600 & Rising Adds Board, Advisory Council

600 & Rising, the recently-launched non-profit dedicated to advocacy and advancement of Black talent in advertising, last week appointed a Board of Directors to execute its mission of dismantling systemic racism in the U.S. advertising industry through effective policy and zealous advocacy.

“The announcement of our talented Board of Directors is the latest step in our steady march toward progress,” stated Nathan Young, president of 600 & Rising. “We couldn’t ask for a more enthusiastic, committed team and look forward to working together to advance our goals of developing innovative new policies and advancing transformative change in the U.S. advertising industry.”

The Board of Directors, which is all Black with the exception of Allyship Chair, Mira Kaddoura, is the first of its kind in advertising-related non-profits, and one of the only such Boards to exist in the U.S.

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“It is important that Black advertising professionals deliver victory for ourselves, on our own terms,” stated Young. “Only 2% of leadership in the advertising world is Black, and that statistic has remained relatively flat over the past 15 years. We aim to incite change; we are going to show the world just how effective and powerful Black leadership can be.”

In addition to the Board of Directors, who are trustees in the organization with executive authority, 600 & Rising has also recruited a diverse Advisory Council. 

The organization, which began with 600 signatories has since ballooned to representing over 2,800 Black members and non-Black allies. The group is also planning to extend its efforts to the marketing, public relations and communications industries.

In addition to Young, Officers of the non-profit include vice president Bennett D. Bennett, principal, Aerialist and treasurer Gamelle Queen, vice president finance, GiantSpoon.

Board members include:

Policy Chair: Janey Griffin, CSO, Concreates; Membership Chair: Husani Oakley CTO, Deutsch; Independent Agency Relations Chair: Chris Witherspoon President, DNA; Communications Chair: Megan Tuck, vice president, Bliss Integrated Communication; Education Chair Vann Graves, executive director, VCU Brandcenter; Allyship Chair: Mira Kaddoura, Founder & ECD, Red & Co; Held Agency Relations Chair: Alima Trapp, SVP Strategic Planning, Doner.

Advisory Council members include: Naj Austin, Founder, Ethel’s Club; Jessica McGlory, Head of Growth, Verb; Santi Pochat, Head of Social Lab, Google; Derek Walker, Founder, Brown & Browner; Kat Gordon, Founder, The 3% Movement; Kiana Pirouz, Head of Marketing, We Are Rosie; Steve Stoute, President, Translation, and Mike Warner, Chief Client Officer, Egami Group.

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