YWCA Announces Appointment of Women’s Empowerment and Racial Justice Director

YWCA Greenwich is proud to announce the appointment of Erin O. Crosby as the first Director of Women’s Empowerment and Racial Justice at the organization. YWCA Greenwich conducted a national search for a leader with expertise in promoting and driving gender equity, racial equity, community education and systems change. Almost 200 candidates applied for this position during the four-month search process.

“We are thrilled to welcome Erin to the team at YWCA Greenwich. She brings impressive experience and expertise in the areas of gender and racial equity. YWCA Greenwich is elevating its work promoting equity and justice across communities, and Erin will bring significant strength and strategic thinking to these efforts,” said Mary Lee Kiernan, President & CEO.

Ms. Kiernan also announced the establishment of the YWCA Greenwich Center for Equity and Justice. The new Center is a collection of women’s empowerment and racial justice programs and initiatives that promote community education; drive systems change; deliver YWCA Greenwich’s DIVE anti-racism curriculum; and advocate on policy issues. Ms. Crosby will lead the Center for Equity and Justice and this portfolio of initiatives.

Ms. Crosby brings more than 15 years of experience in organizational management, community development, program management, and communications within the nonprofit sector and higher education to YWCA Greenwich. She most recently served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Budd Center: Involving Communities in Education in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. In this role, she built the relationships, infrastructure, and capacity for equitable, community-centered collaboration between nonprofits, PK-12 schools, and SMU.

In 2018, Ms. Crosby began co-leading the community development design team within a public-private partnership to open a PK-8 STEM School in a historically marginalized community in Dallas. Her team created the systems and structures needed for wraparound service provision to function in the school.

Before joining the university, Ms. Crosby designed learning experiences for emerging and established women leaders to advance their leadership and to expand their understanding of the issues and opportunities shaping Texas. She holds a Master’s degree in print journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor’s degree in English from SMU. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in PK-12 educational leadership at SMU.

“This is a challenging time for our country,” Ms. Crosby said. “We are grappling with our past and our present, and for many, it has been deeply painful. I remain encouraged that we can deal with hard truths, heal, and create an equitable and just future together. I look forward to learning and working with partners in the community to advance the YWCA’s mission of empowering women and eliminating racism.”

Ms. Crosby will begin her new role by serving on an important panel discussion sponsored by YWCA Greenwich entitled “Emanuel: Atrocity, Forgiveness and Action.”

This event will take place on November 17 at 7:00 pm and is free for the community.

The panel discussion on Zoom will focus on the 2015 shooting at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church and feature the survivor of this shooting, Polly Sheppard.

Other panelists include Dorothy Nins, Social and Restorative Justice Practitioner and Activist, and Adrienne Reedy, Founder of Racism to Gracism. Reverend Ted Pardoe of St. Barnabas Church in Greenwich will moderate the discussion.

Registration is found at www.ywcagrn.org/emanuel. The event is part of YWCA Greenwich’s new series: “Towards Equity: A Series Examining Systemic Racism.”