Jerri DeVard | BECA Founder & CEO

“I created this alliance because it did not exist and was so desperately needed. To achieve meaningful corporate diversity, we need less rhetoric and more allies, action and accountability.”

Jerri DeVard is the Founder and CEO of BECA, an alliance of global C-suite executives created to champion inclusion at the highest levels of corporate leadership. BECA provides a powerful forum for collaboration and networking while expanding access, opportunity, and skill-building to develop the next generation of C-suite leaders.

With more than 40 years of marketing and executive leadership experience, Jerri most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer of Office Depot, overseeing e-commerce, customer service, marketing, data and analytics, communications, and events. She previously served as CMO of Office Depot and ADT and EVP & CMO of Nokia.

Her career also includes senior leadership roles at Verizon, Citibank, Revlon, Harrah’s, the NFL, and General Mills.

Jerri’s honors include the 2023 ADCOLOR Lifetime Achievement Award, 2024 induction into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame, and 2025 Clio Lifetime Achievement Award.

A Spelman College graduate and former Trustee, Jerri earned her MBA from Clark Atlanta University. She currently serves on the boards of Dow, Root Insurance, and Under Armour, bringing decades of brand, business, and governance expertise to the boardroom.