When Diageo won the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Award last year, Jay came out in front of thousands. The recognition was a testament to the company’s culture and the work that Jay led for Smirnoff representing and advocating for the LGBT+ community. By hiring LGBT+ individuals to be the face of Smirnoff’s new national advertising campaign, including Laverne Cox and Jonathan Van Ness, Jay is increasing the community’s visibility across America and proving that brands should partner with the community all year – not just during Pride. Additionally, working with Diageo, Jay has played a leadership role in setting ambitious goals to ensure the business and its agency partners commit to hiring members of diverse communities. For Smirnoff’s recent Pride campaign, the team set a goal that top agency leaders involved in the work should be members of the LGBT+ community. This commitment has led to breakthrough advertising results and even a Top 5 ranking on the Billboard dance chart when Smirnoff hired a DJ to remix Laverne’s “Welcome Home” message. Jay regularly champions D&I – whether it be through speaker platforms or panel discussions. Through his own intersectional experience as a member of the Hispanic, Asian and LGBT+ communities, Jay, together with other members of Diageo, plays a role in fostering a culture of collaboration between diversity resource groups at Diageo.