As President and CEO of Reach Resilience, Sonya Medina Williams leads the foundation in fulfilling our mission by drawing upon her two decades of experience building global brands, amplifying social innovation and impact, and engaging allies to advance measurable change.

A leading expert in corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability, and cause advocacy, Sonya is passionate about developing partnerships between corporations, nonprofits, government, and NGOs to create urgency and action for addressing social causes and finding solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

Sonya began her career with a seven-year tenure at the White House where she was the first appointee for the dual role of Deputy Assistant to President Bush for Domestic Policy and Director of Projects for First Lady Laura Bush. She was instrumental in advancing initiatives focused on global health, peace and security, military families, and women’s rights, including the 2002 establishment of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council, a non-partisan public-private partnership that convenes governments, civil society, and the private sector to support Afghan women and girl’s education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and leadership.

An international thought leader on the inclusion and advancement of women and minorities, Sonya also founded the Latina Leadership Institute to increase minority representation in government and elected office, and she travels globally to speak about women’s leadership, corporate culture, diversity, equity & belonging and corporate governance. Sonya also served as the Director of the AT&T Global Foundation where she led a Fortune 100 company entity with a $120M budget, helping the foundation become a trailblazer on issues of education and sustainability. She later served as Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Silver Eagle Distributors, the nation’s largest distributor of Anheuser-Busch products, where she oversaw charitable giving and led targeted CSR efforts.

In addition to her leadership role at Reach Resilience, Sonya serves on multiple Board of Directors for private and public entities, including for Papa Johns International, Delta Apparel, Inc., and Teach for Uganda. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University and received a Master of Public Health from Columbia University.

Source: Reach Resilience