For Immediate Release:
PORTLAND, OR — April 1, 2020 — Thesis, an award-winning digital agency, is pleased to announce Scot Thompson as Head of Engagement, Inclusion, and Culture. In this role, Thompson will lead the diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities at Thesis, driving the agency’s cultural strategy, formalizing policies that reinforce diversity in the workplace, developing benchmarks that measure and sustainably advance DEI, and engaging with the creative, business, and nonprofit communities in Portland. He will also oversee Thesis’s DEI committee, theShift.
The new position is part of Thesis’s senior leadership team. It plays a crucial role in driving the agency’s overall growth and innovation strategy while supporting its purpose and values.
Thompson, who played professional soccer for the LA Galaxy and the Portland Timbers, joins Thesis most recently from adidas, where he was Senior Sports Marketing Manager. He worked on adidas’ United Against Racism project, which focused on investing in BIPOC and underserved communities with the Black Players Coalition (BPC), Black Women’s Player Collective, and the US Soccer Foundation.
“We’re excited to welcome Scot to the team, backing our commitment and investment in creating a culture of inclusion at Thesis,” said Keely York, Thesis president. “We know that diversity makes us better, promotes innovation, and attracts greater talent. Scot’s lived experience, proven leadership skills, and ability to unify people will be crucial in advancing our internal DEI initiatives, as well as external efforts to build a more inclusive creative and business community in Portland.”
Fostering a more equitable workplace has been a top priority for Thesis since 2015, and the agency remains deeply committed to these ongoing efforts today. Thesis has implemented several internal and external DEI programs, including establishing an internal DEI team, employee resource groups (ERGs), and a wage equity plan. In fall 2019, employees created Thesis Foundation, a charitable arm of the agency, to expand its commitment to racial and cultural diversity in the community. In 2020, Thesis initiated a yearlong DEI roadmap to formalize many of its programs and build a blueprint for other companies to replicate.
The addition of Thompson is part of the strategy to ensure DEI remains an essential practice for the long term.
“I am excited to join Thesis and work with the amazing team that Keely and Ryan [Buchanan, Thesis founder and CEO] have put together,” said Thompson. “Their commitments to equity and inclusion both internally and within the community inspired me to join. This role weaves together an important thread from my professional experiences. Understanding each other’s strengths and differences produces creativity and harmony, leading to a more successful team and engaged community. I look forward to championing a workplace of inclusion not only within Thesis but in our community.”
About Thesis
Founded in 2002, Thesis, formerly eROI, is an award-winning, full-service digital agency specializing in email marketing, strategy, web design, development, and social media. Thesis offers account planning, performance management, and relationship management, as well as brand, campaign, content, social, and digital-channel strategy to help partners connect with audiences in meaningful ways. Thesis was named among the Portland Business Journal’s Most Admired Companies in 2019 and named one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon. Thesis is a Certified B Corporation™. For more information, please visit https://thesis.agency.
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