• by Larissa Faw , April 5, 2021

The Ad Council is appointing Elise James-DeCruise as the group’s first Chief Equity Officer to oversee the organization’s ongoing commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Reporting to President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Sherman and working closely with senior leadership, James-DeCruise will initiate, advocate for and evaluate the programs and practices that foster a more diverse and inclusive environment, including overseeing and evolving the organization’s existing commitments to racial justice.

This new position follows the Ad Council’s earlier commitment to accelerate its existing DEI initiatives as well as explore new actions, programs and processes.

Previously, James-DeCruise held the position of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Marcus Thomas, the Cleveland-based independent marketing communications agency. Earlier she was Vice President, Global Head of Multicultural Marketing and Inclusion at MediaMath in New York.