Call me LA
LaShonda Steele Allen is a polymath industry professional with an equal hold over both the creative and business ends of her advertising and entrepreneurial careers. Her hard work and creative ingenuity at Commonwealth//McCann hit a major benchmark, as Steele Allen became the agency's first Black Creative Director and ADCOLOR nominee.
Prior to this historic achievement, she wrote two screenwriting projects affiliated with a major film studio. Steele Allen is also an international best-selling author and developed a patented invention geared toward families with children.
Steele Allen can claim over 20 years of advertising and marketing experience in automotive, retail, telecommunication, finance, hospitality, transportation, pharmaceutical, gaming and non-profit industries.
In addition, she has a proven track record for driving creative and strategic innovation with new programs and products – and reaching back to her community. The Michigan State University alumna has spearheaded numerous agency DEI campaigns and initiatives throughout the McCann global network during her tenure there, including a campaign for COVID-19 awareness and a series of speaking events co-led with the Global CEO.
She also co-founded the Commonwealth//McCann Detroit Public School (DPS) career and job shadowing program, a community outreach passion project borne of her own connection to the city and as a living DPS success story.
The married mother of two is a vocal proponent of healthy, conscious eating in her community and counts her family as her biggest accomplishment.