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Ad Council Taps Shamina Singh, Founder & President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, as Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Public Issues

Singh brings over 20 years of sustainability and economic development experience to the Committee to help the Ad Council identify social issues to consider for upcoming national public service campaigns

New York, NY (June 25, 2020)The Ad Council, America’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to using communications to drive social change, announced today that Shamina Singh, Founder & President of the Center for Inclusive Growth and EVP of Sustainability at Mastercard, has been tapped to Co-Chair of the Ad Council’s Advisory Committee on Public Issues. The Advisory Committee is the incubator for Ad Council campaigns where timely social issues facing the country are discussed and new campaigns are proposed. The announcement was made today to coincide with the Committee’s June meeting.

The Advisory Committee on Public Issues is instrumental in helping the Ad Council identify emerging or shifting societal causes and evaluate social issues as potential new campaigns. An integral part of the Ad Council for over 50 years, the Committee meets twice each year and is comprised of esteemed experts who represent research, academia, philanthropy, business, media and public policy. They have helped initiate and guide many of the Ad Council’s efforts, including campaigns focused on retirement security, voter engagement, Alzheimer’s awareness, youth vaping, the opioid crisis and promoting STEM to girls.

“I know firsthand the power of corporations, foundations, nonprofits and the media joining forces to drive social change. It’s something I think about every day in my work to advance economic inclusion and make the digital economy work for all. I look forward to joining this extraordinary institution and playing a role in helping to shape the next chapter of their legacy,” said Singh.

In her role as President and Founder of the Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard’s philanthropic hub, Singh is responsible for leveraging Mastercard’s technology, capital and expertise to advance equitable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. In addition, as EVP for Sustainability of Mastercard, Singh leads the development and implementation of the environmental, social and governance strategy across the company.

Singh’s work to support inclusive communities and equal economic opportunity includes leveraging data insights to, for instance, help low-income communities accelerate growth and create quality jobs. In partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, the Center for Inclusive Growth is building a transformational model to accelerate the use of data science among non-profit, civic and government organizations for them to build more impactful programs for the communities they serve.

“Shamina is a master convener. She understands how to harness the power of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to tackle some of society’s greatest challenges,” said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman. “This is an unprecedented time in our country, and I look forward to the unique insights, perspective, and leadership Shamina will offer as we continue our efforts to help ensure equal opportunity for all.”

Singh is joined by eight new Advisory Committee members with a diverse set of backgrounds in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, each offering a unique perspective on today’s social landscape. They are:

  • Tara Abrahams, Managing Director, Arabella Advisors
  • Cecilia Arradaza, Executive Director of Strategy, Wondros
  • Debby Bielak, Partner, The Bridgespan Group
  • Avo Makdessian, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Silicon Valley Community Foundation
  • Mohammed Naeem, Senior Manager for Strategy and Partnerships, Center for Inclusion and Belonging, American Immigration Council
  • Eileen O’Connor, Senior Vice President, Communications, Policy and Advocacy, The Rockefeller Foundation
  • Steven Olikara, Founder & President, Millennial Action Project
  • Dorian Warren, President, Community Change & Co-Chair, Economic Security Project

Since the organization's founding, the Ad Council has been at the forefront of leading the communications industry’s social impact efforts. Most recently, the Ad Council has led the media, marketing, advertising and entertainment industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with unprecedented communications efforts.

The Ad Council

The Ad Council has a long history of creating life-saving public service communications in times of national crisis, starting in the organization’s earliest days during World War II to September 11th and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Its deep relationships with media outlets, the creative community, issue experts and government leaders make the organization uniquely poised to quickly distribute life-saving information to millions of Americans.

The Ad Council is where creativity and causes converge. The non-profit organization brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media, technology and marketing to address many of the nation’s most important causes. The Ad Council has created many of the most iconic campaigns in advertising history. Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Smokey Bear. Love Has No Labels.

The Ad Council’s innovative social good campaigns raise awareness, inspire action and save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.

MEDIA CONTACT:

The Ad Council
Ellyn Fisher
efisher@adcouncil.org