Speaker:
Every Crisis Is An Opportunity: A Lesson On Marketing In Difficult Times
With more than 30 years in marketing communications and eight years in broadcast journalism, Faith Morris has worked with and counseled business leaders and influencers in various sectors - corporate, media, entertainment, legislative and nonprofit.
She has built a reputation as a marketing strategist who re-energizes established brands, builds new brands, establishes influencer relationships and creates innovative campaigns that drive audience engagement to exceed marketing and business goals.
As Chief Marketing & External Affairs Officer for the National Civil Rights Museum, Faith positions the Museum globally
as the institution chronicling the Civil Rights Movement most comprehensively. Through her work (and that of her colleagues), the Museum is considered more than a museum with its diverse outreach initiatives, programming and issues-based platforms.
Faith leads the museum’s communications, branding, advertising, audience engagement and revenue generation. She was executive lead for the MLK50 commemoration for the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, which lured 110 media outlets to Memphis (national and international) and engaged community, organizational, corporate and civic partners
all over the world in commemorative activities. She concepts and produces several of the Museum’s signature events including
serving as managing director/producer for the Freedom Award that honors individuals who have contributed greatly to advancing
civil and human rights. She keeps the museum in the news and top-of mind achieving billions in audience reach. She co-authored
the book, A Story of A People, a storytelling pictorial of the National Civil Rights Museum.
A Memphis native, Faith moved to Chicago in 1990, where she served as a marketing communications consultant for
Golin Harris, a global communications agency. In 1990, Faith joined Burrell Communications, the leading agency for multi-cultural
marketing, as public relations manager. She soon became head of the PR operation going from director to senior vice
president/General Manager of Public Relations & Engagement Marketing.
Faith served as CEO/Chief Strategist for Merge Consumer Marketing and OwensMorris Communications from 2005 –
2013. She led the marketing launch for TV One, creating break-through strategic campaigns to establish the new network. She
was the chief agency executive for TV One’s consumer and affiliate marketing responsible for building awareness, boosting new
market network acquisition, ratings and tune-in. She’s also served as consulting producer for TV One Specials. For ExxonMobil,
she consulted on multi-cultural marketing strategy and execution, created and/or enhanced strategic influencer partnerships,
provided strategic direction for public affairs and policy initiatives, directed ExxonMobil retailer marketing (dealers & distributers),
managed Black Employee Network programs, multicultural programming and executed more than 200 events and sponsorships.
Her career experience also includes Worldwide Marketing Communications Manager at Holiday Inns, Inc. (1986 – 1990)
and positions with WHBQ AM including News Anchor, News Director, Public Affairs Director and Promotions Director (1978 -
1986).
Faith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Memphis; Executive Leadership Training from Tuck School of
Business at Dartmouth College; and Public Relations Accreditation (APR) from Public Relations Society of America.
Recent honors include Memphis Business Journal’s Women Who Lead (2021) induction into the Smart Meeting’s
Magazine Hall of Fame, (2021), Women Who Lead, Memphis Business Journal (2021), Visionary by Smart Meetings Magazine
(2020), and among the nation’s Top Women in PR (2019) by PR News. Also, honored by The ii100 magazine as the Top 100
Interesting and Influential Individuals (2017); the 70th Annual NAACP TN State Convention with the Bridge of Honor Award (2016);
Tri-State Defender’s Salute to Women of Excellence; Black Enterprise’s Top Women Executives in Marketing and Advertising
(2016); Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence (2013); Who’s Who in Black Chicago (2010-2012); Black Enterprise’s 100
Advertising and Marketing Executives (2011); nominated for Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs (2011);
Top Blacks in the Ad World, The Root (2011); and African American Executives You Should Know, Rolling Out (2009).
Faith is a Sponsor for McKinsey & Company’s Black Executive Leadership Program, member of the TN Tourism Committee,
member of the Sonia L Walker Justice Center board, Hattiloo Theatre board and Tennessee Innocence Project board (incoming).
She is a former member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies Insights Panel and the Counselor Academy of the
Public Relations Society of America.
Her passions include mentoring young women and men interested in being a driving force in impacting the future of our
communities, our world.