Pamela Stewart

As the Chair of GLAAD’s Board of Directors and Vice President of National Retail Sales for Coca-Cola North America, Pamela Stewart sees her roles in both business and advocacy as going hand-in-hand. “In all areas of my life, I focus on growth and impact, working to create inclusive environments of accelerated equality and acceptance so that everyone has the best possible chance to experience their best life,” she explains. “Creating that space is the most rewarding aspect of all of my work.” Her success in both arenas wouldn’t be possible without being out and open as a lesbian, she says. “[It] has made me more successful because I am always my authentic self. Sharing my truth makes me emotionally accessible, which has allowed me to have relationships that are more honest and authentic.” At GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, Stewart is able to share her own story in order to “help create a culture of acceptance and love for LGBTQ people.” Her many accolades run the gamut, with awards from diverse organizations such as the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce to Progressive Grocer. Stewart also serves on Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ LGBTQ Advisory Council and the Coca-Cola Company’s Global Women’s Leadership Council. What’s driving her success? “My mission in life is twofold: To create an environment where people feel more comfortable in their own skin, and to stretch people beyond their own perceived potential,” Stewart says. “Both of these come back to love and inclusion.” —SEJ