Wade Davis II — CEO
I’ve spent my career in environments where performance is the only currency that matters—from NFL huddles to the C‑suite at Netflix. Most companies treat “culture” and “inclusion” as HR topics; I treat them as core business capabilities that determine whether people can actually do the best work of their careers. My background is a paradox that works. I’m a former NFL player who became the league’s first LGBT inclusion consultant, served as a national surrogate for President Obama, taught at NYU, and now lead inclusion strategy as a VP at Netflix. Across each chapter, the question has stayed the same: how do you build teams that trust each other enough to take smart risks and deliver outsized results under pressure? At Netflix, my work sits at the intersection of leadership development, inclusion, and business strategy. People join Netflix to help us -- Entertain the World, and they come with a real belief in our culture and values. My job is to help make that belief felt and real in the day‑to‑day—so the culture and values that attract people to Netflix are the ones they actually experience on their teams. I treat inclusion as a leader competency and a core business capability, not a moral scorecard or a set of HR programs. My team equips leaders, HRBPs, and GBPs with the skills, tools, and frameworks to lead inclusively, make better people decisions, and scale those behaviors across their organizations. We focus on a few practical mechanisms that have leverage—so inclusion shows up in how we hire, staff, develop, promote, pay, and make hard calls, not just in what we say we value. Earlier in my career, I advised organizations like the NFL and other professional leagues around leadership development and inclusion; today, I focus that same lens on Netflix—identifying the “invisible” barriers that keep high‑potential talent from performing at their peak and helping leaders remove them. At my core, I’m a servant leader who works directly with leaders to build the conditions where great people can do great work: clear expectations, honest feedback, and strong trust. I know from experience that a locker room and a leadership team aren’t that different—performance in both is a direct result of the standards, trust, and accountability people build with each other.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in Inclusion Strategy and Leadership Development within the Non-profit and Entertainment industries.
Experience: 21 yrs 4 mos
Skills
- Inclusion Strategy
- Leadership Development
- Community Development
Career Highlights
- First LGBT inclusion consultant in the NFL
- VP of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix
- Served as national surrogate for President Obama
Work Experience
Netflix
Global Vice President, Inclusion Strategy (2 yrs 6 mos)
Vice President (4 yrs 1 mo)
Advisor and Consultant (5 yrs 3 mos)
Advisor and Consultant (2 yrs 6 mos)
YSC Consulting
Senior Consultant (1 yr 5 mos)
The You Can Play Project
Executive Director (1 yr 8 mos)
YOU Belong Initiative
Co-Founder (3 yrs 4 mos)
National Football League (NFL)
Inclusion Consultant (11 yrs 3 mos)
Hetrick-Martin Institute
Assistant Director of Job Readiness/Career Exploration (2 yrs 7 mos)
InMotion Media Marketing
Co-Founder (2 yrs 2 mos)
National Football League (NFL)
Professional Athlete (4 yrs)
Education
BA at Weber State University
at Overland High School