BRIDGE26: Key Takeaways and Moments
May 14, 2026
This year at BRIDGE26, we came together with intention. We recommitted to lead and to protect truth, inclusion and equity, even when external forces feel insurmountable.
Wrapped in blankets, courage and community, we refueled through shared knowledge, connection and powerful stories.
We acknowledged what’s at stake and the responsibility each of us carries in what happens next.
These are the inspiring moments and key takeaways that will continue to guide us Beyond the Line. You can also enjoy the photos here!
Here are some of the key takeaways:
Day 1
- Beyond the Line. In my opening remarks, I challenged leaders to recognize that we will be measured not by preserving what was, but by building what’s next. This is our opportunity to define the next era. To move beyond reaction and into design. To sharpen our discipline and build not for the moment, but for what must endure beyond it.
- Remembering Wiley Davi, and our Intention. We dedicated this retreat to our BRIDGE colleague Wiley, and recalled how she showed up with intention, seeing people fully and holding space for others. Through the way she lived, we were reminded of how intention separates simply being in the room from being responsible for what happens in it.
- Rooted. Fearless. Unbound. As part of BRIDGE Stories, Apolla Echino, award-winning filmmaker and member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, shared how her heritage and late grandmother shaped her commitment to elevating Indigenous voices. Her work honors those traditions both on screen and behind the camera.
Day 2
- No Stopping Us. Before the sessions began, gospel singer Jason McGee had the room on its feet singing and dancing to “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” setting the tone for the days ahead.
- The Power of Alignment. Board Chair Sandra Sims-Williams encouraged us to come together to build alignment and support one another during these challenging times.
- Leading With Purpose. In conversation with Alisa Dalton, VP, Community Engagement & Belonging at Target, she reflected on an important lesson around leadership: it’s hard but important to sit back and listen, and feel that heat of accountability. She also shared how internal teams are extending that accountability to the company, and how guest insights shape the in-store experience.
- How Brands Win with Inclusion. Dr. Omar Rodríguez-Vilá revealed that the opportunity for growth lies in the gap between what customers need and what competitors overlook. Brands are more likely to win when they embed inclusion into their products and measure its impact.
- The Most Optimistic Man I Ever Knew Slept with a Shotgun. Our second storyteller, Tony Coles, President of the Black Information Network at iHeart, honored the resilience and optimism of his father, Papa Coles, who faced down the KKK in his small Ohio town. Even though he slept with a shotgun beside his bed, Papa Coles still looked for the good in people.
- The CDO Role Reimagined. The panel agreed that the CDO role becomes indispensable when it is directly connected to the business, mitigating risk, driving growth and building systems that last beyond any one leader. CDOs are not meant to own the work alone, but to serve as advisors and stewards helping organizations navigate complexity and embed inclusion across the enterprise.
- The Real Work of Inclusive Marketing. The conversation around opportunity, risk and accountability continued in this session. Aubrey Maslen from L’Oréal Groupe shared a powerful reminder of why inclusion matters: the spending power of underrepresented audiences is larger than the GDP of some countries.
- Beyond the Scoreboard: Power, Culture and Performance. Brandon Thompson of NASCAR emphasized the importance of building with fans, not for them, while Alana Hernandez of The Team reiterated why authentic alignment between athlete influencers and brands is critical.
- BRIDGE Academy Pilots. BRIDGE introduced three pilot workshops grounded in
the IMAX framework and designed to translate inclusion into practical, cross-functional execution.
- Dr. Omar Rodríguez-Vilá led a session on understanding the role of product and the customer experience in driving growth.
- Morgan Gregory of Alltold facilitated a workshop on how to identify and mitigate bias in generative AI.
- Drawing on insights from Expanding Equity’s network of 350+ companies, Chirlie Felix of FSG and Jonathan Njus of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation led a CDO-focused session on how to build the business case that connects inclusion to growth. Learn more and join the free Expanding Equity Network.
- A Conversation with Brothers. The first night ended with a captivating discussion between the Edwards brothers, Geoff and Rob. Their warmth, humor and close bond set the tone for an inside look at creating culturally relevant films. Rob, who wrote “The Princess and the Frog,” bringing the first Black Disney Princess to life, reflected on writing from a place of joy and celebrating Black stories throughout his career.
Day 3
- Homeless. Creative. Unstoppable. Inocente, the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary filmed when she was just 15, shared how she pursued becoming an artist while homeless and undocumented. Today, she uses her platform to raise awareness for arts programs and encourage young people to believe in their own potential. You can watch this must-see documentary here.
- Judgment Under Pressure: A Conversation with Judy Smith. Judy Smith, the inspiration behind Olivia Pope in “Scandal,” shared that every decision CEOs make is now made under intense public pressure and scrutiny. When asked what we will look back on and say leaders got right, and wrong, during this moment, she reflected that we will say they were not as fearless as we hoped, but strategic enough to survive and make it to the other side.
- The Legal State of the Union. Legal experts Stacy Hawkins and Jenny Yang separated business risk from legal risk, encouraging leaders to audit for legal exposure, build internal structures to navigate complexity and take the long view. Don’t dismantle practices that will be difficult to rebuild.
- AI and Inclusion. The Human Imperative. Morgan Gregory of Alltold challenged attendees to test AI systems against their own expertise to find bias. Joe Ligé of Culture Hive demonstrated how AI can root out tokenism in ad creative. While AI is here, don’t cede your thinking to it.
- Designing for Disability. Author Emily Goodson highlighted that the spending power of people with disabilities and their families is estimated at $1 trillion. Brands that want to genuinely connect with this audience must create with them, starting with their own employees.
- Rising Stars. The cohort of emerging leaders collectively encouraged the BRIDGE community to look to them as a resource in their respective fields. And what they want most from BRIDGE and each other is to stay connected, build community and come back next year to mentor the BRIDGE27 Rising Stars!
- For everyone asking, the now-famous BRIDGE26 cookies that quickly became a retreat favorite are from Brothas Cookies, a Black-owned family bakery in Orange County.
Over 2.5 days, we laughed, cried, danced and had honest conversations about what it means to go Beyond the Line.
Beyond the Line is where intention becomes infrastructure.
Where values are not expressed, but embedded.
Where inclusion is not protected, it is operationalized.
Where leadership is not declared, it is demonstrated.
This is not the moment to scale back.
It is the moment to push further.
Thank you for being part of the BRIDGE community.
SD
founder & CEO
BRIDGE
P.S. Please join our monthly Community Call on Thursday, May 28th from 12 noon–1pm ET, where we’ll discuss the most critical actionable strategies from each of the BRIDGE26 sessions. Sign up.