Janet Stovall

  • Diversity & Inclusion Pragmatist
  • Award-Winning Fortune 500 Speechwriter
  • TED Speaker with 1.5 Million Views

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. 

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.

 



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Past Hosts Include:
  • Institute of Management Accountants
  • Cisco
  • FINRA
  • TED
  • National Urban League
  • CentraCare Health
  • Professional Speechwriters Assoication World Conference
  • RAGAN
  • Gilead Sciences
Rave Reviews About Janet Stovall as a Speaker
I can’t say enough good things about Janet. She was truly wonderful to work with. And her session really resonated with the audience. She’s one of the first DEI speakers to answer what individuals and businesses can do. There were very good takeaways for the audience. She even offered to answer any outstanding audience questions after the conference. … I would highly recommend her for any industry or event. She’s one of my favorite speakers.

Virt. Keynote - Choose to Challenge | Nerdy Girl Success [15:39] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Janet Stovall
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Please See Color: Why We Really Must Talk about Race

The Journey of Why: Roots of Racism (And Why Business Needs to Know)

It’s Time for Business to Get Serious about Inclusion

From Buzzword to Business Asset: Harnessing the Power of Diversity to Drive Organizational Change

The Institutional Iconoclast: How Corporate Communicators Drive Change

Pragmatic Diversity: A Three-Part Strategy for Building an Inclusive Workplace

Transcending the Trope: Finding Your True D&I Mission

Beyond the Business Case for Diversity to the Strategic Case for Inclusion

From Buzzword to Business Asset: Harnessing the Power of Diversity to Drive Organizational Change: A Workshop for Organizational Resource Groups

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)—a staple of company D&I strategies—are recasting themselves as BRGs (Business Resource Groups) to reflect their potential to drive bottom line results. To realize that potential, ERGs and BRGs must leverage their diversity to solve real business problems. Using th ...

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)—a staple of company D&I strategies—are recasting themselves as BRGs (Business Resource Groups) to reflect their potential to drive bottom line results. To realize that potential, ERGs and BRGs must leverage their diversity to solve real business problems. Using the In-Demand© Problem Analysis Tool, attendees will identify real-world challenges and/or opportunities within their organizations that allow them to translate their unique perspective into strategic advantage for their organizations.

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<p>Virtual Programming: UPS's Janet Stovall challenges <span>business to get serious about inclusion, and presents an action plan for businesses to develop and communicate their work in creating a more diverse, inclusive workplace</span></p>

Virtual Programming: UPS's Janet Stovall challenges business to get serious about inclusion, and presents an action plan for businesses to develop and communicate their work in creating a more diverse, inclusive workplace

Imagine a workplace where people of all colors and races are able to climb every rung of the corporate ladder -- and where the lessons we learn about diversity at work actually transform the things we do, think and say outside the office. How do we get there?

UPS's JANET STOVALL has developed a business approach that addresses corporate racism head-on — and has created methods to help dismantle it.   In her role as manager of executive communications for UPS,  Stovall serves as primary speechwriter for the CEO and senior leadership, making her one of the few executive speechwriters of color in the FORTUNE 500. She is uniquely adept at developing diversity and inclusion messages – and helping leaders deliver them authentically.

A popular speaker and workshop facilitator, Janet champions Pragmatic Diversity©, a frank business approach that tackles head-on systemic racism, corporate diversity, inclusion and belonging and provides straightforward solutions to dismantle it. Her TED talk challenging business to get serious about inclusion has been viewed over 1.5 million times.   In this candid talk, she  shares a three-part action plan for creating workplaces where people feel safe and expected to be their unassimilated, authentic selves.

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Books by Janet Stovall
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Biography

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. 

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.