BRENDA WILLIAMS

Brenda is a dedicated and esteemed board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Union County, where her service commenced in 2016. During her tenure, she has not only played a pivotal role but has also demonstrated her commitment to the organization's mission. Brenda served as the Board Chair for one term and is currently an integral member of the Executive Committee. Her contributions extend beyond leadership roles; she has been a driving force as a two-time member of the Strategic Planning Committee. The club's mission is to guide every young person towards high school and college graduation while nurturing qualities of good character, citizenship, and a healthy lifestyle.

 In addition to her involvement with the Boys & Girls Club, Brenda serves on the National Advisory Committee for The Emma Bowen Foundation, a non-profit organization with a commendable mission. This foundation actively recruits promising students of color and places them in multi-year paid internships at some of the nation's leading media and technology companies.

 However, Brenda's true passion lies in mentoring young girls. She finds immense fulfillment in offering guidance, facilitating personal growth, imparting advice on skill development, and, most importantly, ensuring that these young individuals know someone cares about them and believes that they matter.

 Brenda's journey began in the South Bronx, and for the last 27 years, she has called Union home for 22 years, with the past 5 years residing in Maplewood, New Jersey. She is a proud graduate of Southern New Hampshire College, formerly known as New Hampshire College, where she laid the foundation for her impactful career.

 Outside of her remarkable contributions to her community and profession, Brenda takes pride in being a loving grandmother. She cherishes her role as a grandmother to four beautiful granddaughters, including Kaehla-Marie, Demi Savannah, Dala Simone, and her twin, Dior Sage.

 Brenda's life is a testament to her unwavering commitment to uplifting young lives, fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, and making a positive difference in the world around her.

Brenda Williams is the Chief Diversity Officer at New York Public Radio, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging. As a key member of the executive leadership team, Brenda provides strategic guidance and ensures that the DEIAB framework aligns seamlessly with the organization's business strategies. Her responsibilities encompass a wide range of critical functions, including the development and execution of NYPR's DEI Action Plan, overseeing training initiatives, implementing retention strategies, conducting workforce diversity analytics, shaping DEI policies and practices, and fostering diverse candidate pipelines.

 Her team leads initiatives like The Source Project, aimed at diversifying NYPR's guest pool to better reflect the communities served by WNYC and WQXR. Moreover, Brenda initiated the Accelerated Leaders of Color (ALC) program, a pioneering leadership development initiative that provides coaching and mentorship tailored to the unique experiences of BIPOC leaders, helping them excel and become more effective and engaged leaders.

Prior to her current role, Brenda Williams played a significant role in NYPR's Community Engagement efforts. Her notable achievements include spearheading WNYC's Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. event, which has continued production in partnership with the Apollo Theater for 18 years.