“Diversity, equity, and inclusion have the ability to transform culture, drive business results, and improve lives around the world.When people feel valued and empowered, they are able to innovate and make amazing things happen.”
- Celeste Warren
Recognized by many organizations including: Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion,” Savoy Magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Corporate America,” and Diversity Global Magazine’s “Influential Women in Global Diversity,” Celeste’s articles on diversity, equity, and inclusion have been featured in numerous national and global publications and she has had the opportunity to speak at various events across the world.
How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador
This book is a proven framework for how anyone — from the CEO to a frontline employee — can play a role in creating a diverse and welcoming workplace.
Growing up in small-town Pennsylvania, Celeste Warren saw firsthand the impact of inequity and exclusion on her father, but she also learned the strongest traits of leadership from his response, including inner strength and patience, self-confidence, and faith. After more than 30 years of working in the areas of change management, diversity, equity, and inclusion, these childhood lessons have continued to fuel her passion to work with leaders to enhance the employee experience within the organization, driving a culture of inclusion and belonging.
Celeste strives to make an impact on her organization and on the world around her. She has been recognized for her work by many organizations, her articles on diversity, equity, and inclusion have been featured in numerous national and global publications, and she has had the opportunity to speak at various events across the world. Celeste earned her B.S. degree at the University of Kentucky and received her master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University. She is a wife and proud mother of two incredible children.
Celeste is a dynamic and impactful speaker who has had the opportunity to speak at various events across the world. She is sought after by organizations, firms, agencies, and media outlets and has the unique ability to connect with her audience and take them on a journey which helps them to reflect, internalize, and very importantly drive change to create the inclusive environments we want to see. Always leaving her audience with a “call to action,” Celeste strives to make an impact on the world around her.
How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador: Everyone’s Role in Helping All Feel Accepted, Engaged, and Valued is Celeste’s first book. Many individuals feel they don’t have a role to play in driving diversity and inclusion, but everyone has a role to play to make real change. Her book will provide individuals with a guide for how they can specifically leverage their abilities to create the culture they want to see, where everyone can feel engaged and empowered to add value.
“THE GUIDE FOR CREATING CULTURES WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELCOMED AND EMPOWERED.”
KENNETH FRAZIER
Former Executive Chairman, Merck & Co., Inc.
How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador
Everyone’s Role in Helping All Feel Accepted, Engaged, and Valued
ABOUT THE BOOK
This book offers a clear, proven framework for how anyone — from the CEO to a frontline employee — can play a role in creating a diverse and welcoming workplace.Creating a diverse workplace needs to be an ongoing effort, not just the subject of occasional training. What can you do to help? Celeste Warren says you can become a diversity and inclusion ambassador. These people are committed to helping everyone see the importance of inclusive and equitable practices.
Warren offers a straightforward three-stage model:
1. Become aware of your own conscious and unconscious biases.
2. Take an inventory of your surroundings: What is getting in the way of there being an inclusive environment in your organization?
3. Develop a personal action plan.
Depending on readers’ positions, the actions they take can be as simple as consistently raising DEI-related issues in staff meetings or as far-reaching as leading an employee resource group or developing a new hiring policy. In separate chapters, Warren offers specific advice for chief diversity and inclusion officers, C-suite leaders, frontline managers, human resources practitioners, and individual contributors. Featuring tools, exercises, and examples, this book offers everyone the opportunity to help make diversity a workplace reality.Reading group discussion guide available in book.Please view the video for a summary of “How to be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador: Everyone’s Role in Making All Feel Accepted, Engaged and Valued” as referenced in the Discussion Guide at the end of their book.
To contact Celeste, please email celeste.warren@icloud.com or fill out the Contact Form.
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PRAISE
“Celeste Warren knows that when it comes to advancing DE&I, we all must collaborate. She will capture the essence of what it means to be a DE&I ambassador and gives everyone who reads her book, the tools necessary to promote inclusion.”Subha Barry, CEO Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media)
“Celeste Warren’s approach to diversity and inclusion blends warmth and understanding with bold ideas that are good for business. How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador is accessible and relatable to people at all levels of organizations, brimming with simple yet profound ideas to create a more inclusive culture throughout an entire ecosystem of an organization.”Jen Geller, Director of Programming, CNBC Events and Councils; Senior Editor, CNBC Workforce Executive Council
“Few leaders in business today have led more boldly and consistently on advancing diversity and inclusion than Celeste Warren. Her vision and passion for a more just, inclusive, equitable world where all people can succeed and thrive at work and beyond has helped advance the cause in powerful ways. Hers is an essential voice at a critical time.”Lauren Leader, Co-Founder and CEO, All In Together
“Celeste’s book shines a light on the fact that everyone has a role to play in order to drive not just diversity but also greater equity and inclusion throughout the organization. Both in the public and private sector, it becomes more important for individuals to understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the role they can play to drive a more equitable and inclusive environment. Diversity and Inclusion Ambassadors are needed throughout organizations at every level for there to be true progress.“Kenneth Frazier, Former Exec. Chairman, Merck & Co., Inc.
Celeste welcomes the opportunity to talk to you about being a diversity and inclusion ambassador. Her talks on diversity, equity, and inclusion inspire audiences to create a better future with practical steps they can implement today. She is available for keynotes and panel discussions.If you are interested, please contact Celeste.
“Celeste Warren has supported the National Diversity and Leadership conference several times and each time she has been inspiring with her wisdom. Celeste is fully supportive of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and her insights on advancing DEI have been well received from our conference attendees. She is a true champion of DEI and I look forward to working with Celeste in the near future!”Dennis Kennedy, Founder & CEO, National Diversity Council
“Celeste is a phenomenal leader. A true natural communicator who speaks with candor, passion, and lived experience. We have welcomed Celeste as a leading authority to speak at our DIAL Global Virtual summits as she truly epitomizes authenticity through her passion for positive affirmative change.”Leila McKenzie-Delis, Founder & CEO, DIAL Global
“Celeste was a guest panelist for an event sponsored by our organization and she brought her unique perspective to the discussion as an African-American executive with a career that has spanned many years focused on embedding diversity and inclusion throughout organizations with the goal of enhancing the employee experience and creating an organizational culture that celebrates everyone and the value they bring.”Dr. Steven Thomas, Sr. Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at PhRMA
“Celeste was one of the most impactful speakers I have had visit my class. She has a vast knowledge of DEI issues and was tremendously effective in helping my students make connections between research and practice. Her approachable style facilitated a meaningful and productive dialogue on DEI in the workplace.”Devon Proudfoot, Assistant Professor, Human Resource Studies, ILR School, Cornell University
PRESS / MEDIA MENTIONS
CNBC
Mar 17, 2022To attract and keep workers, make sure benefits reflect what they want, say these people leaders
COLOR MAGAZINE POWERLIST
Mar 7, 2022Celeste Warren was recently named to Color Magazine’s Top 50 Power List
MULTICULTURAL.COM
Feb 23, 2022Recommended Multicultural and Diversity Books
SCALING CULTURE PODCAST
Feb 16, 2022Episode 73: How to Integrate and Measure Diversity & Inclusion Strategies
CNBC
Feb 11, 2022CNBC Workforce Executive Council Teachable Moments Series
REAL CHEMISTRY
Feb 1, 2022How DEI & Health Equity Work Together
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Dec 19, 2021Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility: Trends and Updates
PHARMACY BUSINESS
Dec 17, 2021Empowering Women In the Workplace
THE WHITE HOUSE GENDER POLICY COUNCIL
Dec 16, 2021The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to promoting equity in the workplace and affirmative steps that employers can take toward this goal. To inform policy development, the White House convened a virtual roundtable to hear perspectives from the private sector on ways to build a more inclusive and equitable workplace. This was an off-the-record discussion.
SMARTBRIEF
Dec 1, 2021The Importance of Inclusion for Leaders, with Jennifer Brown and Celeste Warren
CNBC
Sep 10, 2020Delivering on the Promise of Opportunity
PRESS KIT
Official BioCeleste R. Warren, President, Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence. As the leader for Merck’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence, she is responsible for working with Merck’s global leaders to advance and embed diversity and inclusion throughout the organization to enhance the employee experience and maximize business performance.Ms. Warren joined Merck in 1997 and has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility within the organization.Prior to joining Merck in 1997, Celeste worked for nine years at Kraft Foods, Inc. and General Foods.
She has been honored with many awards, including:
Black Enterprise’s “Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion”
Savoy Magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Corporate America”
Women’s eNews’ “21 Leaders for the 21st Century”
Diversity Global Magazine’s “Influential Women in Global Diversity”
Diversity Woman Magazine’s: “Elite100” List
She serves on the boards of RWJBarnabas Health Systems and “All In Together” and Merck’s Political Action Committee. She is also a member of CNBC’s Workforce Executive Council and World 50’s Inclusion and Diversity Impact Community.Celeste’s articles on diversity, equity, and inclusion have been featured in numerous national and global publications and she has had the opportunity to speak at various events across the world.Celeste attended the University of Kentucky where she earned her B.S. degree. She received her master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University.She is a wife and proud mother of two incredible children.
APPROVED PHOTOS
Speaking EngagementsTo contact Celeste, please email celeste.warren@icloud.com or fill out the Contact Form.
FOR MORE INFORMATION / PRESS INQUIRIES
Need the press kit? Find it here.Email Celeste
celeste.warren@icloud.comOr fill out this form: