Josie J. Thomas is senior vice president of diversity at CBS Television. She creates initiatives designed to improve outreach and recruitment, hiring, promotion, and mentoring practices, as well as develop new ways of increasing minority representation in management and non-management positions. She also works with minority vendors and advertising agencies to ensure CBS’ diversity initiatives include those who provide services to the company. Josie launched the CBS Diversity Institute in 2003 adding a diversity Writers Mentoring Program and Directing Initiative to the previously launched diversity focused Actor Showcases and Workshops. Previously, she was vice president of business affairs at CBS News, director of legal affairs for Trans World International, and broadcast counsel for CBS Inc.’s law department.

jjthomas@cbs.com