W.K. Kellogg Foundation announces new director of racial equity and community engagement

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., July 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) announces the selection of Alvin Herring as its director of racial equity and community engagement.

Herring will provide strategic oversight to a programming team and grant portfolios related to racial equity, racial healing and community engagement that advance the Kellogg Foundation's mission to support children, families and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success in school, work and life.

On an enterprise level, he will also actively guide the integration of community engagement and racial equity into all aspects of the foundation's national grantmaking strategy and place-based efforts in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans.    

"Reverend Herring is bringing a wealth of experience and talent to the Kellogg Foundation. His courageous spirit and passion for this critical work will most certainly help WKKF intensify our efforts in communities to promote racial healing, to bridge racial and ethnic divides, and to engage new allies in addressing systemic racism for the benefit of all children and families," said La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. "The promise of transforming this country, one person, one neighborhood, one community at a time is needed now more than ever and we are eager to welcome him to our team."

Herring will join the foundation on Aug. 10, 2016 and report to Barbara Ferrer, WKKF's chief strategy officer. He is currently the deputy director/senior leader for the PICO National Network, the nation's largest, oldest faith-led community organizing network. As a member of its management team, he provides strategic leadership in supporting the work of the network to reach hundreds of thousands of people who desire a voice in their community and a stake in moving an agenda of justice and opportunity.

Prior to this, he served as the executive director for the Working Interfaith Network in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; a community organizer for the Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization in Richmond, California; the principal and lead consultant for Side By Side in Alameda, California; the executive director for the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice in Louisville, Kentucky; and was the dean of students/assistant vice president for student life at the University of Louisville. He was also founding partner for the Fusion Partnership, Inc. based out of Baltimore, Maryland and worked as the chief operating officer for the National Coalition Building Institute in Washington, DC.

Herring completed post-master's studies in counseling at Purdue University and holds a Master of Science in counseling from the University of St. Francis and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and pan-African studies from the University of Louisville.

About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. 

SOURCE W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Related Links

http://www.wkkf.org