The Common Sense Colloquy: Q&A with Abenaa Hayes of Elysee Consulting

As I have written before, in 2018, I had an idea for a national network of multicultural and LGBTQ owned and operated public relations agencies. The idea was inspired by my friendship and collaboration with LaTricia Woods of Mahogany Xan Communications. I took the idea to LaTricia, and she said yes before I even finished my pitch! And from that conversation, The Change Agencies was born and later launched with four other partners.

Now, six years later, The Change Agencies includes 15 agencies across the country and counts African American, Asian American, Native American, Hispanic and LGBTQ public relations firms in its membership. LaTricia and I are now the co-leads for the network, and I featured her in this series in January of 2024.

Last month, we announced our 2024 Class of new members of The Change Agencies: Abenaa Hayes, Shawn Smith and Sandy Diaz Haley. Each of these women is already an industry leader. Now, they’re also members of The Change Agencies and we’re highlighting their new membership by including them in this series of interviews. We have already featured Sandy, and now I’m happy to feature Abenaa Hayes of Elysee Consulting.

Abenaa “Abby” Hayes refers to herself as a “comms and inclusion architect.” She is principal of Elysee Consulting, a firm designed to help clients “drive engagement and transformation through inclusive communications.” Abby is a true visionary, but also a person who gets things done. Her work is focused not on theory, but on action to “drive engagement and fuel the transformation needed today.” She works with companies and organizations to provide help with strategy and planning, positioning and frameworks, crisis and reputation management and advisory and counsel.

Abby was born in Canada but raised in Trinidad and Tobago and she refers to herself as both an “immigrant” and a “global citizen.” In her words, “inclusion, equity, and its key tenets, are in my DNA.” Abby is the daughter of health equity pioneers, and she has carried that tradition forward by working on health equity issues in her career. She was the “architect” and first lead of the W20/Real Chemistry Inclusion and Health Equity Practice. Her work on diversity, equity and inclusion and health equity has earned her recognition from pocstock as one of the Top 50 of the Future of Black America and from MM&M as a “Woman to Watch.” She has spoken about inclusion at SXSW and ADCOLOR and she has been featured in media coverage in outlets including Adweek, Axios and Essence.

I met Abby through Rachel Huff of Victoire & Co and I’m so glad I did: Abby is not just a trailblazer, she’s also a person of deep integrity and a smart and committed and caring counselor. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with her and am thrilled to be able to introduce her as a member of The Change Agencies and a colleague and, I hope, future friend. My thanks to Abby for sharing her wisdom with us – and you.

Q: Why is a network like The Change Agencies needed? What role do you see it filling in the marketplace and why should clients hire one or more of The Change Agencies to help them change the way they communicate across cultures?

A: The demographics of our country and world are changing as we speak. And in a world in which the emerging majority identifies across a range of cultural, racial and gender and sexual identities, companies and brands need to connect and engage with this new general market in ways that are relevant and resonant to them. Communities, in my opinion, serve as a critical discipline and platform in that engagement and networks like The Change Agencies are crucial in ensuring that companies and brands have access to the right partners and experts to ensure that the show up for these customers and communities in ways that ensure they’re seen, heard and celebrated.

Q: Why are you passionate about inclusive communication? What excites you the most about this work? 

A: Inclusive communications is an opportunity to tell truly compelling stories. By bringing a range of voices and experience across identity and culture, there’s so much for us to not only learn; inclusive communications allows us to build community and help drive movements across issues, causes and more that matter to us in today’s world.

Q: How has your career experience helped you in leading inclusive communications and marketing initiatives with clients? What lessons have you learned that have applied to your work?

A Over the course of my career, I’ve often been “the only” in a room or one of a few and that lived experience is one that’s always encouraged me to make sure I bring people in and give multiple voices seats at the table. It’s the one approach that’s helped bring new ideas, different thinking and different ways of doing this that’s helped me formulate meaning programs and activations for my clients.

Q: What’s the best “common sense” advice about communications you’ve received?

A: Communications is truly about making meaningful connections. Which means leaning into simple, intentional and authentic ways of speaking to and engaging with your audiences. Communications is at heart of the human experience, so it’s important we always approach it through the lens of the connection (and message) we’re looking to convey.

Q: What’s the best “common sense” advice about communications you've given to others?

A: Don’t over complicate or over engineer your message. Simplicity is the key to effective communications and engagement.