OCTOBER 14 @ 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
Speaker Bios
Storm Smith
Creative Director
BBDO LA
Storm Smith is the first Deaf woman to have been recruited by BBDO Worldwide. She continues in roles of creative director for collaborative projects, motivational speakers on larger scale events, and a thought leader for inclusive change in the creative and advertising industry.
Her storytelling work immediately helped shine a positive light on critical societal issues such as people with disabilities, gender equality and people of color. Collaborations have included Ford Foundation for representation in the media, working with Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin, Tony Award nominee & actress Lauren Ridloff for the Deaf non-profit organization and Harlem Globetrotter Crissa Jackson on behalf of her advocacy for young girls in sports. Advocacy at heart, she appointed to serve on global media brand publication Ad Age Advisory Diversity Council and an appointed advisor for Crip Camp x Adobe for talents of color with disabilities.
Storm’s tireless efforts to promote diversity, inclusion and accessibility have earned her a special recognition from President Barack Obama for the 30th anniversary on ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), ADCOLOR Unsung Community Hero award, and a prestigious award from the City of Los Angeles.
Kristin Tolbert
Planning Director
BBDO NY
After graduating from The University of Pittsburgh with her master’s degree in Latin American Literature, Kristin began her career as an academic, teaching Spanish as a second language and Cultural Studies. Albeit rewarding, the classroom was not her niche and thus began her adventures in advertising.
Kristin began her career as a strategist at UniWorld Group Inc, where she focused on multi-cultural consumer insights, bringing her academic work into the boardroom.
Kristin joined BBDO just over a year ago and has had the pleasure of working across brands including Johnson & Johnson, SheaMoisture, and American Family Insurance. In her free time, Kristin is a proud Toastmaster and loves all things arts & entertainment.
She has had the honor of chairing the Cultural Effectiveness Council since 2018, leading the development and publication of the council’s four-part webinar series Building Brand Loyalty with Today’s 21st Century Audience.
Kebrina Robinson
Research Manager
Omnicom Media Group (OMG)
She oversees vendor relationships and new business projects for the Syndicated Research Department.
Throughout her tenure at Omnicom Media Group, Kebrina has authored and presented several consumer insights studies, including the US Multicultural, LGBTQ+, and the Disabled Consumer.
A proud alumnus of Medgar Evers College and the AAF’s Most Promising Multicultural Students program, Kebrina is a current member of the Omnicom Media Group’s Black Leaders Network and ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council.
In the past year, she has written and published two children’s books. Kebrina is a transplant from Trinidad and Tobago, who now lives in Brooklyn, NY.