Driving DEI Forward Returns For a Second Year on June 15

PRSA-NY has announced its second annual Summit dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public relations. The virtual event, “Driving DEI Forward in PR Campaigns, Workplaces, and Beyond,” will begin on Wednesday, June 15 and continue throughout the day on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Returning sponsors include Ketchum and M Booth.

The Summit will open with a special session featuring communications industry CEOs discussing approaches to DEI in the industry today. The panel will include: Dale Bornstein (CEO, M Booth), Mike Doyle (CEO, Ketchum), and Paul Dyer (CEO, Lippe Taylor).

The Summit coincides with observances of Juneteenth and LGBTQ Pride month. Programming will include panel discussions, case studies from leading brands and advocacy organizations, as well as networking opportunities for PR professionals. PRSA-NY Board Members and external presenters will share best practices for growing DEI in public relations workplaces as well as in external campaigns. For tickets and sponsorship information visit PRSA-NY’s event page.

Mita Mallick, a top LinkedIn voice and Head of Inclusion, Equity and Impact at Carta, will open PRSA-NY’s DEI Summit with a keynote address. Mallick also co-hosts the LinkedIn podcast, “Brown Table Talk.” Mita spent over 15 years as a storyteller, leading iconic brands like AVEENO, AVON Color Cosmetics, Chapstick, Vaseline, Suave and Dove. Throughout her career, she has fought hard to ensure people like her are included. Ensuring Black and Brown people were represented in campaigns. Ensuring products were created for all skin tones. Ensuring brands were not reinforcing stereotypes.

“In my work as a DEI leader, I have seen firsthand the power of stories and communities to move people and inspire change,” said Mita Mallick. “I am excited to be part of PRSA-NY’s second annual DEI Summit where we will convene a purpose-driven community eager to learn and hear stories that will inspire individual and collective actions to bolster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for the industry.”

Additional speakers include:

• Shira Almeleh, Public Affairs Manager, Jigsaw
• Shameek Bose, Global Leadership Fellow & Lead for Business Engagement, World Economic Forum
• Andrea Brimmer, Chief Marketing and PR Officer, Ally Financial
• Ashley T Brundage, President & CEO, Empowering Differences
• Kristen Lisanti, Chief Culture Officer, BCW Global
• Carly Mednick, Partner & Founder, Monday Talent
• Terry Preston, Account Supervisor, ICR
• Daniel Reynolds, Editor-in-Chief, OUT
• Cortney Willis, Entertainment Director, TheGrio and host of podcast, Acting Up
• Paula Rizzo, Emmy-Award Winning TV Producer, Bestselling Author, and Media Trainer
• Real Hamilton-Romeo, Global Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing, Sims Limited
• Christina Stokes, SVP of Talent Acquisition, Rubenstein
• Brandon Thomas, VP and Head of DEI, PAN Communications
• Dubbs Weinblatt, Founder and CEO, Thank You For Coming Out
• Eric Winkfield, VP and Head of DEI, M Booth
• Kevin Wong, VP of Comms, The Trevor Project

PRSA-NY’s DEI Summit is scheduled to feature discussions on:

• Attracting diverse talent: how to recruit and retain diverse PR professionals
• Reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha Consumers and Employees Today
• Rethinking "Professionalism": Challenging Stereotypes and Long-Held Ideals to Embrace New Workplace Culture
• Communications for Social Change: How PR can lead the way for social impact; meet the brands using PR to create social change
• Unconscious Bias Training
• Meet the Media: DEI Edition
• A case study from GLAAD and leading digital financial services company Ally on a Webby Award-winning campaign to spotlight Black LGBTQ entrepreneurs

The 2nd annual “Driving DEI Forward in PR Campaigns, Workplaces, and Beyond” Summit is organized by members of the DEI Committee of the PRSA-NY Board of Directors: Rich Ferraro, Chief Communications Officer at GLAAD, the LGBTQ media advocacy organization; Rashidah Timothy, VP of media relations at Lippe Taylor; and Moon Kim, EVP of the Corporate practice at M Booth. Corinne Findlay, Account Executive at BCW Global, is also producing the Summit.

“It is past time for industry leaders to take meaningful actions that move diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging from buzzwords into values that are embedded across the industry,” said Aaron Kwittken, President of PRSA-NY. “PRSA-NY is prioritizing pathways to create a more diverse industry and to raise the bar for how the public relations industry uses its power and reach to spotlight diverse and intersectional communities and issues.”

Registration for the Summit is free for current PRSA-NY members and $85 for non-members. Group registrations for agencies and in-house teams are also available. To purchase tickets visit PRSA-NY’s event page.

For more information about PRSA-NY’s upcoming events, mentorship program, jobs boards, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship opportunities, and for membership details, go to prsany.org.