The American Advertising Federation (AAF) today announced that Lynn Lewis, U.S. CEO of UM Worldwide, will serve as chair of the National Board of Directors July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Tiffany R. Warren, senior VP, chief diversity officer at Omnicom Group and founder and president at ADCOLOR, will serve alongside Lewis as the vice chair of the board. Melanie Mitchem, SVP, Global Communications & PR at FCB Global, will serve as the chair of the Mosaic Council Executive Committee during this time.
Lewis commented, “I am honored to be named as the new chair of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), an organization that has meant a great deal to me since my earliest days in the industry. I am proud to follow in the footsteps of the remarkable chairs before me and I look forward to continuing their excellent work, in partnership with Tiffany R. Warren, the board and the entire AAF team during these challenging times.”
Warren remarked, “AAF has been in my life since I was a newly minted Bentley University senior. My many positions and roles within AAF have prepared me for the role of vice chair. I am honored to serve with Lynn Lewis and I look forward to supporting one of the most consequential organizations in advertising, marketing and media.”
The AAF’s Mosaic Center houses the organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and is experiencing a revitalization under its incoming leadership. According to the Mosaic Council’s incoming Chair, Melanie Mitchem, “Ensuring representation in advertising is not only important but critical — especially during these deeply unsettling times. Now more than ever, our industry can play a vital role in helping to transform cultural attitudes, and in making sure that people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and orientations are seen, heard and honored. The AAF’s Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism is, in my opinion, one of today’s most vital resources for making these tenets a reality, and I am beyond proud to be the new chair of the Mosaic Council.”
The AAF’s Board of Directors guides and oversees the Federation’s signature events and initiatives, including the Advertising Hall of Fame, the Advertising Hall of Achievement, the American Advertising Awards, the National Student Advertising Competition, the Mosaic Awards, the Most Promising Multicultural Students Program, AdCamp and the Institute for Advertising Ethics — all serving the Federation’s 40,000 professional members nationwide, 5,000 student members and nearly 100 corporate members spanning media companies, advertisers and agencies.
Steve Pacheco, President & CEO of the AAF, commented, “I am excited about working with these three advertising industry leaders on elevating the AAF brand and attracting even more great talent to the advertising industry. Both Lynn and Tiffany are former Advertising Hall of Achievement honorees (in 2013 and 2010) and they share a passion for developing young talent, creating a diverse narrative and mentoring the next generation of advertising leaders. And Melanie’s passion for diversity and inclusion, along with her commitment to the AAF, will continue to advance the organization’s purpose.”
“Our work together will further AAF’s Mission and Goals to continue to be ‘The Unifying Voice for Advertising,’ connecting and empowering everyone involved in advertising — from students to pros to CEOs!”
For more information about the AAF’s Board of Directors and partnership opportunities, please contact Linda Moore at lmoore@aaf.org. To learn more about the AAF’s Mosaic Center’s initiatives, please contact Ayanna Jackson at ajackson@aaf.org.
