BeSuper Creative‘s Delanie West has been appointed to the board of directors at Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) as its first Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Chair.
In her new role, West will lead WIT’s efforts to foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the industry throughout WIT’s global community. She will also lead the development of Black Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (B-WIT), a new initiative focused on attracting, recruiting, spotlighting, and advocating for Black women in the industry.
“As an organization whose mission is based on equality, WIT is rooted in the truth that everyone must take action to bring about change that will ultimately drive greater diversity,” says WIT President Janice Ross. “Appointing Delanie to this role is the first of many actions to come.”
Sparked by a lack of representation of Black women in the toy industry, West will work alongside WIT and the B-WIT task force team to develop solutions to complex issues.
“Fostering a culture of ongoing learning, inclusion, and understanding is paramount to delivering on the WIT mission,” West says. “I am deeply committed to integrating D&I into every facet of our global community, and energized to work collaboratively with our industry leaders to develop and implement innovative D&I initiatives and programs that will positively impact our industry at large.”
WIT and the B-WIT task force will develop an actionable roadmap for its efforts focused on recruitment, programming, and scholarships.
“Delanie is a brilliant and proven leader within WIT, and her ability to lead and galvanize others to a common goal makes her the right person to lead us forward in our D&I journey,” Ross says. “We are excited to have her on board as our first D&I Chair.”
West previously served as vice president of product development, design, and creativity at AW Faber-Castell, and was vice president and general manager of design and development at Wilton Brands. In 2010, West stepped into the founding creative director role of BeSuper Creative, a full-service design, marketing, and product development consultancy.
Additionally, West is WIT’s Ohio chapter chair, serves as COO at Healthy Roots Dolls, and is partner and chief strategy officer at Black Creatives, a global network of more than 15,000 professionals in communications, media, advertising, technology, and fashion.
