Celeste Warren

Celeste Warren is a visionary leader who spent 28 years at a global Fortune 100 company, rising to the position of vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer. Warren led the Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence for 10 years, where she implemented groundbreaking initiatives that fostered a culture of inclusivity and equity and set new standards in the industry.

After her retirement, Warren founded Celeste Warren Consulting, LLC, where she continues her mission to reshape the landscape of diversity and inclusion. Her consulting services empower organizations to create fair and equitable opportunities for all, driving meaningful change and enhancing workplace culture.

Warren is a TEDx speaker whose talk highlights the critical importance of changing systems, not just individuals, to achieve true and sustainable momentum in equity. Through this message, she challenges organizations to rethink traditional approaches to diversity work and focus on transforming the structures, policies and practices that shape opportunity and outcomes.

In addition to her consulting work, Warren and her two children established Destination STEM, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to providing vital resources and support to students of color and those in need who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, commonly known as STEM.

Throughout her career, Warren has championed diversity, equity and inclusion on a global scale, elevating the importance of understanding diverse cultures, perspectives and beliefs within corporate strategies. Her visionary approach reshaped internal culture and influenced the broader business landscape, empowering organizations worldwide to embrace inclusivity as a cornerstone of success.

Warren has been recognized internationally for her pivotal contributions, including by Black Enterprise, which named her one of its "Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion"; by Savoy magazine as one of the "Most Influential Women in Corporate America"; by Diversity Global magazine as one of the "Influential Women in Global Diversity"; and by Diversity Woman magazine on its "Elite100" list. She was also named Chief Diversity Officer of the Year by the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

Warren serves on the boards of RWJBarnabas Health Systems and the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, and is a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council.

Warren is a published author whose articles on diversity, equity and inclusion have appeared in numerous national and global publications. She is an internationally sought-after speaker and published her second book, "The Truth About Equity: What It Really Is, What It Isn't and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right."