Perika Sampson is responsible for consulting services and business operations at Diversity Best Practices Consulting. She has consulted on diversity and inclusion since 2006. Her experience includes assignments with Duke Energy, LaSalle Bank, National City, and The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). As a consultant she has been engaged in a number of projects including cultural assessments, diversity strategy, strategic planning, nonprofit development as well as marketing, communications, and market research. In 2007, she was the project manager and editor of the first Diversity Best Practices Guide published by the NAACP. She was also the primary editor of the 2008 and the 2010 Corporate Diversity Profile publications for Chicago United, which is a bi-annual survey of the racial composition of corporate boards and executive level management in Chicago-based public companies. She has served as a senior consultant and manager of a number of programs for Chicago United including the Business Leaders Forum (formerly Race & Business Series), BoardLink™, the Diversity Officers Roundtable and the bi-annual Corporate Diversity Profile.
Previously Perika served as vice president marketing and strategy in the Private Client Services division of Bank One (now JP Morgan Chase). As the chief marketing officer for the Private Client Services division she was responsible for marketing, market research, advertising, communications, events, as well as banking, investment, trust, and mortgage product development. She partnered with corporate strategists to identify critical market segments and the corporate marketing officer on national advertising campaigns. She was also responsible for managing charitable giving for the division. In addition, she was a member of the Private Client Service’s leadership team and reported to the division’s Chief Executive Officer.
Perika’s 19-year corporate career also includes positions as a founding member of two financial services companies. She served as vice president, marketing at EAInvest, Inc. and director of marketing at Women’s Financial Network. Her career in financial services has also included senior marketing positions at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., and institutional investment management firms Jurika & Voyles, and RCM Capital Management (now Dresdner RCM).
Perika is an alumna of the University of California Los Angeles. She is an avid supporter of local arts organizations having served on both The Goodman Theatre’s Scenemakers Council and the board of directors of Congo Square Theatre Company. She also supports the Primo Center for Women and Children and recently served as president of a Chicago chapter of Zonta International’s. Prior to moving to Chicago, Perika served on the board of directors of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, the Oakland Youth Orchestra as Board President, Oakland/East Bay Shakespeare Festival as Board President and on the board of the Central City Hospitality House in San Francisco, California.
