Earlier this month Ad Age and She Runs It honored the Women to Watch class of 2018 -- proven thought leaders and catalysts in the transformation of media, marketing and advertising.  These visionaries have honed their voices to embrace leadership that shapes culture, empowers storytelling, encourages risk taking and ensures team building.  They are role models, uniquely influential in their abilities to concurrently drive business results and social progress.

It’s not often that you leave an event as inspired by the audience as the A-list line-up of speakers who are leaders on the front lines of the industry.  Yet, that was my experience at the Multicultural Alliance Bootcamp produced by SheRunsIt.   It was designed as a safe space to welcome multicultural women to marketing and media, an industry that has failed to attract and retain diverse talent.  The venue was packed, primarily with Millennial women of color.  It was clearly the first time many had seen themselves as a majority in a business setting and they were emotional.  Even some of the seasoned panelists had watery eyes as the community was united by highly personal stories of courage and optimism.

On Thursday March 29, in its signature fundraising event, She Runs It will "roast" Linda Yaccarino (pictured above), Chairman, Advertising and Client Partnerships for NBCUniversal.