In addition to her new role, Helen will continue supervising FINN’s Multicultural practice, where she advises clients on strategies to reach and engage diverse communities in areas ranging from health and wellness to consumer and technology. A recent success for this department includes PR for the nonprofit Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) and its trilogy of COVID-19 safety music video PSAs, which helped change behavior and brought much-needed attention to the alarmingly disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. The campaign around 20 Seconds or More, 20 Segundos o Más and Behind the Mask helped make messages of COVID safety part of the mainstream vernacular.
“Helen’s enthusiasm, expertise and unwavering commitment to creating communications platforms that uplift and empower underserved communities have resulted in tangible and sustainable change for our clients and for our culture at Finn Partners,” added Peter Finn.
Shelton’s career spans 25 years in the communications industry, and her contributions focus on advocacy for women and minorities in the field. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Urban League and on the most diverse board in the 90-year history of New York Women in Communications as Chief Communications Officer. For two consecutive years, Shelton co-led the PR Council’s national Diversity in Action Committee and is currently on the Advisory Council of the Diversity Action Alliance for which Finn Partners is among the first signatories. From 2016-2018, Helen served on the board of PRSA-NY as VP of Marketing, where she helped recruit minority PR pros for the organization. Named one of the 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business by The Network Journal Magazine, Shelton is featured in the seminal book, Diverse Voices: Profiles in Leadership and regularly writes and speaks about multicultural marketing and DEI in industry trades, and professional organizations.
