On Monday in Los Angeles, prior to the opening of the PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference, PPAI Diversity and Learning Engagement Manager Julie Kwan conducted a roundtable discussion on diversity and inclusion in the industry with members of the Specialty Advertising Association of California and WLC attendees. Participants included Debbie Abergel, chief strategy officer, Jack Nadel International; Brittany David, CAS, VP of sales, SnugZ USA; Lori Bolton, VP of sales and marketing, Clegg Promo; Donte Shannon, executive director, SAAC; Esmeralda Anaya, marketing manager, Terrytown; and Livier Gomez, strategic national account manager, Terrytown.

Kwan hosted the discussion to learn more about the state of diversity in the industry and to hear members’ thoughts on what can be done to cultivate a more diverse industry workforce.

During the roundtable discussions, participants explored several questions, such as what the term diversity means to them; what diversity and inclusion look like in their organizations; what their organizations do to attract, recruit and retain a diverse workforce; and what challenges they have experienced in this effort.

“The conversation was really good and is a first step to opening the dialogue about what our industry can do to attract, recruit, train and sustain a diverse workforce,” she says. “As I build PPAI’s diversity and inclusion education program, my conversations with members across the industry and country will guide the work that I do.”