MYLIFEOFKAI

Marketer | Thought Leader | Speaker

Lauded as one of Media, Marketing & Tech's 50 "most Indispensable Behind The Scenes Stars" in 2022, Kai Deveraux Lawson is a thought leader, innovator, and advocate for truth-telling in marketing. With over 12 years’ experience in the industry, she’s helped shape strategies for Advertising's biggest agencies and marketing's most recognizable brands. She is the former Senior Vice President of Diversity Equity & Inclusion for Dentsu Creative where she led strategic initiatives designed to drive change in corporate culture— and creative campaigns.

Kai's journey into the marketing world began during her college years at Howard University, a historically black university known for its academic excellence. At Howard, she studied Communications with a minor in Entrepreneurship. It's during this time she demonstrated an early knack for understanding of large scale live productions, consumer behaviors and developing creative strategies. Her exceptional work did not go unnoticed, and she was offered a full time role, shortly after graduation, at the prestigious Advertising Agency Wunderman, setting the foundation for a career marked by innovation, integrity, and a consistent push for diversity and inclusivity.

Kai's career has uniquely evolved to cover multiple areas of expertise in the business from operational focused roles in project management, production and resource management, to a leader in inclusive strategy development. Her comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of the creative landscape has provided her with the ability to leverage resources effectively, ensuring maximum efficiency and productivity within her teams. As she ascended to leadership roles, her sharp strategic mind and inclusive vision were recognized, leading her to the forefront of culturally focused strategies. Now, as a consultant, she is reshaping businesses by infusing inclusivity into their core strategies, thereby fostering work environments, campaigns and more, where everyone has a voice, and all talents are utilized. This unique career trajectory has allowed her to add diverse layers of expertise to her profile, making her an invaluable asset in today's dynamic business landscape.

Kai uses her lifelong passion for culture, and over a decade of experience in advertising, to tell honest stories that shed light on the need for Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace, and cultural nuance in creativity. Her experience led her to launch the culturally focused platforms, Mixed Company Podcast and her blog, Mylifeofkai.com. On these platforms, she shares her first hand experiences in life, travel and career, from the perspective of a millennial woman of color. 

Kai has been a featured speaker for several premier conferences including New York Advertising Week, The 3% Conference and ADCOLOR, and has been featured in trade and cultural publications like Refinery29, ADWEEK, AD AGE & DIGIDAY.

Kai's unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as her innovative approach to marketing, has garnered significant recognition and several prestigious awards throughout her career. She was named among The-Dot's 2019 100 Trailblazers Redefining the Creative Industry. She also clinched a spot in the HERoes 2020 Top 100 Women Future Leaders list, and The Advertising Club of New York’s Innovator Award, a testament to her novel ideas and creative solutions within the advertising industry. Kai continued her streak of accolades by being recognized as one of Mogul’s Top 100 DEI Leaders in 2021, and In 2022, Kai was named the Women in Marketing Storyteller of the Year, an award that celebrates individuals who are successfully changing the narrative and helping the industry understand key issues. Additional honors include making The Adweek50 list and receiving New York Moves Magazine’s 2023 Diversity Award, solidifying her status as a respected trailblazer in her field.

Live Podcast- Exploring Advertising's partnership with Hip Hop

Keynote- Marketing’s Role in Shaping the Future

Acceptance Speech- New York Moves Magazine’s Diversity Awards

Panelist- Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste: How 2020 Forced Industry Culture to Change

Panelist- Equipping Adland Ecosystems For Radical Accountability + Action

Panel Moderator- HEAVY IS THE CROWN: THE STATE OF WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE WORKPLACE