View the 2024 Agenda

• Sunday, May 5
• Monday, May 6
• Tuesday, May 7

• Sunday, May 5

  • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
    BRIDGE Board of Directors Lunch
    
  • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    BRIDGE Board of Directors Meeting
  • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
    Cocktails and Connections
    
  • 6:15 PM - 6:30 PM
    Welcome to BRIDGE24

    

    Sheryl Daija
    CEO & Founder
    
  • 7:00 PM - 7:45 PM
    
  • 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Cinco de Mayo Celebration and Dinner

    In partnership with:

    
    
  • 8:45 PM - 9:00 PM
    The Power of Your Why

    The power we wield in advertising is immense. We mold global perspectives and influence consumer choices and societal norms.
    
    The best stories and creative work comes with informed perspective on society and culture backed by data. But the best creative work is fueled by a “why”. The thing that drives and motivates our work.

    

    Walter T. Geer
    Chief Creative Officer, Innovation North America
    
    
  • 9:15 PM
    Firepits and Friendships
    

• Monday, May 6

  • 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
    Breakfast
    
  • 9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
    BRIDGE Board of Directors Chair Welcome

    

    Jonita Wilson
    Chief Diversity Officer
    
  • 9:10 AM - 9:20 AM
    BRIDGE Welcome

    

    Sheryl Daija
    CEO & Founder
    
  • 9:20 AM - 9:50 AM
    Session 1: Keynote Fireside Chat
    How the Change Happens: The Intersection between Marketing, Business and DEI Practices

    Explore how the powerful collaboration unlock between CMOs and CDOs can drive exponential business growth by leveraging inclusion as an imperative business practice demanding the same rigor you apply to your other business practices. You will hear first-hand what it means to bring a DEI lens to marketing and business empowering CDOs to deliver value in the work of DEI beyond the workplace and become a contributor of driving business impact and how CMOs can gain clarity on where the gaps are in marketing and brand inclusion to help them be intentional about where to focus their efforts to achieve their growth KPIs. This magical partnership provides the concrete approach every organization needs to jointly lead the building of inclusive brands and companies.

    

    Jennifer Murillo
    SVP, Chief Marketing Officer
    

    

    Jonita Wilson
    Chief Diversity Officer
    

    Moderator:

    

    Sheryl Daija
    CEO & Founder
    
  • 9:50 AM - 10:20 AM
    Session 2A: Inclusion as the new Marketing Metric: Brands are 23 years behind

    By 2045, the white community will be less than 50% of the overall US population. Additionally, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and Indigenous Americans yield $3 Trillion in buying power. The LGBTQIA+ community holds an estimated $3.9 Trilion and people with differences in abilities have close to $500 Billion in buying power. Yet brand marketers are an alarming 23 years behind in their representation of these core groups. In this session, we will reveal ground breaking research that shares the representation of these populations across the top 200 brands and will have a candid discussion of the moves brands need to make to catch up!

    

    Dr. Omar Rodríguez-Vilá
    Professor in the Practice of Marketing and the Director of Education / Business & Society Institute, Goizueta Business School
    

    Moderator:

    

    Yin Woon Rani
    CEO/CMO
    
  • 10:20 AM - 11:00 AM
    Session 2B: Inclusion is Good for Business: Unlock your Brand Growth

    From organizational structure to marketplace impact, this session will explore how Inclusion is the untapped growth engine for companies. Join us on a journey through BRIDGE's revolutionary IMAX framework exploring 5 core dimensions of what it takes to build an inclusive brand. BRIDGE IMAX – Inclusion Maturity Assessment and Capability Building – will help you future-proof your business by decentralizing inclusion, shifting its dependency from individuals, functions, or beliefs to structured operating policies, processes, and practices. We will dig into what it takes to lay a strong foundation, how you see, serve and show up in the market as well as how you can extend these practices into advocacy. Offering a distinct competitive advantage, BRIDGE IMAX allows you, for the very first time, to assess your inclusion maturity across your business practices, pinpoint your gaps and build capabilities that result in a more inclusive and profitable future.

    

    Joy Allen-Altimare
    Chief Revenue Officer
    

    

    George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga
    Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    

    

    Amy Benford
    Vice President, GM Integrated Marketing & Advanced Advertising
    

    Moderator:

    

    Emile Khader
    Former Chief of Staff to the President of Condé Nast Entertainment & SVP, Global Marketing
    
  • 11:00 AM - 11:10 AM
    BRIDGE Stories
    The 8 o’clock Call

    As successful leaders, we often take great pride in planning and choreographing every word, every move, every decision. And even then we don't realize the impact we have on the people around us. But sometimes a single unexpected incident will forever change our lives in ways that are undeniable and breathtaking. This is the story of an 8 o’clock call that did just that.

    

    Gloria Goins
    Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
    
    
  • 11:10 AM - 11:30 AM
    Mix and Mingle
    
  • 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
    Session 3: The Future of Work: The Impact of GenZ, AI and Hybrid Work

    Since the pandemic, the world of work has significantly transformed so what does the Future of Work look like? We believe there are three major influences: GenZ is predicted to constitute 23% of the global workforce by 2024 and they are also estimated to be the most ethnically diverse generation. Having witnessed their Gen X parents endure struggles in the workplace first-hand, this vibrant generation is fresh with ideas and the creativity to make a tangible difference in the future workplace and its culture. According to EY's recently released “Work Reimagined Survey,” GenAI is “expected to have an outsized impact on the labor market, on career and learning pathways, and on the realities of work.” And remote work is also changing, much to the dismay of many employees who favor the remote lifestyle of the pandemic. 100% remote work is becoming less common, with the pendulum shifting towards hybrid models.

    

    Ziad Ahmed
    Founder & CEO
    

    

    Geraldine White
    Chief Diversity Officer
    

    

    Jeremy Fain
    CEO & Co-Founder
    

    

    Damien Hooper-Campbell
    Chief Impact Officer
    

    Moderator:

    

    Jennifer Warren
    VP, Global Brand Marketing and Communications
    
  • 12:00 PM - 12:10 PM
    BRIDGE Stories
    Against All Odds

    When Madison was born, her parents were told she would never walk, talk or be able to hold a job. The expectations were incredibly deflating and Madison was being set up for failure before she even had a chance to start. Madison has spent her life defying odds and proving people wrong. (It's one of her favourite things to do!) Madison will tell her story while also emphasizing the importance of diversity, inclusion and seeing underrepresented people in all facets of employment and life. Madison always says that Down syndrome is the least interesting thing about her and once you've heard her speak, you will no doubt agree.

    

    Madison Tevlin
    Actor, Host, Model & Advocate
    
    
  • 12:10 PM - 12:40 PM
    Session 4: The Impact of the SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision and the Dissolution of the US Office of Diversity and Inclusion on Business

    On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overturned Affirmative Action, a decision that ended the ability for public or private universities to consider race, and the end goal of racial diversity, in their practice and process of admissions. While the ruling applied specifically to educational institutions, the business community has and will continue to absorb the downstream effects of racially unjust systems and structures that perpetuate unequal access to education and opportunities for historically marginalized populations. And now just weeks ago, the U.S. Office of Diversity and Inclusion was recently dissolved as part of the government spending bill, a sad day for America. While both are undoubtedly a blow to progress, join us for this provocative fireside chat with Kenji Yoshina who “believes the court has left plenty of room to continue advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace” and Dr. Sesha Joi Moon who will address how we can stay the course despite legislative efforts to dismantle and defund the discipline.

    

    Dr. Sesha Joi Moon
    former Chief Diversity Officer, House of Representatives for the 117th and 118th Congresses
    

    

    Kenji Yoshino
    Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law
    

    Moderator:

    

    Jessica Golden Cortes
    Partner
    
  • 12:40 PM - 12:50 PM
    BRIDGE Stories
    
  • 12:55 PM - 1:55 PM
    Lunch
    
  • 2:00 PM - 2:50 PM
    Workshops In the Round

    • In the Round: Workshop 1

      Facilitated by:

      

      Mark Walker
      Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO
      
    • In the Round: Workshop 2
      How to Drive Positive Community Impact through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

      JPMorgan Chase executive Justin Grant will facilitate an in the round workshop on how to harness corporate resources to deliver positive, long-term impact for historically underserved communities. In spotlighting JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways strategy as an example, this discussion will provide attendees with a framework for how their companies can deliver meaningful outcomes for the communities they serve.

      Facilitated by:

      

      Justin Grant
      Head of Community Development and National Partnerships
      
    • In the Round: Workshop 3
      AI in Advertising: Paving the Way for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

      Jeremy Fain, CEO and Co-Founder, Cognitiv, and Duryea Ruffins, EVP Strategy, Spark Foundry, will facilitate an in the round workshop on the intersection, implications and opportunities of AI and DEI in advertising. The discussion will be centered around how the power of AI can be harnessed to create more inclusive advertising campaigns, how to manage against biases and why a DEI-centric approach is essential for effective business planning and data strategy.

      Facilitated by:

      

      Jeremy Fain
      CEO & Co-Founder
      

      

      Duryea Ruffins
      Executive VP of Strategy
      
  • 2:50 PM - 3:00 PM
    Mix and Mingle
    
  • 3:00 PM - 3:50 PM
    Workshops In the Round

    • In the Round: Workshop 4

      AI-powered representation data can transform your advertising strategy to drive growth. Join XR's CMO, Meredith Brace for a deep dive into the future of representation in advertising. Explore AI's role in enhancing diversity metrics in advertising, focusing on gender expression, skin tone, differing abilities and more. Discuss the broader challenges and strategies for achieving true representation and learn how to leverage this data to boost brand ROI, impact, and awareness.

      Facilitated by:

      

      Meredith Brace
      Chief Marketing Officer
      
    • In the Round: Workshop 5
      The Power of Inclusive Creative and Innovation

      Yin Woon Rani, CEO, MilkPEP and award winning Executive Creative Director at GALE, Geoff Edwards will facilitate an in the round workshop on the power of inclusive creative and innovation to shift mindsets and sell more products. While the industry is an astounding 23 years behind in representation, MilkPEP and Gale have created forward thinking campaigns that are intentional and consistent in celebrating diversity in race, body types, physical abilities, sexual orientation and more. This commitment has catapulted MilkPEP to take its rightful position as one of the most inclusive creative brands in the global marketing industry.

      Milk and cookies will be served!

      Facilitated by:

      

      Yin Woon Rani
      CEO/CMO
      

      

      Geoff Edwards
      Managing Director, Creative
      
    • In the Round: Workshop 6

      Facilitated by:

      

      Elise James-DeCruise
      Chief Equity Officer
      
  • 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM
    Community Sessions
    Open Mic In the Round

    • Session 1
      DEI Leaders

      Facilitated by:

      

      Valerie Irick Rainford
      CEO
      
    • Session 2
      Marketing and Business Leaders
    • Session 3
      Rising Stars
  • 4:45 PM - 6:00 PM
    Your Time
  • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
    Cocktails and Connections

    In partnership with:

    
    
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Cultural Immersion Dinner

    In partnership with:

    
    
  • 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    After Party
    
  • 10:00 PM
    Firepits and Friendships
    

• Tuesday, May 7

  • 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
    Breakfast
    
  • 9:00 AM - 9:05 AM
    BRIDGE Welcome Remarks

    

    Sheryl Daija
    CEO & Founder
    
  • 9:05 AM - 9:35 AM
    
  • 9:35 AM - 10:05 AM
    Session 2: Inclusion as the Next CEO Imperative = Increased Profitability

    Seasoned executives understand that inclusion and equity across the workplace, workforce and marketplace will lead to a stronger, more sustainable future on a global basis. We are at an inflection point for brands to choose to remain relevant or to disappear into infamy as the shift in racial and gender diversity is inevitable and the need for greater accessiblity for those with differing abilities an imperative. Those CEOs who recognize the competitive of advantage of applying the same rigor against inclusion as they do their other business practices will drive accelerated growth at scale leading to increased performance and impact. Building inclusive companies is a societal issue and bold action from the business community - especially CEOs - in modeling purposeful, authentic and inclusive leadership for the rest of the organization will open up a world of opportunity, innovation, creativity and yes profitability.

    Moderator:

    

    Kirk McDonald
    Former Chief Executive Officer
    
  • 10:05 AM - 10:35 AM
    Session 3: The Future of Inclusive Marketing is Now: Achieve your Brand's Full Growth Potential

    Inclusive Media Buying has been identified as a critical gap in the building of an inclusive brand. Inclusive Media Planning has long been a challenge for the industry and falling under rubric of Multicultural Marketing, a clear misnomer. However, as much dialog as there has been, the ecosystem still does not function as efficiently or effectively as it should. There is confusion, inconsistencies, a lack of attribution models and inequitable structures that contribute to stilted success. This session will explore the why, what and how of Inclusive Media and Marketing, and its business imperative for brands to achieve their full growth potential.

    

    Ronald Mendez
    EVP Cultural Investment & Strategy Lead
    

    

    Brianne Boles-Marshall
    Diversity Media Strategy & Investment Lead
    

    

    Tony Coles
    President, Black Information Network
    

    Moderator:

    

    Jessica Ricaurte
    Chief Revenue Officer
    
  • 10:35 AM - 10:55 AM
    Mix and Mingle
    
  • 11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
    Session 4: Embedding Inclusion in Product Development is no Longer a Choice, It is a Necessity

    Centering inclusion in product design is more than a philosophy, it is a strategic imperative to future proof your business to thrive in our ever evolving world. By designing your products for human diversity and equity, to be accessible and usable by individuals with differing backgrounds, abilities, and needs, you eliminate barriers to entry, create deeper and long lasting brand loyalty and increase innovation and creativity way beyond the status quo. This inclusive approach to creating products that cater to a broad range of consumers, results in a significant expansion of your brand's potential customer base creating a clear competitive advantage for business growth.

    

    Shamayne Braman
    Chief People Officer
    

    

    Jwesley Johnson
    Marketing Manager, Store Experience Marketing
    

    

    Amy Lund
    VP Marketing & Media Investment
    

    Moderator:

    

    Randi Stipes
    Chief Marketing Officer
    
  • 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
    Session 5
  • 12:40 PM - 12:45 PM
    Closing Remarks

    

    Sheryl Daija
    CEO & Founder
    
  • 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
    Picnic Lunch
    
  • 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
    Activities

    • 
      Wine Tasting

      Join Jennifer Wall – native Californian and mother of three and winemaker – for a delicious exploration of Barefoot wines. With her boundless curiosity, creativity and good vibes, Jen has racked up more than 10,000 medals and countless accolades for her easy-to-enjoy wines. Barefoot has been a proud, committed ally of the LGBTQIA+ community since 1988!
    • 
      La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaking

      Join on an adventure within a marine ecological reserve that contains five distinct marine environments in less than 2 square miles making it one of the most unique stretches of coastline in California! And if conditions are safe, you will get the opportunity to kayak through one of the oldest caves! (Participation is limited - first come basis)
    • 
      Arts & Crafts

      Create your very own smash artwork with renowned artist Marina Tselner! We will draw, decorate, doodle, paint and collage something special that you can take home to remember your time at BRIDGE24. No planning required – we’ll supply all the materials for you to design to your heart’s content!

• Sunday, May 5
• Monday, May 6
• Tuesday, May 7