MULTICULTURAL - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Senior Director, Strategy

Andrés loves to get things done. Regardless of the assignment, he adapts and encourages people to act in line with the objectives. As a senior member of C+C's multicultural marketing practice, he does just that when working with clients to develop culturally relevant marketing strategies that drive real behavior change regardless of language, background or industry. Andrés has experience with all types of organizations, from tech startups, Fortune 500 companies and large media brands to nonprofits, NGOs and local, regional, and federal government agencies. He is passionate about many topics, including energy efficiency, solid waste and public health, and works on accounts for clients that include the Washington State Department of Health, Puget Sound Energy, Washington Traffic Safety Commission and King County's Metro Solid Waste Division and Local Hazardous Waste Management Program.

Job Titles:

• Digital Marketing Manager

Guy Garcia is a prize-winning author, multimedia entrepreneur, and futurist whose career spans journalism, fiction and non-fiction books, as well as a co-founder of Internet start-ups and a producer of immersive virtual reality projects.

Job Titles:

• Senior Vice President, Multicultural Strategy
• Vice President, Multicultural Strategy

Jennifer loves telling stories - particularly when they involve innovation and sharing cultural insights. As a conscious leader and multicultural communications strategist, she understands the power of connecting with people of all backgrounds. Her roots growing up in Mexico City and passion for traveling the world to learn about other cultures shapes her work guiding clients on ways to better engage with diverse audiences. As a young professional in L.A., she built a reputation for implementing groundbreaking social marketing campaigns that helped young Hispanics access Cash for College and women in Africa get vaccinated against tetanus in an effort led by Pampers and Salma Hayek - and set a couple of Guinness World Records along the way! As the leader of C+C's multicultural communications team, she's been at the forefront of multicultural social marketing strategies for the Washington State Department of Health's COVID-19 prevention and vaccination efforts, among others.

Job Titles:

• Ebony Marketing Systems / CEO / President
• President and Founder of Ebony Marketing Systems, Inc

Kai Fuentes is the President and Founder of Ebony Marketing Systems, Inc. (EMS), a multilingual, multicultural market research firm. As a minority female business owner, Mrs. Fuentes saw a need as well as an opportunity to develop a niche within the marketing research arena in the area of multicultural research. She has over 20-years' experience in qualitative and quantitative research studies which facilitates the identification of ethnic-bound perceptions and attitudes of the multicultural market. In 2021 under her leadership, EMS issued "Quick Guide: Understanding Black Americans in 2021" to assist markets and marketers in ‘authentically connecting with the Black community" and added the "Quick Guide to the Latino Community" in 2022. She is preparing an additional guide for the Asian American/Pacific Islander market. In 2022 she was named an IPC Laureate with a distinguished career marked by meaningful contributions that advance the profession. This is a lifetime recognition of distinction in the field from Insights Association. Annually, Mrs. Fuentes oversees 75 qualitative listening/focus group projects that result in "directional" or "indicative" outcomes that clients use as actionable outcomes. She ensures quality through process reviews, standards, documentation, and project audit. She trains the bilingual and multicultural staff to identify ethnic-bound perceptions and attitudes providing in-depth cultural insights across a broad spectrum. Under Mrs. Fuentes' leadership, EMS has a reputation for accurate results, on time and on budget projects. Its success lies in the careful attention to detail; the field data collection department can handle any type of study in any marketplace throughout the U.S. In its 12 years of multi-cultural, full-service market research, EMS has never had any judgments or lawsuits or actions against any adverse contract actions, including termination(s), suspension, imposition of penalties, or other actions relating to failure to perform or deficiencies in fulfilling contractual obligations. In 2021-22, Mrs. Fuentes managed a full-service, national study of Black women to explore wellness in the workplace. The quantitative phase surveyed 3,963 Black working women and the qualitative phase honed in with 40 in-depth interviews. The objective of the project was to identify proactive strategies that companies can employ to address racism in the workplace, thereby sustaining or improving the overall wellness of Black women. She has also worked extensively with the African American, the Black diaspora market segments, and other hard-to-reach populations to understand the social, economic and cultural nuances that drive ethnic-bound perceptions and attitudes. This research spans naming a consolidated hospital, motivating African Americans to vacation in Minnesota, and improving healthcare outcomes for pregnant and parenting African American mothers. Her working relationships include federal and state governments, community organizations and centers, private companies and organizations. Kai Fuentes has extensive experience using the latest survey query techniques and data collection instruments that are used to measure both qualitative and quantitative data output. In 2016, the NYNJ Purchasing Council gave Mrs. Fuentes an award as a top business leader in New York City; she was also written in Madam Noir as a best business entrepreneur under 40. In 2022 she was named an IPC Laureate with a distinguished career marked by meaningful contributions that have advanced the profession, and she was also named a Bronx Woman of the Year. Kai serves as the DEI consultant for the Insights Association, Central Atlantic Chapter, on the board of Camp Keith , a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving Brown and Black families, on the board for AAPOR Inclusive Voices, and in her spare time, she volunteers with adult literacy programs. She is a sought-after presenter for multicultural market research. With a background in Social Work, Mrs. Fuentes runs her firm with compassion and integrity. Education: BA- College of New Rochelle MSW-Adelphi University

Job Titles:

• CEO
• Founder
• Founder and CEO of ColorComm Media Group
• Winning Diversity and Inclusion Strategist

Lauren Wesley Wilson is an Award -Winning Diversity and Inclusion Strategist. Lauren currently serves as Founder and CEO of ColorComm Media Group and ColorComm, Inc. In 2011, Lauren founded ColorComm, Inc., the nation's leading women's platform addressing diversity and inclusion across the communications, marketing, media, advertising, and digital arena. Lauren has provided 100,000+ professionals with the tools and resources to advance, has secured 500+ jobs for ColorComm Members, and has worked with Fortune 500 companies on their D&I strategy. Lauren has been recognized by PR Week's 50 Most Powerful in PR, Ad Age ‘Women to Watch', PR Week's 40 under 40 Award, The Root 100, New York Women in Communications, among many others. In 2017, Lauren was selected to serve on the Glass Lions Jury at Cannes Lions Festival in Cannes, France. Prior to ColorComm, Lauren worked in political communications serving as the Communications Director for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and as a Media Strategist/Media Booker for President Barack Obama's Reelection Campaign. Following the Campaign, Lauren worked as a Communications Strategist at the prestigious crisis firm Qorvis/MSL overseeing media strategy and crisis communications for international governments and consumer brands. Lauren graduated from Spelman College with a B.A. in Political Science and from Georgetown University with an M.A. in Communications.

Job Titles:

• President
• Travel Writer and Founding Editor of Multicultural Travel News
• Writer

Lisa Skriloff founded Multicultural Marketing Resources, Inc. (MMR) to serve as a business resource to corporations, communications firms and journalists, providing information and referrals. Established in 1994, MMR is a consultancy, B2B public relations and marketing firm, and editorial supplier, working with the leading experts in marketing to Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans, LGBTQ consumers and other ethnic and niche market groups. MMR is also the publisher of The Source Book of Multicultural Experts, MMRNews and a Speakers Showcase. Lisa is also a travel writer and founding editor of Multicultural Travel News. Lisa has been a guest speaker and moderated panels on Ethnic Marketing at the Direct Marketing Association Emerging Markets Conference; the Health & Beauty Association Global Expo; and the IIR and SRI's conferences on Marketing to Multicultural Markets, Marketing Financial Services to Multicultural Markets, and Multicultural Markets Online. She proposed the course at New York University's (NYU) School of Continuing and Professional Studies, "Marketing to the New Majority: How to Reach the Multicultural Consumer," which she created and taught for 11 years, and taught a similar workshop at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Institute for Diversity Education & Leadership. She created the workshop "How to Establish Yourself as an Expert" offered by The Seminar Center in NYC and has been a guest speaker at Florida State University's Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication and at the University of Texas School of Journalism & Mass Communication. She has been quoted in The New York Times, Advertising Age, The Wall Street Journal, among many others, on multicultural marketing, about minority and women owned businesses and regarding travel experiences in 60 countries. A native New Yorker, she has also lived in California, Wisconsin, Spain, Mexico, Germany and England. Lisa is a frequent writer on travel and has contributed to Travel Agent Magazine, The NY Daily News, Jaxfax and Fodors Guides, and is the founding editor of Multicultural Travel News (MTN) and Dance Travel News. She specializes in multicultural travel, Spanish language destinations, dance and cruise travel. Lisa Skriloff, President of Multicultural Marketing Resources, Inc. founded the company in 1994. She is a writer, educator, trainer and editor, and the author of an early internet book published in 1997. She is the owner/manager of