Diverse perspectives are at the core of everything we do—only together can we find new ways to reach our audiences across the country. That’s why we’re proud to support industry efforts like SeeHer, #SeeAll and Free the Work.
It is also not simply our belief, but our duty, to recruit and support a diverse team that is representative of the American people. Our goal is to cultivate a sense of belonging for all who enter the Ad Council doors. It’s why we have a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council made up of volunteers from across our organization and across all levels.
We come from varied backgrounds and perspectives, but all AC-ers have one thing in common: a passion for social change. Our work brings clarity and questions, inspires us to learn from those we’re trying to reach, and helps us really listen to each other.
We cherish our differences and our common purpose.
It is also not simply our belief, but our duty, to recruit and support a diverse team that is representative of the American people. Our goal is to cultivate a sense of belonging for all who enter the Ad Council doors. It’s why we have a Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council made up of volunteers from across our organization and across all levels.
We come from varied backgrounds and perspectives, but all AC-ers have one thing in common: a passion for social change. Our work brings clarity and questions, inspires us to learn from those we’re trying to reach, and helps us really listen to each other.
We cherish our differences and our common purpose.
Our DEI Team
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Elise James-DeCruiseChief Equity Officer
Our Employee Resource & Special Interest Groups
One initiative from the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council includes our employee resource and special interest groups. Focusing on mental and physical health, people of color, LGBTQ+ and working parents, and sustainability, these groups help us value, celebrate, and support the unique characteristics that make each person at the Ad Council who they are. These groups include:
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THE MIGHTYA supportive space to promote mental and physical health. Our goal is to reduce stigma and silence around these areas and create practices that cultivate stronger and healthier minds and bodies.
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MOSAICA place for people of color to foster a sense of community, discuss challenges in and out of work, and offer one another support.
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PRISMA joyful, supportive and uplifting forum for employees who identify as LGBTQ+ (and allies on occasion) that serves as a safe place for both conversation and action.
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WORKING PARENTSIntended for parents, guardians, and allies, this group provides community and resources around parenting challenges at different ages and stages, and the struggles of balancing home and work life.
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THE GREEN TEAMA special interest group for staff who are passionate about pursuing sustainable lifestyles. Our goal is to build a supportive, climate-conscious community to share best practices and learn from professionals in the field of sustainability.
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DIGThe Disabilities Inclusion Group ("DIG") is a supportive forum for disabled staff and staff with disabilities, wherever they may be in their journey.
Our ERG & SIG Leads
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Ali BarrosoERG Lead, The Mighty
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Milan GenoveseERG Lead, The Mighty
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Jenna HokansonERG Lead, The Mighty
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Anuar SaabERG Lead, Mosaic
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Armani StewartERG Lead, Mosaic
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Diego VillegasERG Lead, Mosaic
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Ben DorfERG Lead, Prism
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Anna RodriguezERG Lead, Prism
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Emily KosticERG Lead, Working Parents
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Jessica WolinERG Lead, Working Parents
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Sammi FischerSIG Lead, The Green Team
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Christiana FreitagSIG Lead, The Green Team
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Chris RobertsSIG Lead, The Green Team
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Helena EmmanuelERG Lead, DIG
Learn With Us
The First 100 Days With Your New Chief Equity Officer
After 20 years working to foster diversity, equity and inclusion in a variety of leadership roles, Elise James-DeCruise joined the Ad Council as our chief equity officer in early 2021. As we reflect on how her first 100 days laid the groundwork for her role, we thought we’d use the opportunity to share her learnings in an effort to help other organizations set themselves up for authentic, tangible success.
Talking About Race at Work—When the Work Is About Race
In the summer of 2020, a large number of brands and corporations rushed to show the world that they were part of the country’s reckoning over systemic racism. Some took legitimate, positive steps and shared their efforts in honest, meaningful ways; others put out vague platitudes and were quickly called out for their lack of real measurable action.
DIVERSE LEADERS GROUP
Our Multicultural Leadership Council works to engage diverse industry leaders in the Ad Council's work.
EVENTS
The Next Generation of DEI Culture
At SXSW 2022, Ad Council's Jazmine Brown joined a panel of DEI practitioners to discuss the evolution of creativity, the intersection of representation and storytelling, and the new non-negotiables around DEI.
JOIN OUR TEAM
Do you want to be part of the team? We need your creativity, your talent, your smarts, and, most of all, your passion for social change.