As Director of Culture Programs and Operations at Levi Strauss & Co., Antonio Stephens is helping shape how one of the world’s most iconic brands shows up through the lens of inclusion, storytelling, and employee experience. With a background that spans healthcare and fashion, his approach blends empathy with strategy, bringing culture to life across internal programs and external brand touchpoints. In this conversation, Stephens shares how authenticity, data, and a deep commitment to values are transforming the future of culture communications.
How did you get your start in marketing and communications, and what drew you initially to this industry?
My career began at GSK as a Communications and Government Affairs graduate, where I had the opportunity to explore all areas of the discipline — including internal and external communications, product and pipeline strategy, government affairs and public policy, digital media/strategy and employer branding.
I had originally envisioned myself in front of the camera and pursued that path at La Salle University. But as I went deeper into my studies, I discovered there were many powerful ways to tell stories beyond being on screen. That realization ultimately led me to my first real work experience and shaped the foundation of my career.
Your background includes experience in healthcare communications before moving into fashion with Levi Strauss & Co. How did that transition shape your perspective on strategic storytelling?
That transition was a powerful shift for me. Working in healthcare communications taught me the importance of clarity, trust, and purpose, especially when dealing with topics that directly impact people’s lives. Every message needed to be accurate, empathetic and human.
When I moved into fashion and culture at Levi Strauss & Co., I brought those values with me, but had to adapt them to a different environment... one that was faster-paced, more visual, and deeply tied to identity and self-expression. It challenged me to think more creatively and emotionally about storytelling, not just in what we say but in how we make people feel.
That combination of structure from healthcare and emotional resonance from fashion shaped how I approach strategic storytelling. I believe the most impactful stories live at the intersection of truth and connection, and that is where I focus my work.
Can you walk us through your former role as Director of Culture Communications and Talent Brand Marketing at Levi’s, and what a typical day looks like for you? Any insights on your current role?
Absolutely. At LS&Co., I served as the Director of Culture Communications and Talent Brand Marketing, which meant I sat at the intersection of storytelling, employee experience, and brand reputation. My role focused on shaping how we communicated internally and externally about what it meant to work at Levi’s — amplifying our values, celebrating culture moments, and building campaigns that connected people to purpose.
A typical day involved a mix of strategic planning and real-time storytelling. I might spend the morning aligning with communication partners on a company-wide message or heritage recognition campaign, then shift to reviewing/editing social content or facilitating a creative session with our ERG leaders. My work spanned from leading global employee messaging to launching employer brand campaigns and guiding how we showed up in moments of change — whether that was through video, digital content, or live activations.
That experience deeply shaped how I approach communications today. It reinforced the importance of being both intentional and human in how we show up. Now in my current role as Director of Culture Programs and Operations, I’m focused on scaling and sustaining the programs that bring our culture to life. That includes designing global initiatives like Seen & Heard, partnering closely with ERGs, and developing frameworks that foster inclusion, belonging, and resilience across regions. The work is both strategic and deeply human, and it’s given me a broader view of how culture becomes a lever for engagement and performance at scale.
Levi’s has made significant strides in inclusion, belonging, and employer branding. How do you see the connection between internal culture and external brand storytelling?
The connection between internal culture and external brand storytelling is everything. You can’t build an authentic brand if it doesn’t reflect the real experiences of your people.
I’ve seen how inclusion and belonging are not just internal priorities, but how they really influence how we show up externally. When employees feel seen, heard, and valued, that sense of trust and connection naturally extends into the stories we tell, the campaigns we launch, and the brand moments we create.
Part of employer branding is telling the truth of who you are as a company. That’s why we’ve invested in initiatives like Seen & Heard, which elevate employee voice and bring our values to life in ways that are both personal and widely visible with storytelling at the heart of that.
If the culture doesn’t hold up internally, it eventually shows. But when you build a culture rooted in clarity, care, and connection, your people become your strongest storytellers — and the brand becomes a reflection of something real.
Your team created the groundbreaking historical values and heritage documentary. What inspired this project, and how has it impacted the company culture?
The inspiration for the historical values and heritage documentary came during a pivotal moment. There was a clear shift happening externally: political and societal tensions were rising, and many companies were pulling back from DEI conversations or unsure how to respond. We saw that as an opportunity to lean in and ground ourselves in what the company has always stood for.
Values like empathy, courage, and integrity have been core to the brands identity for over 170 years. But in that moment, it was not enough to simply say we had values. We needed to show them in action and tell the full story. The documentary allowed us to reflect on the brands legacy, acknowledge where we have fallen short, and celebrate how those values have guided us through change.
We brought together employee voices, historical context, and honest storytelling to create something that felt deeply authentic. It was not a corporate message, it was a cultural statement rooted in truth, reflection, and belonging.
The impact was real. It helped our teams reconnect with the heart of the company. It gave people a shared language to talk about difficult topics. And it reinforced that LS&Co.’s values are not just part of the past. They are how the company navigates the present and shapes the future.
In what ways has data and analytics influenced your strategy for culture and talent brand communications?
Data and analytics played a critical role in shaping how we approached culture and talent brand communications. They helped us move from intuition to intention. While storytelling was at the heart of the work, data ensured we were telling the right stories, in the right way, to the right audience.
For example, engagement metrics from internal campaigns/comms audits helped us understand what messages resonated most with employees. Social and web analytics gave us insight into how our employer brand was being perceived externally. Survey feedback, sentiment analysis, and focus group input helped us assess how people were experiencing the culture, not just how we described it.
This kind of insight allowed us to be more targeted, more inclusive, and more responsive. It helped us identify gaps in representation, tone, and reach, and gave us the ability to evolve our content and approach in real time. At the end of the day, data helped us connect more authentically, because it brought the voice of our people into every decision we made.
On the fashion front, what are some of your favorite pieces or trends right now?
Absolutely! Baggy and cropped fits are dominating fashion right now, and I am fully embracing the trend. There's something empowering about the balance between structure and ease that these silhouettes offer, specifically for men!
What advice do you have for marketing and PR pros aiming to drive real change in their organizations?
My biggest piece of advice is to lead with authenticity (heart) and alignment. If you want to drive real change, your work has to reflect the values and culture of the organization, not just promote it. Real impact happens when storytelling and strategy are connected to the actual experiences of employees and the communities you serve.
Listen more than you speak. Take time to understand how people are experiencing the brand from the inside out. Build strong relationships and partnerships across the business to make sure your messaging is grounded in truth.
Also, do not wait for permission to lead with purpose. Change often starts with a single campaign, message, or moment of clarity that is rooted in courage. If you have influence over what gets amplified, use that power to elevate voices and values that deserve more visibility.
Finally, measure what matters. Creative work still needs structure. Use data to track reach and impact. That is how you build trust and long-term momentum: by showing that your stories are both meaningful and measurable.
Looking forward, what trends or innovations do you think will shape the future of culture communications and employer branding?
I think the future of culture communications and employer branding will be shaped by a few key shifts:
Authenticity will only become more important. People are craving real, unfiltered insight into what it feels like to work somewhere. That means less polish and more transparency— from employee-led storytelling to real-time reflections on growth, change, and even challenges.
Well-being and inclusion will move from being standalone messages to fully integrated narratives. The organizations that succeed will be the ones that embed these values into their brand identity, leadership voice, and daily culture, not just highlight them during heritage months or awareness campaigns.
I see a rise in localized and personalized storytelling. Global brands are realizing that a one-size-fits-all message no longer works. There’s power in meeting people where they are, across regions and identities, and letting those stories lead.
Technology will play a bigger role, but only if it enhances connection. Whether it’s AI-powered insights to shape messaging, internal platforms that spotlight employee voices, or immersive brand experiences, the focus should always be on humanizing the workplace, not automating it.
The future is more emotional, more intentional, and more connected. And that is a good thing.
