A Statement From Harlem’s The Emma Bowen Foundation And Dr. Rahsaan Harris

A Statement from the Emma Bowen Foundation:

It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that we announce that after five years of service, Dr. Rahsaan Harris has resigned from his position as president and CEO of the Emma Bowen Foundation, effective February 28, 2020.

Rahsaan has been a transformative leader, mentor and guides during his tenure at EBF. He set a new strategic direction that resulted in increased grant revenue, more key corporate partners, more programming responsive to their talent acquisition needs, and a highly engaged EBF network. EBF fellows are supported in new ways, and the alumni association continues to grow and thrive. Our AMMP Network for experienced professionals has expanded to more than 3,000 members. Notably, the number of EBF applicants has grown from hundreds in 2015 to more than 6,000 today.

“We are confident that EBF is positioned to continue its success and reach even greater heights under new leadership,” said EBF Board Chair, Bill Strahan, Comcast Cable, EVP, Human Resources. “The current staff is well-prepared to carry the work of the organization forward.”

To help make this transition as smooth as possible, we are pleased to announce that Nikki Bethel, a dynamic leader in the industry who most recently served as Senior Vice President of Talent Management for HBO, will serve as our interim CEO. We are delighted to have the benefit of her interim leadership. Additionally, Phylis Eagle-Oldson, who served as EBF President and CEO for nearly 15 years before retiring in 2015, will be leading our search for a new permanent CEO. We are beyond grateful to have her back with us, assisting in this process.

Michael Barham, Vice President of Programs, and Ayia Gospodinova, Director of Development, have a clear sense of the work ahead necessary for a successful 2020. We are full steam ahead for our annual Summer Conference, taking place from July 13-15, and we hope to see you there.

We wish Rahsaan continued success as he moves to his next chapter: In March, Rahsaan will take over as CEO of the Citizens Committee for New York.

Thank you for your past and continued support of our mission to build a more diverse media industry.

A statement from Dr. Rahsaan Harris:

“I am beyond grateful to the Board of Directors for giving me the great opportunity to lead EBF back in 2015, and I am proud of what we accomplished together. Next month, I will take the helm of The Citizens Committee for New York City, a grantmaking organization founded to help New Yorkers —especially those in low-income areas— come together and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. I take great pleasure in the friendships that I’ve made and the network we have built. We have shown the brilliance that people of color have to offer when opportunities are available. I am grateful for the wonderful EBF staff, which has taken the organization from good to great. EBF has firmly positioned itself as a pipeline for entry-level and mid-level positions within the media and technology sectors. I know this work will continue to grow because we achieve true impact when people of color are included at the highest levels of leadership.

I have learned so much from our staff and corporate partners during my five-year tenure here. We stumbled, evolved, and came through it all stronger. Together we have had an impact on inclusion in the fields of media technology.”

Via source.