Relentless.
Unshakable.
Defining.
  • Save the Date
    May 3-5, 2026
    VEA Newport Beach
    A Marriott Resort & Spa
    Newport Beach, CA

    BRIDGE26: Beyond the Line

    Watch video highlights from BRIDGE25

    Request an Invite

    BRIDGE in partnership with SmartBrief is bringing you a concise weekly digest of DEI principles, featuring news from reputable sources. Expert editors curate summaries that are tailored to your interests, saving you time and ensuring you stay up-to-date with your industry needs.

    Your data will be managed according to our Privacy Policy.


    This is an inclusive and welcoming event. If you have questions about accessibility or would like to request an accommodation, please include your requirements with your registration or contact Erica DeLorenzo at [email protected]. Requests should be made by March 15 to allow for coordination of services. You can read more about our Event Accessibility & Accommodation Policy here.

    Relentless. Unshakable. Defining.

    Every generation reaches a moment that tests its clarity — and its conviction. This is ours.

    BRIDGE26: BEYOND THE LINE is where leadership takes hold. Where we don't wait — we begin. Because the future won't be shaped by the loudest; it will be shaped by the bravest.

    To go beyond the line is where inclusion transforms from philosophy to capability — from intention to performance — driving innovation, resilience, and growth across every corner of business.

    It's where we aren't one voice, but a chorus. It's how we build winning cultures — cultures where people don't just show up, they thrive; where creativity flourishes, trust grows, and teams move with unity and urgency.

    It's where workplace culture and marketplace impact collide into one integrated strategy for sustainable growth.

    To go beyond the line isn't about preserving what was — it's about building what must exist next. It's about knowing what you stand for when it costs you something, and standing up before it's safe to do so.

    With an NPS above 90 for three consecutive years, BRIDGE26 equips leaders to compete harder, lead smarter, and grow faster in the face of rising volatility. We show you how to move inclusion out of the margins and into the mechanics of the business — where it becomes measurable, scalable, and transformational.

    Now in its fourth year, BRIDGE convenes the most visionary Chief Diversity Officers, CMOs, CEOs, and senior executives for 2½ days designed to go beyond the line — because power doesn't just sit at the top; it lies within all of us. The question isn't if we have it, but how we choose to use it. And using power with purpose isn't just courageous — it's consequential.

    The stakes are high. The opportunity is higher.
    Relentless in our pursuit.
    Unshakable in our purpose.
    Defining the future of growth.
    This is BRIDGE26: BEYOND THE LINE.

    Who should at‌tend BRIDGE26

    BRIDGE26 convenes the leaders driving inclusion as performance across marketing, business, and culture. It's where decision-makers, innovators, and rising talent come together to connect strategy with action — and turn insight into measurable impact.

    You'll be in good company.

    • Chief Diversity Officers and DEI Executives leading systemic transformation
    • Chief Marketing Officers and Brand Leaders redefining growth through inclusion
    • CEOs, Presidents, and Senior Business Leaders aligning culture with performance

    These global brands, agencies, media companies, and platforms share one belief: inclusion isn't separate from business — it is the business.

    Request an Invite

    Partnering with Purpose

    Designed to Deliver Impact That Lasts

    Every BRIDGE partnership is built around three principles: authenticity, alignment, and action. We create collaborations that move business and culture forward together.

    Your Partnership Delivers:

    • Visibility across pre-, during-, and post-event marketing, social, and press channels.
    • Thought Leadership through main-stage participation, content integration, and co-branded publications.
    • Authentic Cultural Activation that celebrates diversity and connects your brand to lived experiences.
    • Purpose-Driven Alignment — every giveaway, product, and experience supports underrepresented communities or causes.
    • Community Impact that extends beyond the event through measurable initiatives and collaborations.

    For more information on BRIDGE26 Partnership Opportunities:

    Click here

    "We design every partnership to be more than exposure — it's a shared opportunity to lead the change we all want to see."

    — BRIDGE Partnerships Team

    Our 2026 Steering Committee

    Co-Chair
    Lori Goode
    Lori Goode
    Chief Marketing Officer
    Co-Chair
    Randi Stipes
    Randi Stipes
    Former Chief Marketing Officer
    Brianne Boles-Marshall
    Brianne Boles-Marshall
    Responsible Media Lead
    Tony Coles
    Tony Coles
    President, Black Information Network
    Geoff Edwards
    Geoff Edwards
    Managing Director, Creative
    Emile Khader
    Emile Khader
    Former VP Strategy, Insights and Analytics,
    Jennifer Warren
    Jennifer Warren
    VP, Global Brand Marketing and Communications
    Geraldine White
    Geraldine White
    Founder and CEO
    VEA Newport Beach Logo
    900 Newport Center Drive
    Newport Beach, California 92660
    United States | marriott.com
    • Venue
    • Venue
    • Venue
    • Venue
    • Venue
    • Venue
    • Venue

      Where inspiration meets purpose.

      Set along the Pacific coastline, VEA offers a modern, immersive environment for connection and creativity. The venue was designed to support reflection and collaboration — from ocean-view meeting spaces to wellness sanctuaries and thoughtfully designed gathering areas.

      But VEA's physical beauty is just part of the story. Marriott International is deeply committed to making inclusion foundational — not optional. As CEO Anthony Capuano has said:

      We welcome all to our hotels, and we create opportunities for all — and fundamentally those will never change. The words might change, but that's who we are as a company.

      Within 24 hours of reaffirming that stance publicly, Capuano received over 40,000 messages of gratitude from associates worldwide — proof that when values are lived, they resonate.

      VEA Newport Beach | A Marriott Resort & Spa is more than a space — it's a venue operated by a company that aligns with the BRIDGE ethos of inclusion, trust, and long-term legacy.

      2025 Speakers

      The Voices Who've Led the Conversation

      BRIDGE has brought together some of the most influential voices in business, marketing, and culture — leaders who don't just discuss inclusion, they define it.

      Past speakers include executives, changemakers, and innovators who've shaped how the industry thinks about leadership, creativity, and growth.

      Ziad Ahmed
      Ziad Ahmed
      Head of Next Gen
      United Talent Agency
      Berenice Alcalá Jimenez
      Berenice Alcalá Jimenez
      Executive Assistant for the Elizabeth Richardson Center and DACA Recipient
      Weida Allen
      Weida Allen
      The Paris 3
      Joy Allen-Altimare
      Joy Allen-Altimare
      Global Chief Marketing Officer
      Meghan Bartley
      Meghan Bartley
      Senior Director of Agencies, Brands, and Engagement, GLAAD Media Institute
      Donna Bungard
      Donna Bungard
      Director of Accessibility
      Karrié Claybrook
      Karrié Claybrook
      Senior Director of Marketing & Producer of The Paris 3
      Tony Coles
      Tony Coles
      President, Black Information Network
      Kerel Cooper
      Kerel Cooper
      CMO
      Jessica Golden Cortes
      Jessica Golden Cortes
      Partner, Labor + Employment Group
      Phil Cowdell
      Phil Cowdell
      Global Chief Strategy Officer
      Sheryl Daija
      Sheryl Daija
      CEO & Founder
      Dr. Wiley Davi
      Dr. Wiley Davi
      BRIDGE Facilitator, Professor, English & Media Studies
      Alison Mariella Désir
      Alison Mariella Désir
      Author, Therapist, Activist
      Maha Elgenaidi
      Maha Elgenaidi
      Founder & Executive Director
      Augustine Fields
      Augustine Fields
      The Paris 3
      Nats Getty
      Nats Getty
      LGBTQ+ Activist
      Noah Gonzalez
      Noah Gonzalez
      Communications, Special Projects and Content
      Lori Goode
      Lori Goode
      Chief Marketing Officer
      Claude Green
      Claude Green
      Director D&I, Community Relations, Journeys for All, Supplier Inclusion, Recruiting
      Stacy Hawkins
      Stacy Hawkins
      Diversity & Employment Practices Consultant and Professor of Law
      Judy Jackson
      Judy Jackson
      President, JLC Ventures
      Michael Jennings
      Michael Jennings
      Director, Inclusion Strategy, Product
      Micah Jesse Koffler
      Micah Jesse Koffler
      Global Director, Influencer and Creator Marketing
      George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga
      George-Axelle Broussillon Matschinga
      Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      Ronald Méndez
      Ronald Méndez
      EVP, Cultural Investment & Strategy Lead
      Margaret Nichols
      Margaret Nichols
      The Paris 3
      Egbavwe Pela
      Egbavwe Pela
      Group SVP, Engagement Strategy, and lead of CMI Media Group's Inclusive Media Center of Excellence
      Valerie Irick Rainford
      Valerie Irick Rainford
      CEO
      Jessica Ricaurte
      Jessica Ricaurte
      Chief Revenue Officer
      Dr. Omar Rodríguez-Vilá
      Dr. Omar Rodríguez-Vilá
      Professor in the Practice of Marketing and the Director of Education / Business & Society Institute, Goizueta Business School
      Victoria Russell
      Victoria Russell
      Managing Director, Inclusion & Sustainability Strategy Leader
      Sandra Sims-Williams
      Sandra Sims-Williams
      Chief Business Inclusion, Impact and Belonging Officer
      Marcus Stephens
      Marcus Stephens
      Transformation Guild Fellow
      Karen Stiller
      Karen Stiller
      Senior Director of Jewish Affairs
      Rebekah Tweed
      Rebekah Tweed
      Executive Director
      Michelle Vincent
      Michelle Vincent
      CEO
      George Walker
      George Walker
      Chief Equity Officer
      Geraldine White
      Geraldine White
      Founder and CEO
      Trovon Williams
      Trovon Williams
      SVP, Marketing and Communications

      BRIDGE25 At‌tendees Include

      BRIDGE25 Partners

      adsmovil
      indeed
      gallo
      gap
      saucony
      extreme-reach
      gale
      gm
      sephora
      directdigital
      transformation-guild

      Copyright © 2025 BRIDGE. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy

      Site by Solidmark.