Lindsay Wagner has been appointed as UTA’s first-ever Chief Diversity Officer, the agency announced on Tuesday.
In this new role, she will expand and drive strategy for the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, amplifying and articulating its existing values and commitments to the creative and business community. This will include the company’s previously announced commitment of $1 million to social justice causes that accompanied an assortment of internal initiatives—from raising pay for entry-level positions, to unconscious bias training for all employees and promoting senior agents of color to the UTA Board and Partnership, among others.
Wagner will also counsel the agency’s clients. She will be based in Los Aneles, reporting to both CEO Jeremy Zimmer and Partner & Chief People Officer Jean-Rene Zetrenne.
“As UTA grows, we must continue to cultivate a more diverse, multifaceted and inclusive culture,” said Zimmer. “Lindsay has a proven track record of pushing the envelope and leading with a fresh and unique perspective. I am confident that she will bring ingenuity to this new role and will be a great steward for the cause.”
“I’m thrilled to welcome Lindsay to the UTA family,” said Zetrenne. “With her wide-ranging experience and expertise, we know that she will elevate our mission to foster an inclusive environment, which allows for our colleagues to thrive and will attract the most inspiring and dynamic people to our company.”
“Entertainment sits at the cross-section of culture, storytelling and influence and therefore it’s critical that we collectively continue to identify and amplify authentic representation inside and outside of the organization,” added Wagner. “I am honored to join UTA and contribute to this purpose-led team focused on building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community and industry now and for generations to come.”
Prior to joining UTA, Wagner served as SVP and Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, North America at Ketchum. During her time at the global communications consulting firm, she developed and executed a community-centered DE&I strategy and structure, which included auditing the firm’s existing programs to positively impact recruitment, retention, and engagement of diverse talent. She also amplified and led its partnership with the HBCU Week Foundation and worked across the wider Omnicom network to help establish the first-ever global town hall for Black employees, which led to the creation of the Black Together Employee Resource Group in support of Black employees, among other initiatives. Prior to her time at Ketchum, Wagner worked for nearly eight years as an Account Manager at Brandware Public Relations.
She continues to serve as a jury member for The ADCOLOR Awards, which celebrates and promotes professionals of color in creative industries; a strategic advisor for Kindred Space LA, one of the few Black-owned birthing centers in the nation which supports Black maternal health and addresses the Black maternal health crisis; an advisor for the feminist-centered platform and community center Sovern, focused on the healing and support of Black and Indigenous women and gender non-binary people; and as an advisory board member for The Lantern Network, which is dedicated to uplifting Black youth.
Wagner is also a member of Justice League NYC & CA, a task force for The Gathering For Justice, which organizes large-scale, direct action dedicated to ending racial inequality in the criminal justice system, and has served as Executive Director of the New York City chapter of ColorComm, the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity and inclusion across the communications and media industries. As part of the Justice League NYC team, she shared in the honor of receiving the Chairman’s Award from the NAACP Image Awards. Wagner has also been recognized with the Black Public Relations Society of Los Angeles’ Pat Tobin Award.
