As the world over strives to enhance not only effort but impact in the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) space, the CIPR has led the charge in striving for real progress.
How do we better leverage diversity and belonging for great PR impact?
Our panel of EDI speakers share trends, insights, and thoughts on how to shape a stronger, more diverse community.
The speakers:
Sarah Black, Founder, Athru Communications
Sarah is a CQ (Cultural Intelligence) Certified Facilitator and Trainer and a Fellow of the CIPR. She brings more than 30 years of communications experience across three countries to her role as a consultant, trainer and strategist, helping organisations and individuals work and communicate more effectively across cultures and lines of difference. This is based on working with peacebuilding and reconciliation organisations in Belfast in the 1980s and 1990s, subsequently living and working in Norway and Texas and in the last five years, working with the clients of a global DEI consultancy based in Chicago. Since founding Athru
Communications six years ago, she has worked with clients in the UK, the US, Brazil and Thailand. Sarah is a former Board member of a global non-profit where she co-led their volunteer communications team, working across eight different countries and multiple time zones.
Cornelius Alexander, PR Practitioner, DEI Advocate
A former journalist, Cornelius moved into media relations as an Information Officer at New Scotland Yard’s Press Bureau, one of the busiest press offices in Europe. Over the next 30 years, he tackled corporate communications, crisis communications,
change communications and internal communications in stints with the Mayor of London press office, a health authority in British Columbia, Canada, and London Probation Trust. He most recently served as Corporate Communications Business
Partner at regulator OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner).
A CIPR Fellow, Founding Chartered Practitioner and 2018 recipient of the CIPR’s Sir Stephen Tallents' Medal, he has served on the Ctte of the Greater London Group, the CIPR National Council, the CIPR Board of Directors as well as the Vancouver
Chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society.
Cornelius was the first chair of the CIPR’s Diversity Working Group when it formed in 2010 and is currently both vice-chair of the CIPR’s Diversity and Inclusion Network and a member of the CIPR’s EDI Committee.
Advita Patel, Communications and Confidence Specialist, Founder of CommsRebel and Co-founder of A Leader Like Me and CalmEdgedRebels
Advita, Founder of CommsRebel, helps organisations cultivate inclusive cultures through effective communications so all colleagues can belong and thrive in their work. She is also an experienced Confidence Coach who works with teams and individuals to help them confidently achieve their goals. Alongside CommsRebel, Advita is the co-founder of A Leader Like Me and CalmEdgedRebels. In 2023 she co-authored a best-selling book, Building a Culture of Inclusivity, with Priya Bates.
Facilitated by:
Taazima Kala-Essack, GM & Chief Consultant, Hotwire
Taazima is a Chartered Member of the CIPR since 2020 and is based in Gaborone, Botswana. She's been part of the CIPR community since 2014 and is currently the General Manager and Lead Consultant of Hotwire, a leading Africa-based PR
consultancy. She is a Member of the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) and is the Board Chair of social enterprise, Learn To Play. Taazima is passionate about strategy, crisis consulting and reputation management.
Contact: Taazima Kala-Essack
Email: [email protected]