PRCA announces new Chair and members of the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ishtar Schneider as the new Chair of the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board (EIAB), along with an outstanding roster of new members dedicated to championing diversity and inclusion within the PR industry.

New EIAB Chair and Members:

*denotes incumbent member

• Ishtar Schneider, EIAB Chair and Global People, Inclusion & Diversity Communications Lead at Mars Petcare
• Alexander Clelland, Director at Houston*
• Caren Davies, Senior Head of Communications at BBC*
• Rhianna Eligon, Senior Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager at Burson
• Antonia Fagbohun, Senior Consultant at Coldr
• Victoria Harrison-Cook, Head of Media at Transport for London
• Amy Hayer, Global Communications Partner - EMEA, USA and Asia Pac at Hanson Search
• Janita Lakhanpal, Director of Business Development at Ketchum UK
• Andy Lane, Deputy Managing Director - UK & Ireland at Instinctif Partners*
• Kuldeep Mehmi, Associate Director, B2B Cross Border Communications at Savills*
• Anushka Mathew, Mobility Communications Manager, Europe at Ford Motor Company*
• Alex Pearse, Executive Director at Golin
• Michael Phillips, Head of Communications at Havas Media Network UK
• Kaj Sahota, Business Director at Ogilvy UK*
• Edward Tan, Account Director, Marketing Communications at 5654 & Company
• Ethan Tuxford, Director, Brand & Head of Edelman EQUAL UK
• Mark Wainwright, Digital Director at Headland*
• Mary Whenman, Director, Group Communications at British Business Bank

The PRCA Equity & Inclusion Advisory Board (EIAB) is committed to setting benchmarks and defining excellence in equity and inclusion within the PR industry. By fostering a truly inclusive industry, the EIAB seeks to enhance visible representation across all sectors and disciplines, reflecting the diverse societies we serve.

The EIAB will engage in collaborative efforts, forming partnerships and supporting agencies, organizations, and individuals who are already excelling in equity and inclusion initiatives – and look for opportunities to accelerate industry-wide progress towards a more diverse and inclusive industry where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can thrive. This approach ensures a focused and efficient use of resources, avoiding duplication and maximizing the impact of volunteer efforts.

All EIAB initiatives will be guided by the principle of intersectionality, ensuring regional representation and diverse perspectives in every aspect of its work. Two additional workstreams have been added in 2024 – one which will focus on age and a multigenerational workforce as well as a newly refreshed LGBTQIA+ workstream (previously a stand-alone PRCA group).

Key Workstreams:

• Gender
• Social Mobility
• Neurodiversity/Mental Health
• Disability
• Age/Multigenerational Workforce
• LGBTQIA+

Ishtar Schneider, EIAB Chair said:

“We know that diversity within the PR and communications industry still doesn’t accurately reflect the society we live in. The difference is that today people and organisations can no longer say they don’t know better. Ensuring diversity of thought and experience is critical to everything we do from how we recruit, retain and support our talent to how we produce effective and impactful work that truly speaks to the audiences we want to reach. We are thrilled to welcome so many inspiring new members to the PRCA Equity Inclusion Advisory Board. They each bring a wealth of professional and intersectional lived experiences to the table. I’m looking forward to seeing how we can collectively build on previous progress and help build an industry as open as we know it can and should be.”