Dr. Carrie La Ferle is a Professor of Ethics & Culture in the Temerlin Advertising Institute at SMU in Dallas, TX. She is a lifelong member of the CQ Fellows Society and was a 2024 CQ Fellow, one of 20 global leaders embarking on research, education, and industry initiatives to expand the power and reach of cultural intelligence.
Raised in Toronto, Canada; Carrie worked for Chiat/Day on the Nissan account before working in Tokyo for 4 years. Formally trained as a sociologist, she brings a broad understanding of culture and interpersonal communication to effective messaging. She is further certified as a Cultural Intelligence & Unconscious Bias Trainer and Educator.
With over 70 publications examining the impact of social, ethical, and cultural influences on the practice of advertising, Carrie is an expert on effective communication across cultures. She has traveled the globe from places such as China, the Philippines, Russia, and Australia, to Tunisia, France, and Qatar while further living in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Costa Rica. Beyond teaching cultural intelligence and social responsibility in advertising, Carrie's research examines the impact of culture on enhancing message effectiveness. Her latest research explores CQ in advertising examining diverse groups of people and how to meet the needs of "all and each" better.
She is a member of the Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility and a voice on the Association of National Advertisers Global CMO Growth Council, where she encourages the need for cultural intelligence and ethical representation in marketing for industry growth. In 2021 she co-authored, Preaching and the Thirty-Second Commercial: Lessons from Advertising for the Pulpit. She was also honored with the American Academy of Advertising’s Rotzoll Career Award for Advertising Ethics & Social Responsibility. Most recently, Carrie received the 2024 Dallas Business Journal’s Women in Business Award, recognizing women for their exceptional leadership and impactful contributions to their industries and communities.
Carrie works to positively influence society by sharing the importance of building trust and authentic long-term relationships between brands, consumers, and society through cultural understanding and ethical behavior. She thrives on developing CQ within organizations looking to understand how cultural knowledge can positively impact teams, innovation, effective communication, and interpersonal relationships. Carrie lives in Dallas, TX with her husband of 27 years and they have two adult children.