Michelle Wong

Michelle’s unlikely career path began at age seven, acting in commercials, films and as a series regular on network television, where she quickly learned that fighting stereotypes in roles open to Asian-Americans was often harder than winning the part itself.

After graduating with a Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu in London, she landed a job as a pastry chef at London’s Grosvenor Hotel. The creativity and intensity of the culinary world provided a perfect training ground for the world of advertising – and an eye-opening experience for a woman finding her way in a male-dominated field.

After stints at Leo Burnett and FCB in Chicago, Michelle returned home to Los Angeles. Her personal journey has given her a unique insight into the challenges faced by women and people of color in our industry and a passion to create new opportunities and champion diversity. As President, Michelle has a critical role in nurturing diversity within Dailey. An internal audit discovered a 25% gender pay gap —a gap the agency has now closed. All of Dailey’s department heads are people of color and/or LGBTQ+.

Michelle shared her thoughts on the benefits of diverse leadership at SXSW this past March and was recently honored with a 2019 ColorComm Circle award in recognition of her outstanding leadership and mentorship to other women in the industry.