At the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show Shelley Zalis and 7 others will be inducted into the Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors for helping drive more diversity and inclusion in the media and marketing communities. How did this pioneer of online research become the founder of The Female Quotient - famous for building up a pack of women to face down the "boys club" of CES years ago?  Zalis tells MediaVillage why not only do words matter -- and we need to move beyond "diversity" to "proximity" -- but why even the right words are not enough and action is required to thrive as a company today.

Hear why Zalis is contracted by scores of major organizations to build understanding and tear down fences in hiring and content creation...and and how helps the bottom line. 

Learn why Zalis says, "use your voice."  And listen to all our Advancing Diversity podcasts to be inspired by each of these inspiring inductees to the Hall of Honors. 

As someone who immigrated to the United States and became a citizen, Publicis Media, Americas, chief executive officer Tim Jones has a personal connection to the diversity and inclusion (D&I) issues making headlines today. That connection, and his belief in our founding doctrine of embracing all people, are clear through his participation in organizations such as Autism Speaks, for which he’s a member of its board, and myriad programs instituted at Publicis.

Jones, will be inducted in to the Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors conducted by MediaVillage on January 8 at CES, along with seven others who have stood out by accelerating the move from advocacy to activism. Jones, who serves as a conduit for many of diverse voices at the agency group, aims to ensure he amplifies their messages throughout the organization to drive real action. He loaned his voice to this Advancing Diversity podcast episode with E.B. Moss, head of content strategy for MediaVillage, discussing both his origins and the origins of some of Publicis Media initiatives created to help diverse talent get hired by our industry and be heard – and why they strive to even take that message to Washington, DC, as well. 

Sue Obeidi has been encouraging content creators to break stereotypes and rethink portrayals of the Islamic community and Muslim characters in entertainment content. In the face of world events, the director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council's Hollywood Bureau is committed to improving the quality and number of authentic and inclusive representations in media, so audiences see this community as vital contributors to culture worldwide.

She is a vibrant, fresh, and persuasive voice who is producing results. In this Advancing Diversity podcast episode with E.B. Moss, head of content strategy for MediaVillage, Obeidi fully explains the case for why the entertainment industry is more influential than the government in impacting societal and cultural change. And that explains why, in 2017, Obeidi was one of 60 change-makers named to Variety's Inclusion Impact Report and why in January 2020, along with her friend Tim McNeal, she and six others will be inducted in the MediaVillage Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors. 

Tim McNeal starts his day with gratitude. And probably, so do a lot of the staff at Walt Disney Television. Thanks to McNeal, who is vice president, creative talent development and inclusion, there is a more diverse and inclusive writing program and directing program across Walt Disney Television, including Freeform and Disney Channel. McNeal is also instrumental in growing and supporting the National Latino Media Council, and the Hispanic Media Coalition's Latino Television Writers Program. 

That's just part of the reason he's being inducted into the MediaVillage Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors, at CES on January 8th. Since he joined in 2006, McNeal who came from a creative executive background and worked with diverse creatives, moved from advocacy to activism. As he tells MediaVillage editor, Ginger Conlon and head of strategy, E.B. Moss, "there was a whole population of people out there that already had the skill set that weren't connecting to those opportunities. So I realized that we had an opportunity to identify individuals that were already in the business that weren't connecting with jobs in the entertainment business.. The first thing I did with our talent development programs was shift it from an educational program to a staffing program."  

Hear how he did that...and so much more to up D&I across Hollywood and beyond... and why it benefits the bottom of media companies and helps the people that media touches. 

Imagine working at the sweetest place on earth – not just because it’s the home of Hershey’s chocolate, but because it has mandatory equal pay, a diverse board of directors, and a non-profit school for disadvantaged youngsters right on the premises. Imagine being the chief marketing officer who gets to communicate all those inclusive corporate initiatives. Listen to MediaVillage’s E.B. Moss, head of content strategy, and Ginger Conlon, editor-in-chief, talk with Jill Baskin, chief marketing officer of The Hershey Company.

Baskin oversees all aspects of marketing for some of the sweetest brands on earth – and her outstanding efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion mean she is to be inducted into the Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors at CES on January 8th.

In this exclusive interview she explains

• how and why diversity and inclusion became a key tenet of the company,
• exactly how Hershey has instituted pay equality
• what Jill does personally to ensure that this business and societal imperative is supported by her internal and external team.

MediaVillage’s E.B. Moss, head of content strategy, and Ginger Conlon, editor-in-chief, talk with Tiffany R. Warren, founder and president, AdColor, and SVP/chief diversity officer, Omnicom Media Group. Warren, who previously led the multicultural and diversity programs at the 4As and Arnold Worldwide, has earned many honors -- from the AAAF Pioneer in Diversity Award, MAIP/Digitas Multicultural Scholarship Award, to the Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence. She discusses the origins and future of AdColor, how its mission and her work at Omnicom dovetail, and the milestones both have achieved in advancing diversity. And those are just some of the reasons Warren is being inducted into the Advancing Diversity Hall of Honors at CES on January 8th. 

Listen now, and learn why this gregarious leader keeps her awards “in the basement” and how she works to raise up new AdColor participants; how she promotes data around diversity to inspire creatives but believes "KPIs" should stand for “Keep People Interested." Warren even describes how she lost her “imposter complex” and found a new family.  

Need proof that weaving diversity and inclusion into the fabric of a  company is good for business? We have it. In this Advancing Diversity podcast interview series, the 2020 Hall of Honors inductees discuss the many ways their organizations champion and embed diversity, equality, and inclusion, as well as examine the benefits to their company, constituents, and community.

In this installment, E.B. Moss, head of content strategy for MediaVillage, talks with Tony Rogers, senior vice president and chief member officer for Sam's Club. Rogers discusses the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I), the areas he’s worked on specifically, and the contributions those D&I efforts have had on the company and within the advertising, marketing, and media industry.

Listen to the full interview for insight into Walmart’s culture, Rogers’ background and how that has influenced his D&I perspectives and work, and the importance of broadening your own worldview. As he says, "One of the things you realize when you work at a giant company like Walmart … is you have this opportunity not only to do your job and to achieve your financial objectives, but you [also] can leverage the platform that you've been given to make a positive change in the world around you."

The Advancing Diversity Podcast asks and answers the questions: How does the media and marketing industry hire more diverse talent? How can brands produce TV, video and ads that are more inclusive...more representative of the real world?

MediaVillage honors -- and interviews -- top leaders in media, marketing, advertising and education who've advanced diversity and shares how they help make the world a little better. Listen here as hosts E.B. Moss and Ginger Conlon interview eight luminaries, like Tony Rogers, Chief Member Officer of Sam's Club, Tiffany R. Warren, Chief Diversity Officer of Omnicom Media Group and founder of AdColor... Shelley Zalis of the Female Quotient, and Jill Baskin, CMO of The Hershey Company. Please share - and subscribe wherever you download your favorite podcasts.

And join us on January 8th, 2020 at CES for the Advancing Diversity Honors to meet each of these interviewees in person! www.ces20.com