Sustaining DEIB: Strategies for Resilient Inclusion Despite External Pressures and Discord

Vanessa Charles is a storyteller, trusted strategic communications advisor and global employee campaign whisperer. She is the director of U.S. regional communications for Takeda, a Japan-based biopharmaceutical company. As communications director for the U.S. region, Charles leads several of the company's core strategic communications efforts including Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and social justice. A former crime reporter, Charles is a seasoned content strategist and has held various communications roles in organizations across industries that include energy, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and government (cabinet-level state and Native American tribal). She holds a bachelor's in journalism and a master's in mass communications.

Amira Barger is an award-winning Executive Vice President and Head of DEI Advisory, providing senior reputation management and communications counsel to clients across the globe. Recently named Woman of the Year by Women Health Care Executives, and named to 50/50 Women on Boards Top 50 Women to Watch for 2024 – 2025, Involve People’s Top 100 Executives list, the CMO Alliance’s Top CMOs of 2024, Top 50 Global DEI Professionals by OnConferences, Moguls’ Top 100 People Leaders, Leaderology’s Fearlessly Authentic Leaders list, and Business Insiders’ 30 under 40 in healthcare innovation, Amira is a scholar, practitioner and thought leader who brings more than 18 years of experience in strategic communications that reach stakeholders, mobilize the community and inspire action. She has global experience in pharma/healthcare communications, corporate branding, web and social media, M&A experience, media relations, team management, sustainability/social impact, reputation management and DEI. Throughout her career, Amira has utilized these competency areas for clients such as: CVS Health, Eli Lilly, Walgreens, Hologic, Genentech, Pfizer, GSK/Haleon, BMS, Zoetis, Alkermes, Regeneron, Amgen, Medtronic, Children’s Miracle Network, Kaiser Permanente, First 5 Los Angeles, Covered California, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FEMA and California Community Colleges. At California State University East Bay she serves as a professor in marketing, communications and change management joining the faculty in 2019. She also lectures at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in the new Public Health for Business Leaders program. She's a data-informed, organizational architect who leverages design thinking to advance DEI and solve complex challenges. Prior to Edelman, Amira served as Senior Vice President, Public Relations and Public Affairs at Ogilvy where she led efforts to support government, corporate and non-profit clients in adopting equity-centered practices to reach historically underserved communities. She also worked in the nonprofit sector for 14 years tackling pressing, public issues that impact us all with organizations like the Public Health Institute, Feeding America and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. Amira maintains active memberships with: American Public Health Association, Public Relations Society of America, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Chief (a private women’s network). She is an avid writer and her thought leadership, from bylines to webinars to podcasts, can be found here: https://www.clippings.me/amirabarger. She actively participates in organizations aligned to her passion for community service and efforts to empower historically underserved communities; she serves on the Board of By the Bay Health, Dining Out for Life International, Journalistic Learning Initiative, the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration, Valero-Benicia Refinery Community Advisory Board, and the City of Benicia Commission United for Racial Equity.

Jayli Barkley is an Information Specialist in the Communications Division of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, a role she has held since 2021. She joined the office in 2018, bringing over a decade of experience from both the private and nonprofit sectors. Initially, Jayli served as a Victim Services Supervisor, where she supported staff in assisting crime victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice process. She also worked closely with partner agencies to deliver culturally centered training and presentations. In her current position, Jayli’s duties include community engagement, public relations, program development, cultural involvement and social media outreach for the organization. A notable contribution is her co-creation of C.O.D.I.E. (Culture, Opportunity, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity), a cross-divisional working group that seeks to expand, celebrate and honor the diversity within the DA's office. This initiative enhances the office’s understanding of Riverside County's diverse community and strengthens its service to the public. Additionally, Jayli leads the Cultural Responsiveness module in the annual 40-hour Domestic Violence training, guiding public sector professionals on how to address situations requiring culturally specific resources and approaches. Jayli holds an associate’s degree in liberal arts from the College of Southern Idaho and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology from Florida A&M University. Recently, she earned a master's degree in strategic communication from California Baptist University, where she was named the Outstanding Graduate Scholar of Excellence for her cohort due in part to her contributions to advancing discourse on diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring underrepresented voices are heard and showing how effective communication can drive societal change. Jayli places a premium on employee customer service with the goal of engaging staff to amplify the office’s mission while generating innovative and cutting-edge content that fosters pride among their nearly 800 employees and resonates with the 2.5 million community members the office serves.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer and reporter at Ragan Communications where she writes content for Ragan.com and PR Daily.com. She also produces conferences (live and virtual), workshops, boot camps and webinars with strategic content. Before joining the Ragan team, Simpson-Mersha worked for MLive as a digital and newspaper journalist, reporting on communities and businesses and other topics in mid-Michigan. She also worked as a radio news producer and host at NPR member station, WCMU Public Radio during her time at Central Michigan University.