Values-Led Issues Response for a New Era | Impact Relations Institute

Register now and be sure you don’t miss our next Impact Council on Wed, Jan 10 at 12pm ET / 9am PT! We’ll be joined by two experts on marketing and communications: Katy Mendes, Vice President, Allison and Whitney Dailey, EVP & Co-Lead Purpose Center of Excellence, Allison. 

It’s no secret 2024 will be tumultuous in more ways than one. Social issues have reached a new boiling point with global tensions and war, an already fraught presidential election in the U.S., and continued moments in time where many personal and cultural values are at odds. 

And amid this, brands are still expected to speak out on issues affecting their stakeholders but oftentimes must face the risk associated with both action and inaction. In a time when values-driven leadership is both celebrated and attacked, how can companies confidently move forward? 

The Impact Relations Institute, in partnership with 3BL Media, will host a conversation with the Purpose Center of Excellence experts at communications consultancy Allison as they map out an approach to helping companies determine how to lead with values and respond to cultural hot points through creating an objective framework for response. This session will unpack a process which allows brands to understand when (and when not) to lean in on issues, and provides robust and strategic guidelines to enable confident decision-making around proposed directions.

Register here to secure your spot

Moderator: Melissa Orozco (Founder & CEO, Yulu PR).

Speakers: 
About Katy Mendes, VP, San Francisco: During her 9+ years at Allison, Katy has worked with startups and mid-sized brands to global, Fortune 500 companies, approaching corporate storytelling with a socially orientated mindset. 

Following her move from London to San Francisco, she has built and led purpose-driven thought leadership and media relations campaigns to inspire movements and spark behavior change for clients past and present including Visa, Brita, Hasbro, Toyota, Athleta, Stasher, Smartwool and the Goldman Environmental Prize. 

With a background in the non-profit world in the UK prior to agency life, she is now a true industry generalist with 10+ years’ experience across multiple sectors and markets and has a passion for helping brands tell stories that matter. 

Katy also leads the agency's Cultural Sensitivity Team, which reviews both internal and client communications through a lens of cultural inclusivity. Katy holds a BA with a major in psychology and minor in fine art from Newcastle University. 

About Whitney Dailey, EVP, Boston: With 15 years of experience in the purpose/ESG/impact space, Whitney Dailey is a thought leader at the intersection of purpose and communications. 

At Allison, Whitney serves as Executive Vice President, Purpose and leads the agency’s Purpose Center of Excellence – a dedicated team specializing in Purpose brand strategy and ESG leadership, backed by Allison’s global network of more than 1,000+ creatives and storytellers. In this role, Whitney helps clients establish, communicate and measure impact goals and strategies, as well as build breakthrough social impact programs and thoughtful, strategic Purpose programs and initiatives from the ground up. 

Whitney’s expertise in Purpose, marketing and communications has helped guide forward-looking thinking and communications strategies on behalf of brands including Brita, Dexcom, Athleta, B. Lab and others. 

Whitney holds an MBA in Environmental Management from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and a BA in Business Administration from the George Washington University. She also earned an MBA Certificate in Clean Energy and Sustainability from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She is also an adjunct professor at Boston College.

Not able to attend the session? Register here to receive the link to the session afterward.

What else would you like to learn during these sessions? Email your request to hello@impactrelations.org

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming sessions!