Geraldine White
Geraldine White is a highly awarded diversity, equity and inclusion thought leader with over two decades of experience in advertising, marketing and organizational transformation. She is renowned for her ability to drive systemic change, foster inclusive cultures and develop equitable policies that create lasting impact.
With over two decades of industry experience across business consulting, client services and program management, Geraldine has spent her career applying business strategy, change management, governance and systems thinking to the practice of diversity, equity and inclusion, yielding measurable and sustainable impact at scale. Her work has been widely recognized for advancing DEI within and beyond advertising, implementing change management, governance, systems thinking and business transformation strategies to drive measurable growth and impact.
In her most recent role as Chief Diversity Officer for Publicis Groupe, Geraldine led transformative initiatives overseeing DEI strategies that impacted a global network of 101,000+ employees. Her identity-based approach focuses on cultivating inclusive experiences, building enhanced systems and creating an environment where all identities and communities are valued.
She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Mosaic Champion Award from the American Advertising Federation (AAF), honoring her leadership in advancing diversity and inclusion within the advertising industry. Additional recognitions for her work include the Trailblazer award from the Martha’s Vineyard Chief Diversity Officer Founder’s Awards; Cynopsis Top Women in Media – DEI Dynamo award; 4A’s Foundation Gladiator award; AdExchanger Top Women in Media & AdTech; and a silver DE&I Advocate shortlist designation in Campaign US’ 2023 Agency of the Year Awards. She was also recognized in Dress for Success’ global Your Hour Her Power campaign, and was named a She Runs It Working Mother of the Year and Changing the Game honoree.
Her thought leadership has been quoted in Forbes, Boston Globe, Campaign US, Digiday, Adweek, Ad Age and others; and she has served as a juror for the Anthem Awards, celebrating purpose and mission-driven work, as well as the Festival of Media Cause Campaign Awards.
Geraldine serves on several influential boards. She is Board President of A Call to Men, a national organization working to promote healthy masculinity and address gender-based violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. She serves on the national board for Bottom Line, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping first-generation and low-income students get into college, graduate and successfully launch their careers. She serves on Harvard Kennedy School’s Women and Public Policy Board. She also sits on the CDO Board for i4cp (Institute for Corporate Productivity) and serves on the Board of Directors for BRIDGE, a leadership community that offers various programs, including proprietary research aimed at identifying and dismantling structures that contribute to gaps in belonging, representation, inclusion, diversity and equity. She also serves on the Diversity Council for her local school district. Her extensive board service reflects her commitment to extending her organizational expertise to broader societal challenges.
Outside of her industry and board roles, Geraldine is a caregiver and a devoted mother of four; a mentor with Manhattan Early College of Advertising (MECA) and High School for Innovation in Advertising and Media (IAM); a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island; and Executive Sponsor for Spelman College’s first ever Public Relations, Advertising and Communications Club, open to all Atlanta University Center Consortium schools.
Throughout her career, often described as humble yet formidable in the face of injustice, Geraldine has combined her passion for social justice with business acumen to drive measurable results and meaningful change. Today, she continues to collaborate with Publicis Groupe and other leading organizations in a consulting capacity. Her newly launched consulting practice, Identity & Impact, positions her influence at the forefront of protecting and advancing DEI and continues to inspire organizations and individuals alike to prioritize humanity, respect and the integrity of diversity, equity and inclusion, all while navigating risk and complexity in today’s landscape.