G.E.M.S. Collective Leadership Archive

Five Years of Documented Industry Leadership

Since 2021, the Diversity Action Alliance has recognized the leaders and organizations driving accountability and redefining what inclusive communications looks like in practice.

The G.E.M.S. Collective Leadership Archive captures this work over time, documenting sustained progress and the decisions behind it.

Growth in Equity is a Measure of Sustainability.

This is not a moment, but a record.

Explore the G.E.M.S. Collective Leadership Archive

Multi-Year Leaders

Featured Leaders

Archive By Year

Distinguished Communicators

Individual Leaders Recognized

Organizations Honored

Industry Legends

Year Of Documented Leadership

MULTI-YEAR LEADERS

Individuals

Felicia Blow
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)
– 2024 G.E.M.S. Honoree
– 2025 People’s Choice Honoree

Deisha Burnett
– 2023 Outstanding Mentorship Honoree
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)

Jazmin Eusébio
– 2022 DEI Champion (Rising Leader)
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)

Chris Foster
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)
– 2025 Industry Legend

Bill Imada
– 2021 DEI Champion (Influencer)
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)
– 2024 Industry Legend

Soon Mee Kim
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)
– 2022 DEI Champion (Industry Legend)
– 2024 Industry Legend

Chuck Wallington, PhD
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)
– 2025 Industry Legend

Michelle Flowers Welch
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)
– 2025 Industry Legend

Nyree Wright
– 2021 Outstanding Mentor
– Distinguished Communicator Honoree (2022–2023)

Organizations

Current Global
– 2022 Best MBE Partnership
– 2023 Best Minority Business Enterprise Partnership
– 2023 Best Minority Serving Institution Partnership

HUNTER
– 2022 Best Internal DEI Initiative
– 2023 Best Internal DEI Initiative

PepsiCo
– 2021 Racial Equality Journey
– 2022 Best Internal DEI Initiative
– 2022 Best DEI Advocacy Campaign

Zeno Group & Egami
– 2022 Best MBE Partnership
– 2023 Best DEI in Communications Research

Featured Leaders

2025 Industry Legends

  • Mike Fernandez

  • Chris Foster

  • Damon Jones

  • Michelle Flowers Welch

  • Chuck Wallington, PhD

2024 Industry Legends

  • Rochelle Ford, PhD

  • Bill Imada

  • Soon Mee Kim

  • Andrew McCaskill

  • Torod Neptune

  • Patrice Tanaka

  • Natalie Tindall, PhD

ARCHIVE BY YEAR

2025 G.E.M.S. Honors

Theme: Purpose in Action

Top Five G.E.M.S. Honorees

Bradley Akubuiro

Look at 2025
Look at 2025

Amber Arnold

Michelle Hy

Jason Parson

Yuridia Peña

    • Bradley Akubuiro

    • Tenille Clarke

    • Rose Mary Cortes

    • Linda Dunbar

    • Jordan Folkes

    • Jasmine Flowers Mazyck

    • Michael Hannibal

    • Jordan Hernandez

    • Michelle Hy

    • Kristena Lucky

    • Camille Meekins

    • Denisse Montalvan

    • Stacyann Nathan

    • Lo Oubre-Fermin

    • Jason Parson

    • Yuridia Peña

    • Linh Pham

    • Daniel Pillai

    • Shannel Reed

    • Ian Royer

    • Karen Swim

    • Julie Veloz

    • Marjani Williams

  • Felicia Blow

    • Bradley Akubuiro

    • Amber Arnold

    • Michelle Hy

    • Jason Parson

    • Yuridia Peña

    • Mike Fernandez

    • Chris Foster

    • Damon Jones

    • Chuck Wallington, PhD

    • Michelle Flowers Welch

2024 G.E.M.S. Honors

Theme: Growth in Equity is a Measure of Sustainability

Top Five G.E.M.S. Honorees

Kelli Hammersmith

Nisa Horwitz

Look at 2024
Look at 2024

Claudine Moore

Arielle Patrick

Jeff Wilson

    • Aquinas Early

    • Amira Barger

    • Andrea Judson-Torres

    • Arielle Patrick

    • Bernadette Davis

    • Brandale Mills Cox

    • Camille Jackson

    • Candace Hamana

    • Cheryl Overton

    • Claudine Moore

    • Danyelle Carter-Hunter

    • David Brown

    • Deidra Johnson

    • Erica Billups Johnson

    • Fabiana Meléndez Ruiz

    • Faith McIver

    • Felicia Blow

    • Francesca Weems

    • Janel KnightTrulear

    • Jaylan Ochoa

    • Jeff Wilson

    • Jennifer Hudson

    • Julian McBride

    • Kelli Hammersmith

    • Kimberley Wilson

    • Lauren Strayhorn

    • Lauren Woulard

    • Marco Carreon

    • Marta Ronquillo Newhart

    • Meredith Mobley

    • Monica Bertran

    • Monique Kelley

    • Nadia Sharís

    • Nidhi Sinha

    • Nisa Horwitz

    • Nikki Lopez

    • Norris West

    • Prerana Swami

    • Randi White

    • Richelle Payne

    • Robyn Malone

    • Roger Bolton

    • Ruth Villalonga

    • Synim Rivers

    • Tequilla White

    • Tianna Robinson

    • Tiffany Knighten

    • Touré Burgess

    • Yesenia Reinoso

    • Yanique Griffin-Woodall

    • Kelli Hammersmith

    • Nisa Horwitz

    • Claudine Moore

    • Arielle Patrick

    • Jeff Wilson

    • Rochelle Ford, PhD

    • Bill Imada

    • Soon Mee Kim

    • Andrew McCaskill

    • Torod Neptune

    • Patrice Tanaka

    • Natalie Tindall, PhD

2023 Diversity Honors Gala

Theme: Communicators as Changemakers: Authentically Activating Action

Look at 2023
Look at 2023

Individual Honors

Deisha Burnett — Outstanding Mentorship Honoree

Azurée Montoute-Lewis — DEI Champion of the Year

Organizational Honors

  • Citizen Relations — Best DEI Advocacy Campaign (Mid-Size Agency)

  • Current Global & Kingsford — Best Minority Business Enterprise Partnership

  • Current Global — FedEx HBCU Student Ambassador Program (Best MSI Partnership)

  • HUNTER PR — Best Internal DEI Initiative (Mid-Size Agency, Tie)

  • The Day One Agency — Best Internal DEI Initiative (Mid-Size Agency, Tie)

  • The Clorox Company — Best Internal DEI Initiative (Corporate)

  • The Boden Agency — Best DEI Advocacy Campaign (Small Agency)

  • Tombras School, University of Tennessee — Best Internal DEI Initiative (College/University)

  • Walgreens & Hill+Knowlton Strategies — Best DEI Advocacy Campaign (Corporate)

  • Zeno Group & Egami — Best DEI in Communications Research

2022 Diversity Honors Gala

Theme: Activists, Advocates & Accomplices

Look at 2022
Look at 2022

Individual Honors

Adrianne C. Smith — Outstanding Mentor

Jazmin Eusébio — DEI Champion (Rising Leader)

Soon Mee Kim — DEI Champion (Industry Legend)

Organizational Honors

  • Development Counsellors International — Best Internal DEI Initiative (Boutique)

  • FedEx & Current Global — Best MBE Partnership

  • HUNTER Action Group — Best Internal DEI Initiative

  • Institute for Public Relations & Wakeman Agency — Best DEI in Communications Research

  • Ketchum & HBCU Week Foundation — Best MSI Partnership

  • MOWER — Best DEI Advocacy Campaign

  • MSL — Best DEI Advocacy Campaign

  • PepsiCo — Best Internal DEI Initiative

  • PepsiCo & Boden Agency — Best DEI Advocacy Campaign

  • Porter Novelli — Best Internal DEI Initiative

  • Zeno Group & Egami — Best MBE Partnership

2021 Diversity Honors Virtual Gala

Theme: Do Better, Do More

Look at 2021
Look at 2021

Individual Honors

Bill Imada — DEI Champion (Influencer)

Shelley Spector — DEI Champion (Ally)

Jeff Lambert — DEI Champion (Ally)

Cierra Mangal — Young Champion

Chanta’ Stewart — DEI Champion (Influencer)

Jack Dae Han Miller — Young Champion

Nyree Wright — Outstanding Mentor

Organizational Honors

  • APCO Worldwide — Employee Inclusivity Accord

  • PepsiCo — Racial Equality Journey

Distinguished Communicator Honorees

Recognized across 2022-2023 for sustained contributions to the communications industry and leadership in advancing equity.

Ayanna Anderson
Natalie Asorey
Talissa Beall
Thomas Bennett
Michelle Benson
Brandi Boatner
Felicia Blow
Conroy Boxhill
Sabrina Browne
Sandra Garcia
Diana Chavez
Jennifer Cho
Andy Checo
Sheila Cort
Linda Davis
Chelsea Dade
Sonia Diaz
Glenn Eden
Aerial Ellis

Omari Evans
Chris Foster
Michelle Flowers Welch
Farida Habeeb
Denvol Haye
Anetra Henry
Kim Hunter
Teneshia Jackson-Warner
Shakira Monet Johnson
Bo Jungmayer
Soon Mee Kim
Simone McDowell
Jazmin Eusébio
Wendy Roundtree
Denise Penagos
Izzy Polanco
Sena Pottackal
Melissa Roxas

Andréa Richardson
Ayanna Robinson
Nyree Wright
Eric Winkfield
Keandra Ward
Chuck Wallington
Jenny Wang
Charlene Wheeless
Josette Thompson
Monique Soriano
Jasmin Zamora
Troy Blackwell