Ad Council names Elise James-DeCruise as its first Chief Equity Officer

The Ad Council has appointed Elise James-DeCruise as the organisation’s first Chief Equity Officer, today.

In this role, James-DeCruise will oversee the organisation’s ongoing commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I); ultimately informing every aspect of the Ad Council’s mission, workplace culture and public-facing communications. She brings over 20 years of experience in leading strategies and solutions to promote DE&I and professional development within the world of marketing and communications. Previously, James-DeCruise held the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Marcus Thomas; a Cleveland-based independent marketing communications agency. She was also Vice President, Global Head of Multicultural Marketing and Inclusion of MediaMath in New York.

As Chief Equity Officer of the Ad Council, the nation’s leading producer of social good communications, James-DeCruise will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Sherman. Working closely with senior leadership, she will initiate, advocate for and evaluate the programmes and practices that foster a more diverse and inclusive environment. This includes overseeing and evolving the organisation’s existing commitments to racial justice.

FIGHTING SYSTEMIC RACISM & INJUSTICE

“The Ad Council is unequivocally committed to fighting systemic racism and injustice, both within our organisation and in the work we do to reach and motivate the American public,” stated Lisa Sherman, President and CEO, the Ad Council. “I am thrilled to have Elise join our team and welcome her leadership as we accelerate our efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace and society.”

Commenting on the new role, James-DeCruise stated: “Having the opportunity to join the Ad Council as the first Chief Equity Officer is humbling, exciting and rooted in hope for our community, our industry and the next generation of leaders. This work is truly at the intersection of my passion for community building, advertising for social good and my longstanding commitment to the advancement of equity and inclusion across the workforce, workplace, marketplace and community; and I couldn’t be more excited. I look forward to supporting everyone across the organisation as we partner together to create psychologically safe and brave spaces and deepen the connections between our work and our values.”

James-DeCruise holds a Master of Science in Instructional Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Robert Morris University. Her awards and accolades include recognition by Forbes as one of the top ‘Female Leaders to Watch’ in tech; by IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) for Excellence in Education 2019; also by Ad Exchanger for Best Education and Tools 2019; by Chief Learning Officer (CLO) Awards 2016 for Strategy; and by Chief Learning Officer Awards 2016 for Innovation.