Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for The Recording Academy; Former Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Starbucks, NBA, and Atlanta Hawks
Nzinga Shaw: Biography at a Glance
- Nzinga "Zing" Shaw is recognized as a pioneer and one of the country’s preeminent leaders in the increasingly important business of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- She is currently the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for The Recording Academy, tasked with bringing innovation and inclusivity to the world of music.
- Zing was the first Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer at four blue-chip organizations: Edelman, Starbucks, Marsh McLennan, and the NBA.
- After becoming the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer in the NBA in 2014, Zing spearheaded the Atlanta Hawks' award-winning diversity and inclusion practices and programs which earned them the NBA’s prestigious Inclusion Leadership Award.
- With the Hawks, she launched the MOSAIC symposium (Model of Shaping Atlanta through Inclusive Conversations) and made the Hawks the first professional sports team to celebrate the LGTBQ community.
- Shaw has been recognized by Sports Business Journal as a "Game Changer in Sports" and "Leaders Under 40", as well as the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s "40 Under 40."
Videos
Biography
Nzinga "Zing" Shaw is recognized as a pioneer and one of the country’s preeminent leaders in the increasingly important business of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is currently the Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for The Recording Academy, tasked with bringing innovation and inclusivity to the world of music.
Zing is the former Global Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer for Starbucks, one of the world’s most recognizable brands and a Fortune 100 company. Notably, Zing was the first Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer at four blue-chip organizations: Edelman, Starbucks, Marsh McLennan, and the NBA.
Zing has been recognized with numerous “40 Under 40” awards from the likes of Sports Business Journal, Atlanta Business Chronicle, The Network Journal, and PR Week. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees of Fisk University, the Board of Directors of ColorComm, and the Board of Advisors of Arctos Sports Partners, she was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve a six-year term on the Board of Councilors of The Carter Center.
Zing is an experienced C-suite executive with extensive hands-on experience and knowledge spanning change and crisis management, human capital management, employee relations, talent acquisition, organizational and strategic planning, branding, community engagement, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). She is known for her pioneering DE&I work with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, launching the MOSAIC symposium (Model of Shaping Atlanta through Inclusive Conversations) and making the Hawks the first professional sports team to celebrate the LGTBQ community.
Zing received her MLA from the University of Pennsylvania and her BA from Spelman College. She was a study abroad scholar at Oxford.
In her free time, Zing enjoys interior design, international travel, cooking, and spending time with her husband Keith and three children, Lacy, Hudson, and Trey.
Topics
Home Court Advantage: The Key Elements to a Winning Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy
Bridging the Talent Gaps: How to Create Balance Across Gender, Age, and More
