NEW YORK — The Weber Shandwick Collective has expanded its pool of senior advisors from outside the agency, bolstering its corporate affairs offering.

Since launching in early 2023, the senior advisors network has added a dozen new members including experts in AI and other emerging technology, disinformation, climate change, public health, equity, human rights and social justice among others areas.

The advisors counsel clients on an as needed or longer-term basis.

The new advisors include US science envoy for artificial intelligence and co-founder/CEO of Humane Intelligence Rumman Chowhury; Coalition for Rainforest Nations executive director Kevin Conrad; former White House communications director Mike Dubke; former Kreab Gavin Anderson managing partner Richard Mahony; former Public Health England marketing director Sheila Mitchell; former Weber Shandwick Japan chairman Takeo Nishitani; former Fannie Mae ESG head Chrissa Pagitsas; former Weber Shandwick chief reputation officer Micho F. Spring;  former Starbucks chief social impact officer Virginia Tenpenny; former  US Mission to China head of communications Michael Turner; Polarization Risk Advisory founding principal Dan Vallone; and former Greenpeace International communications director Jonathan Wootliff

“Because the advisors come from business, government and politics, tech, civil society and academia, they are bringing expertise beyond communications as well as unique stakeholder perspectives,” said Chris Deri, the agency’s chief corporate affairs officer and president of TWSC’s C-suite advisory business.

“The theme here is we are being engaged around communication and stakeholder issues as a communications firm would be, but now we can enhance that in the different areas,” Deri said. “We are finding the advisors are benefiting from learning and engaging on the topics that are important to them.”

The senior advisors board was created in conjunction with the business advisory services Weber Shandwick launched in late 2022 in response to demand for executive counsel.

Business & Society Futures includes specialists from Weber Shandwick’s corporate & public affairs practices, Powell Tate, United Minds, and KRC Research who work with C-suite leaders on the likes of business strategy, stakeholder expectations and societal impact.