Cablefax The Magazine - October 2021 - 14

Nellie Chung
VP, Marketing & Partnerships
Video Advertising Bureau
Conversation and education are vital
steps when working toward improved
diversity, equity and inclusion efforts
Tapan Dandnaik
SVP, Customer Service &
Financial Operations
Mediacom Communications
The pandemic created several challenges
which Dandnaik met head on.
in any industry. Chung developed the first-ever VAB Diversity
Leadership Summit, which ran for a week in June. " The summit
aimed to illuminate how marketers can approach their decisionmaking
around diversity, inclusion and belonging to bring about
real, lasting change, " she says. " We wanted to provide actionable
takeaways to help people in the industry think differently
about how to create a more inclusive mindset. " Chung and her
team secured more than 30 speakers with fresh and varied perspectives
and created a comprehensive marketing campaign. In
the end, the inaugural summit had more than 500 participants,
brought in two new VAB members and saw significant incremental
sponsorship revenue.
Tonya Cornelius
VP, Development,
Inclusion & Wellness
ESPN
Cornelius is throwing doors open
for people of diverse backgrounds
to join and be elevated at ESPN. Her recent actions as advisor
to senior management on DEI efforts have driven ESPN as a
whole to form strong bonds with HBCUs and expand programs
that increase diversity across the company. She launched the
MORE Program in August 2019, a one-year mentorship meant to
increase opportunity, readiness and exposure for a diverse group
of next-generation leaders across ESPN divisions, functions and
locations. She also hasn't waited for formal invitations to start
helping colleagues. For nearly two years, she and other Black
senior leaders at ESPN identified emerging and mid-level Black
leaders and provided them with informal and formal mentorship/
sponsorship. " The pandemic and social injustice have awakened
more people to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and that
has led to significant progress. The question is will the efforts be
sustained, " she says, adding that she sees positive signs such
as greater transparency of organizations' diversity data and
increased investment in DEI staff and programs.
He ensured his team had the tools and support to work remotely,
collaborated with field operations to create a system for contactless
installations that kept employees and customers safe, and
used government programs to help low-income families stay
connected. Despite the challenges, Dandnaik generated three
years' worth of customer growth at Mediacom in one year. He's
currently focusing on rolling out WiFi Pro 360, which improves
in-home connectivity and allows customers to use more devices
simultaneously. Also on his to-do list is diversifying Mediacom's
operations and revenue stream so the company is less dependent
on its broadband customers. That's not the only kind of
diversity on his mind. " Being an immigrant and in a position of
leadership, I recognize the benefits of a diverse workplace. I,
along with my direct leadership team, embrace diversity and
look to build a supportive workplace that puts the work first
without it feeling like another initiative or burden, " he says.
Jamila Daniel
Chief Diversity Officer
Lionsgate
SVP, Human Resources
STARZ
Daniel built the framework for sustainable
change within Lionsgate by collaborating with department
leaders and stakeholders to establish foundational elements that
make DEI intrinsic to the business. " I am honored to be a part of
this important work, and know that we must continue to disrupt
the status quo, remove barriers and create new systems that
provide everyone with the opportunity to thrive, " she says. She
also redesigned the company's internship programs into a pipeline
for diverse hires, provided company-wide resources for building
inclusive teams, and helped develop a transparent culture where
everyone can feel seen and heard. Following the murder of George
Floyd, Daniel helped implement a series of " Conversations That
Matter, " including illuminating discussions about difficult issues.
14
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October 2021
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