Janet Stovall

Janet M. Stovall has flourished in the highly competitive corporate Fortune 500 world. A long history of driving change and building culture in large, complex organizations has given her deep expertise around DEI practices and principles, especially in the area of communications. In fact, she broke barriers as one of the few Black C-level speechwriters in the Fortune 100.

I believe that business can do something no other entity can do—business can dismantle racism. Janet Stovall

A self-described diversity pragmatist, Stovall is best known for her TED talk challenging business to get serious about inclusion. Collectively, Stovall’s three TED presentations have nearly 3 million views.

Stovall is Global Head of DEI at the NeuroLeadership Institute, a global think tank, consultancy, and research organization that uses neuroscience to improve business performance. A firm believer in action over aspiration, intent over impact and objectivity over subjectivity, Janet works with organizations and leaders that truly value diversity as an asset. Her consultancy, Pragmatic Diversity, helps them unlock that value through accountable inclusion and equity. Through direct consultation with leaders, teams and individuals, as well as keynote speeches and workshops, she helps business get real about DEI and dismantling systemic inequity.

On stage, her approach tackles workplace inequity head-on with a straightforward formula for creating an inclusive workplace that unlocks the power of diversity. Her superpowers? Applying objective solutions to solve subjective DEI challenges, building actionable DEI frameworks and strategies, and brokering honest DEI conversations among top leaders. 

Co-author of The Conscious Communicator: The Fine Art of Not Saying Stupid Sh*t, Stovall also speaks to challenges of communicating authentically about DEI and social justice. Her groundbreaking book introduces a framework and practical tool to help leaders shape DEI and social justice and visions and messages aligned with organizational mission, vision, and values – consistently, proactively, and in ways that are powerful rather than performative.

Stovall holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Davidson College in Davidson, NC, a Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Marketing Communications from Georgetown University and graduate certificates in DEI from Cornell and Yale. She is a member of the Davidson College Board of Trustees.

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