• 1. Please introduce yourself, what you do for work, and what you enjoy for fun.

-I am Arielle Patrick, the Chief Communications Officer at Ariel Investments. Ariel Investments is the nation's first and oldest Black-owned mutual fund company. They are a globally diversified investment management firm, and I have the distinct pleasure of running our brand communication and philanthropy efforts there. When I am not working, I love being at the gym and spending time with my husband and my two daughters.

  • 2. How do you self-define, and what aspects of your (cultural) identity are most significant to you? 

-First and foremost, I identify as a woman, and second, as equally as important as a child of Caribbean immigrants. It’s important because the culture I was raised in prepared me with grit and, the value of hard work, and strong faith in my religion.

  • 3. Why are you most passionate about working in PR and Communications? What drives your interest in this field?

-I'm most interested in the fact that reputation is an ever-growing, continually evolving, and very critical part of corporate risk management. As the industry continues to mature, more companies, particularly public companies, recognize the importance of having this at senior management and board levels.

I grew up always as a writer. I studied the humanities in college and also did a minor in creative writing. I always dreamed of being a journalist or a storyteller in some way. That drives why I love what we do: to tell compelling stories to retain trust or capture it where it's been lost in the institutions we serve.

  • 4. What specific initiatives or changes would you recommend to create a more inclusive work environment? What inclusivity and equity initiatives have you implemented within your organization that you are most proud of? 

-Bringing more people into the conversation. Historically, affinity groups for minorities and women, as well as diversity initiatives, have been solely for those diverse individuals. I think a way to promote more inclusivity is to actually bring white men into the room and have them participate in these groups and initiatives. So, everyone can see this as a collective effort, not just the minority group.

I’m really proud of my work when I first started at Ariel on the operating committee to reimagine and restructure how we look at our DEIB committee. What we ended up doing, which was something that I thought of, was to ensure that every part of the business had a representative on the DEIB committee. So, every part of our business, from finance to legal to philanthropy to investment management, would collectively feel ownership over the issue. We also wanted to ensure they participate actively and reach our goals across people, purchasing, philanthropy, and products.

Another initiative I'm really proud of is a conference I organize, and we’ve run for 22 years, called the “Black Corporate Directors Conference.” It convenes Fortune 500 board members who are of color to share ideas. I actually created our first ever Black Corporate Directors study, https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240822241609/en/In-Corporate-Boardrooms-DEI-Remains-Priority-but-Operational-Rigor-Wanes. We recently released our most recent results. It helps share with broader audiences the truth about how companies are operationalizing DEI and where they're succeeding and struggling.

  • 5. What are your thoughts on the state of DEI in PR and the politics around it? How do you perceive its impact on both individuals and organizations?

-It's no secret that in today's day and age, DEI is one of the primary topics that communicators are tasked with messaging and thinking through on behalf of their leaders. Generally, there's going to be a move away from focusing on what you think you should say to please the audience to be more forthright on what is true. Audiences are a lot more sophisticated than they used to be and can sense a sincere narrative. It will be incumbent on all of us to take our companies to task on sharing with constituents progress or lack of progress.

  • 6. Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you give to your younger self and early career professionals who are starting their careers? How can they navigate their professional paths while staying true to their identities and overcoming potential challenges?

-Women and minorities trying to climb up in our industry need to realize the power of relationships beyond our groups. It's really great to see mentors who look like you and who you have a lot in common with, but you'd be surprised at what you have in common with those who are in the majority. Expressing curiosity about people's clients’ and colleagues' lives on a base level can unlock interesting moments of connection that you wouldn't think were possible. Having a broad sea of mentors across various profiles can help you succeed. I encourage people not to be afraid to enter spaces they may not think are for them because you never know what you have in common with somebody.

  • 7. What’s the next biggest project you can share regarding DEI you’re working on?

-I’m working on the next Corporate Directors Conference and Black Corporate Directors Study. It takes us several months to put the survey together and field responses in a sophisticated and elevated way. I'm excited to start on that since 2025 is upon us.

Interview conducted and hosted by Jenny H.