community-focused brand that exists to accelerate equity for women in the workplace and beyond by forging purposeful partnerships and sharing stories that ignite passion, drive action, and make change.

Mónica Ramírez is an attorney, author and activist. She is the founder of Justice for Migrant Women and co-founder of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, The Latinx House, and Poderistas. Mónica has received numerous awards, including Harvard Kennedy School’s first Gender Equity Changemaker Award, Feminist Majority’s Global Women’s Rights Award and the Smithsonian’s 2018 Ingenuity Award. She was named to Forbes Mexico’s 100 Most Powerful Women’s 2018 list, TIME Magazine’s TIME100 Next list in 2021 and the Association of Latino Professionals for America’s (ALPFA) Most Powerful Latinas list for 2024. Mónica is also an inaugural member of the Ford Global Fellowship. Mónica lives in Ohio with her husband and son.

As Chief Strategy Officer of Publicis Groupe, Carla Serrano drives transformation across all aspects of the business and in service of Publicis Groupe’s clients. She is the co-creator and evangelist of some of Publicis’ most disruptive talent models including Le Truc, a creative collective centered around diverse shared leadership; Marcel, the global AI platform powering access, inclusivity and equality; and Working with Cancer, changing the lives of millions of cancer survivors in the workplace. A member of Groupe’s Diversity Progress Council, Carla is passionate about mentoring the next generation (particularly young female professionals) and creating innovative experiences for talent rooted in diversity and flexibility.

Justina Omokhua is the Senior Vice President at Parkwood Entertainment – a production company, record label and management firm founded by entertainer and entrepreneur, Beyoncé. Justina works across the entire ecosystem of the company creating synergy across the various businesses in the portfolio. As SVP, Justina is responsible for strategic planning and firm-wide management, overseeing day to day operations.

Respected marketing guru, Justina Omokhua, is synonymous with “strategist.” She maintains an insatiable curiosity and a thirst, drive and need for information – that has been central to the success she’s manifested in her career. Prior to Parkwood, Justina worked at Apple as the Global Head of Content Strategy & Lifestyle Marketing for the Software and Services Business. She has also worked for some of the largest brands in the world – including Endeavor, Verizon, Nokia, Pepsi and L’Oreal.

According to her, “Marketing is more than logos and beautiful imagery, it’s about establishing a meaningful relationship with people that is reinforced at every touchpoint”. “Wherever I work, I seek to help architect and build the next phase evolution with this in mind.

Justina holds a Bachelor’s Degree from York University, an MBA Certificate from Rutgers and a Certificate in Leading Difference for High Performance from Harvard Business School. She has served as a delegate at the 2015 United Nations Social Impact Summit and she currently sits on the board of E-SPAT TV, and advisory councils for Happy Hues and The Bloom Africa.

As CEO, Sean Tresvant oversees Taco Bell’s global growth strategy, franchise operations and overall performance. Since joining Taco Bell, Sean has led the brand into a new era, accelerating profitable growth and spearheading boundary-pushing efforts that drive culture. Previously, he served as Taco Bell’s Global Chief Brand & Strategy Officer.

Sean is Vice Chairman of the Taco Bell Foundation and a founding member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA), where he advocates for opportunity and access for Black marketing professionals. Before joining Taco Bell, he spent 15+ years at Nike, working his way up to CMO of Jordan Brand.

America’s first two Black Generals were a Father & Son duo with the same name: General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. & Sr.

Beginning as unwelcome additions to the Army, they would work under eight different Presidents in various capacities over the course of 75 years. During that time, the pair accumulated an impressive list of achievements, including:
Being the architects and the commander of the 15,000 Tuskegee Airmen, also known as the Red Tails during WW2.
Being the driving force of Executive Order 9980 & 9981, which ordered the desegregation of the federal workforce and integrated the military in 1948.
Leading the creation of the US Air Marshall Program and what’s now known as the TSA in 1971.
Integrating the US Air Force Academy to allow women cadets in 1975.
Heading the creation of the 55 mph national speed limit in 1977 to save lives.
These two men, known as the Invisible Generals, represent what it is to be an American and laid the foundation for a more equitable United States – for everyone.

Judy Jackson is driven by bringing out the best in others and embracing their authentic selves.. As a well respected thought leader in human resource management and in building inclusive company cultures, she is the President and Founder of JLC Ventures. Through her work, Judy creates programs that support under-represented groups in their career growth, development and well being. She coaches leaders on fostering human-centered companies, emphasizing that people are at the heart of its success and helps to build environments characterized by trust, empathy, compassion and meaningful connections.

As Nielsen’s Chief Business Inclusion, Impact & Belonging Officer, Sandra leads Nielsen’s strategy to create a more inclusive and equitable media industry—empowering clients, communities and employees. She evolved Nielsen’s DE&I and Corporate Citizenship teams to Business Inclusion, Impact & Belonging to reflect the team’s impact on the success of Nielsen’s people and business.Before Nielsen, Sandra was Chief Diversity Officer for Publicis Groupe. She is on the boards of the Nielsen Foundation, NY Advertising Club, ColorComm and is Board Chair of BRIDGE. A straight talk leader and change agent, Sandra creates space for diverse voices and building stronger, more inclusive leaders.

Sean Choi is your everyday first-gen Korean American, neurodivergent New Yorker on a crusade to arouse influential creativity through cultural fluency. Client jerseys he’s hung up include Google, DoorDash, & Snapchat while repping award-winning shops like 3x Agency of the Year, The Martin Agency. As The Culture Whisperer, he’s an educator, consultant, & collaborator for professional & commercial creatives. He’s brought honor to his family & career by taking the keynote stage at 4A’s Stratfest, interviewing the Oscars-sweeping directors of Everything Everywhere All At Once, curating industry-beloved cultural moments resources, & even being dubbed an official Rockstar by Ad Club.

Mimi is a first-generation Vietnamese-American, daughter of refugees, and Mom to Vietnamese-Puerto Rican American daughters. She is the Executive Producer of award-winning films, “The Myth” and “Call It Covid.” She occupies the role of Global Creative Producer at Wieden+Kennedy. In an industry that champions brands, Mimi champions people. She uses her position in the industry to identify opportunities for brands to act as platforms to uplift marginalized communities. And where there are none – she creates them. An Ad Age The List Generation Next alum, she was recently selected as an AICP Judge and honored by The AdClub of NY.