Adrianne C. Smith

Founder of the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective (CC:DC)

Adrianne C. Smith has spent her career building lasting frameworks for inclusion. As the founder of the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective (CC:DC) and Chief Inclusion and Impact Officer at FleishmanHillard, she has expanded access and opportunities for creatives from under-resourced communities on global stages and within major companies.

Through initiatives like Inkwell Beach at the Cannes Lions International Festival Creativity and Davos during the World Economic Forum. Adrianne has created space for honest conversations, real investment, and long-overdue visibility for creators that have been traditionally ignored or their creative talents had been co-opted. Her leadership reflects both a commitment to representation and to developing infrastructure that supports long-term access, growth and innovation.

She also launched the Center for Excellence in Advertising at Howard University and has guided agencies on their internal inclusion efforts. Adrianne’s work is defined by rigor, vision, and results that move the work forward without compromise.