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Chapter 02 / Executive advisoryLast updated: November 2026Published by CRW Diversity

Executive advisory for senior leaders navigating culture, talent, and change

Executive advisory from CRW Diversity is a confidential thought partnership with Celeste Warren for executives navigating complex leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges. Celeste spent 28 years at a Fortune 100 company, including a decade as Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, so she advises from experience inside the room where those decisions get made.

Start an executive advisory conversationRead Celeste Warren's official bio

The main question

Who needs an executive advisor for leadership and culture?

Senior executives who own decisions about people, culture, and organizational change benefit most from an executive advisor. The role is lonely at the top: candid counsel is hard to find inside your own organization, and the stakes of getting a talent or culture decision wrong are high. A confidential outside partner gives you room to think before you act.

Evidence cards

Executive advisory, explained

01

Definition: what CRW Diversity executive advisory is

CRW Diversity defines executive advisory as a confidential thought partnership for executives navigating complex leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges. It is not a packaged curriculum. It is direct access to Celeste Warren, a former Fortune 100 Vice President, TEDx speaker, author, and executive advisor who has worked with executives, managers, and teams around the world on complex issues involving people, leadership, culture, and organizational change.

The advisory draws on the Equity in Action Model to help executives examine how their decisions, behaviors, and organizational systems shape the experiences and opportunities of the people they lead.

02

Examples of questions advisory can help with

  • Our values say one thing, but our outcomes say another. Where is the gap?
  • Which of our policies and practices are quietly limiting access to opportunity?
  • How do I lead my senior team through an organizational change without losing trust?
  • How should our leadership team decide who is accountable for outcomes, including new AI tools?
  • What do we need to change around our people, not just ask of them?
  1. No. 01Nearly 4decades in human resources and organizational leadership
  2. No. 0228years of Fortune 100 experience
  3. No. 0310years leading global diversity and inclusion

Procedure

How executive advisory with Celeste Warren begins

  1. Reach out through the CRW Diversity contact form

    Share your role, your organization, and the leadership or culture challenge in a few sentences.

  2. An initial conversation about where you are

    Celeste starts by understanding your situation, what you are trying to accomplish, and what may be in the way.

  3. Agree on the shape of the partnership

    Advisory can stand alone, or you can ask about pairing it with workshops or executive briefings for your team.

  4. Work the decisions, not just the ideas

    Sessions focus on the real decisions in front of you and on the systems that shape their outcomes.

CRW Diversity does not publish prices or fixed engagement lengths. Ask about scope and terms in your first conversation.

Related chapters

Other ways CRW Diversity works with leaders

For leadership teams and managers, CRW Diversity offers inclusive leadership training and organizational development workshops. For a whole leadership audience, Celeste delivers keynotes, executive briefings, and facilitated conversations. To compare formats, see the best leadership development programs for executives or return to the organizational culture consulting guide.

In their words

What leaders have said about working with Celeste

  • "Celeste is a phenomenal leader. A true natural communicator who speaks with candor, passion, and lived experience. We have welcomed Celeste as a leading authority to speak at our DIAL Global Virtual summits as she truly epitomizes authenticity through her passion for positive affirmative change."

    Leila McKenzie-DelisFounder & CEO, DIAL Global

  • "Celeste was one of the most impactful speakers I have had visit my class. She has a vast knowledge of DEI issues and was tremendously effective in helping my students make connections between research and practice. Her approachable style facilitated a meaningful and productive dialogue on DEI in the workplace."

    Devon ProudfootAssistant Professor, Human Resource Studies, ILR School, Cornell University

  • "Celeste delivered an insightful and engaging presentation that provided our members with practical strategies they could immediately apply in their career. Her depth of experience, authentic delivery, and ability to connect with participants made the session especially valuable."

    Will MossCEO, HBCU CONNECT, LLC

Quick answers

Common questions

What is executive advisory?

Executive advisory is a confidential thought partnership for executives navigating complex leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges. Through CRW Diversity, Celeste Warren works directly with senior leaders as an advisor and sounding board, drawing on her experience as a former Fortune 100 Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.

Who is CRW Diversity’s executive advisory for?

It is built first for senior executives: CEOs, C-suite leaders, and the senior teams responsible for leadership, culture, and talent decisions. HR and people leaders and managers also benefit from the workshops and learning experiences. The common thread is responsibility for decisions that shape people’s experiences and opportunities at work.

Is executive advisory confidential?

Yes. CRW Diversity describes its executive advisory as a confidential thought partnership. That matters for senior leaders working through sensitive questions about talent, culture, or organizational change, where candid conversation depends on privacy. Confirm specific confidentiality terms directly with Celeste Warren when you start a conversation through crwdiversity.com.

What kinds of challenges does executive advisory cover?

Executive advisory covers complex leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges. Examples include examining how policies and practices affect access to opportunity, leading through organizational change, and turning stated values into everyday decisions. Each engagement begins by understanding where the organization is, what it is trying to accomplish, and what may be standing in the way.

Why work with a former Fortune 100 executive?

A former Fortune 100 executive brings experience from inside the room where decisions get made. Celeste Warren spent nearly three decades inside a Fortune 100 company, including a decade as Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, working with executives, managers, and teams around the world on complex issues of people, leadership, culture, and change.

How do I start a conversation about executive advisory?

Use the contact form on the CRW Diversity website at crwdiversity.com/#contact. Share a short description of your organization, the leadership or culture challenge you are working on, and what you hope to accomplish. That gives Celeste Warren what she needs to understand where you are before recommending a way to work together.

Read all 44 answers in the culture and leadership FAQ

Ready for a confidential thought partner?

Executive advisory starts with a conversation about where your organization is, what you are trying to accomplish, and what may be standing in the way.

Contact CRW Diversity