Iris Drayton-Spann

Iris serves as a Managing Director at Stanton Chase in Washington, D.C., and has years of experience across for-profit, NGOs, and nonprofit organizations, specializing in executive placements in all functional areas.

Prior to joining Stanton Chase, she was Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer at WETA-TV, one of the largest-producing stations of new content for public television in the United States. While at WETA, Iris developed a strategic human resources function that supported WETA’s business strategy, aligning policy and programs with the organization’s strategic plan, mission, values, and culture. As a member of the senior leadership team, she promoted positive employee relations, addressing all aspects of human capital strategy and operations including diversity, equity, and inclusion; talent development; employee relations; culture-building; innovation; and alignment with WETA’s mission and direction. She also led the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council.

Iris has a master’s from George Washington University and a bachelor’s in communication from Howard University. She holds certifications from the Society of Human Resource Management, the Human Resources Certification Institute, and the Society of Diversity as a Certified Diversity Executive. She is a member of the National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), Mercer/Marsh Women’s Executive Leadership (WEL) Group, and a member of the AESC Women in Leadership. She is a former voluntary member of the board and former Chair for New Endeavors by Women.

In recent years, Iris has received the following awards and recognitions:

• The President’s Award for Service from the Washington D.C. Chapter of the National Black MBA Association, Inc. in October 2024
• Mogul’s Top 100 DEI Leaders of 2021; CIO Views Magazine’s Top 10 Most Influential D&I Leaders of 2022
• DCA Live’s 25 HR Leaders of the Year in the Washington, D.C. region in 2019 and 2021