With over 20 years of experience in digital media, communications, design, marketing strategy, and team building, Christina Frantom brings proven knowledge of creative strategy, communication planning, and client management to academic, corporate, agency and municipal organizations through a DE&I lens. Frantom has a long history of DE&I-focused work throughout her communications career. She served on the board of the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights History and Reconciliation Foundation as well as the Invisible Histories Project of Alabama. Frantom is currently the International Communications Lead at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, a global automotive manufacturing plant in Vance, Alabama. Frantom holds an M.S. in Consumer Quality Management from The University of Alabama and a B.A. in Philosophy from Texas A&M University.

Crystal Borde is a Vice President and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Practice Lead at Vanguard Communications, a public relations firm based in Washington, DC. She counsels organizations on better communicating their DEI values and actions within their organizations and communities to be more inclusive and equitable. She puts people first, ensuring that audiences — who they are and what they need — are accurately and fairly represented in strategic communications planning, implementation and evaluation. Since joining Vanguard Communications – a Hispanic woman-owned firm — in 2007, Crystal has worked with non-profit organizations, government agencies, foundations, associations and educational institutions in the areas of health, wellness, energy, environment, education and DEI to foster healthy communities and a thriving planet. In 2021, she was recognized by Ragan and PR Daily as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Honoree in the Top Women in Communications Awards and also named by PR News as a Top Woman in PR Changemaker Honoree. Her thought leadership about DEI communication strategies and approaches has been published in Bulldog Reporter and Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) PRSay blog and featured in industry panel events, university lectures and conference workshops. Crystal got her B.A. at California State University, Fullerton — College of Communications. She is President-Elect of the PRSA National Capital Chapter Board of Directors and served as a director on the board and DEI Committee chair for three years.

Kimberly Henderson is a Senior Manager, Equity, Inclusion & Diversity at Mars leading North America Equity, Inclusion and Diversity initiatives and strategies. Certified by Cornell’s DEI for HR and McKinsey’s Leadership Academy professional programs, Kimberly brings industry learnings coupled with driving daily efficiencies and engagements that maintain and strengthen the true authenticity and culture for all Associates, specifically through EI&D programs geared to distribute the best equitable opportunities within the organization to promote the insurance of perspective, that may differ from the status quo. Kimberly completed her Undergraduate in Human-Computer Interaction and Master’s in Business Information Technology degrees at DePaul University.

Kimberly has been a standing contributor to the eCornell Diversity Symposiums held with faculty and experts brought together to explore today's most pressing topics including equity, unconscious bias, psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and cross-cultural conversations. Kimberly is a member of the DEI Board, known for leading peer insights with some of the world's largest companies and Board Member, Business Department Advisory Council , City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College.

Kimberly is dedicated to promoting EI&D’s bold goals aiming directly to engage with Associates and core business leaders to ensure the actioning of an inclusive and diverse business practices to elevate the multiple levels of the business internally, balancing it with partnerships externally. A proven track record when it comes to being the conduit, being intentional in efforts to nurturing a diverse workforce; Kimberly is leading programs that drive overall employee belonging and satisfaction, specifically building an operational framework to serve as the foundation for aligning purpose, people, process as a collected effort with the North American Associate Resource Groups (ARGs), to support their impactful and inclusive work.