Toni Harrison

Keynote Speaker: 

Toni Harrison is an award-winning marketing communication leader with experience in the boardroom, the situation room and  the newsroom. No stranger to creative disruption and closing communication gaps with data-driven, culturally relevant  campaigns, 

Toni launched Etched Communication in 2014. The leading multicultural public relations and crisis management  agency served as the PR practice for Chicago-based Ten35.  Toni led part of the team responsible for PepsiCo's $400 million commitment to uplift Black communities and representation;  devised and executed strategies for Polaris Inc.'s entry into the multicultural space; and expertly navigated a prominent  nonprofit through a global crisis which received a gold "Stevie," the highest accolade, for crisis management at The American  Business Awards. Also under her demonstrated leadership, Fair Fintech was named “Best Emerging Fintech” and secured  exclusive analyst briefing invitations in the U.S. and E.U. prior to its product launch. 

The former CBS journalist, has proven track record for leading total-market strategies for Fortune-ranked companies, global  consumer brands, governmental entities and nonprofit organizations. C-Suite executives, prominent dignitaries and elected  officials rely her proven media coaching and crisis management expertise to navigate difficult media interviews and complex  marketing communication challenges. Etched clients are frequently featured in global news outlets including MSNBC, CNN,  Cheddar, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, BBC, Vice News, FOX Business, Black Enterprise and NPR, to name a few. Named “Top 5 Black Business Women to Celebrate” by Black Enterprise in 2021, Toni’s passion for community service rivals her  professional dedication. She is active in The Links, Inc., Junior League of Houston, PRSA (Board Member) and Alpha Kappa Alpha  Sorority. She serves on Forbes Young Entrepreneur Council, the advisory council to Young Women’s College Prep Academies and  she has been selected for Fortune's Most Powerful Women-NextGen Summit since 2017.  

Toni always accepts opportunities to mentor young professionals, and she frequently speaks at industry conferences and events.  Her articles and commentary on culture, DEI, crisis management and leadership are published in Forbes, Business Insider, PR  News, Fintech Times and Blavity, among others.  Toni earned a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. She completed graduate coursework at the  University of California at Los Angeles.