Dionna Dorsey is a creative entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO, founder and speaker, whose career has never fit neatly into one box — and that's exactly the point. With a foundation in empathy, design, and community, she has spent over a decade creating pathways, shifting culture, and proving that when you invest in people, the entire industry rises. Her influence spans culture, design and systems — because real change requires all three.

She is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Creative Ladder, a national nonprofit co-founded alongside Ryan Reynolds that is closing the opportunity gap in advertising, marketing, and creative careers. In nearly 4 years, The Creative Ladder has supported over 4,000 rising leaders across NYC, LA, D.C., Atlanta, and Chicago through bootcamps, summits, mentorship programs, and leadership academies. Because this industry doesn't have a talent problem. It has an opportunity problem. And Dionna is working to fix it, boldly.

Her creative career spans two decades. As a brand strategist and creative director, she provided creative direction for the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday — the historic commemoration that brought President Obama and Congressman John Lewis to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama. She founded District of Clothing, a purpose-driven lifestyle brand that ran for 10 successful years and forged partnerships with Planned Parenthood, the Elizabeth Warren for President campaign, and the Washington Area Women's Foundation. Long before "brand with purpose" became a buzzword, Dionna was embodying it through her work.

A graduate of Villanova University and Istituto Marangoni in Milan, her work and voice have been featured by Forbes, Muse by Clios, Rolling Out, Bustle, and international press across continents. She speaks and writes with authority and heart on inclusive leadership, entrepreneurial resilience, creative equity, and what it truly takes to build community that lasts.

She’s a member on the Director’s Council for VCU’s Brandcenter and partners with brands, boards, and organizations that are serious about equity, creativity, and investing in the next generation. If that's you — let's talk.