Ryan Reynolds Announces New Nonprofit, The Creative Ladder, to Make Creative Marketing Careers More Accessible to Underrepresented Communities

Deloitte Joins as Founding Donor; Hilton as Early Sponsor and Conference Host

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ryan Reynolds has just announced the formation of a new nonprofit, The Creative Ladder, to help make creative careers more accessible to all – especially those from underrepresented communities. Deloitte has joined the initiative as a founding donor with an initial $500,000.00 contribution and as a strategic collaborator.

The Creative Ladder, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, will offer a wide array of programs and services for students and rising creative talents to open up career options in marketing, advertising, design, and commercial production. For those already working in these industries, The Creative Ladder will offer leadership training, mentorship, networking opportunities and career development resources.

“We started talking about The Creative Ladder right after we launched the Group Effort Initiative, so I am so thrilled the day is finally here,” said The Creative Ladder Co-Founder, Ryan Reynolds. “I love making ads and want to help make sure talent of all backgrounds have the access and information they need to succeed. Ads are just another form of storytelling and a more representative workforce will only make this industry stronger and enable it to tell better stories.”

Deloitte has shown strong support of The Creative Ladder as the founding donor to the nonprofit and through committing strategic support to help The Creative Ladder advance its mission. The donation aligns with Deloitte’s long-standing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion – as well as its unique ability to combine creative thinking and business experience to help solve complex problems.

“As a founding donor of The Creative Ladder, Deloitte is thrilled to support their mission to strengthen the pipeline of racially and ethnically diverse professionals seeking careers in the creative field, and create more leadership pathways for the next generation of creative professionals,” said Janet Foutty, Executive Chair, Deloitte US. “Underrepresented communities haven’t had the same networking and career development opportunities as most creatives. Creating a more diverse pool of talent is a critical step in creating an equitable future across multiple creative segments.”

Formally launching in Fall 2022, The Creative Ladder will offer a Creative Leadership Conference and six-month Leadership Academy that virtually teaches management skills.

Leading global hospitality company, Hilton, also joins as an early sponsor, pledging financial support and hosting the inaugural Creative Leadership Conference. Hilton, which has long been dedicated to creating an equitable and inclusive workforce that represents many different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints, looks forward to supporting an organization dedicated to helping diverse professionals discover new inclusive career and leadership paths.

“We are pleased to join forces with The Creative Ladder to drive awareness and inclusivity across careers in marketing,” said Mark Weinstein, Chief Marketing Officer, Hilton. “At Hilton, we know how important it is to our current and future team members to create a culture where diverse backgrounds are welcomed, encouraged, and celebrated. We are diverse by nature, inclusive by choice. This makes our work stronger - better enabling us to connect with our guests and communities of all backgrounds around the world.”

To lead the organization, co-founder Ryan Reynolds will be joined by co-founder and CEO Dionna Dorsey Calloway, founder of the lifestyle brand District of Clothing, and third co-founder and Chief Content Officer David Griner, a longtime editor for Adweek.

The nonprofit’s inclusive board of directors includes top-level executives from Snap Inc., TBWA, The Martin Agency, VaynerMedia and more.

“In our communities, there isn’t a talent deficit, there’s an opportunity deficit,” said The Creative Ladder co-founder and CEO, Dionna Dorsey Calloway. “That’s why our mission of connecting, inspiring and elevating an inclusive new generation of creatives matters. Creative Ladder will help us cast a broader net and connect amazing young creatives to opportunities otherwise less accessible and known.”

For more on The Creative Ladder’s mission and programs – including easy ways to donate and/or volunteer – visit CreativeLadder.org.

If your company is interested in supporting or partnering with The Creative Ladder, email CEO Dionna Dorsey Calloway at [e-mail].

You can see the announcement video HERE.

Creative Ladder Social Channels: 
Twitter - @LadderOrg 
Instagram - @CreativeLadderOrg 
LinkedIn - The Creative Ladder

*Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of our legal structure.