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Jan Du Plain

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Email: news@wbcollabortive.org 

WBC Announces Appointment of CEO: Gwen K. Young

Founding CEO Edie Fraser to Assume Responsibilities as Chair of the Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, DC (Feb 2, 2023) – The Board of Directors of Women Business Collaborative (WBC) announces their unanimous selection of current Chief Operating Officer Gwen K. Young to serve as the organization's next Chief Executive Officer. Young succeeds Edie Fraser who will transition to Chair of the Board and will remain active in WBC. Both will assume their new roles on March 13, 2023, at the annual board meeting.

Founded in 2019, Women Business Collaborative (WBC) has quickly grown into the unprecedented alliance of over 80+ women's business organizations and hundreds of business leaders committed to achieving equal position, pay, and power for all women and business. Through collaboration, advocacy, action, and accountability, WBC mobilizes thousands of diverse professional women and men, business organizations, and public and private companies to accelerate change. 

"I am extremely humbled and deeply honored that the Board has placed their trust in me to serve as the next CEO of WBC," said Young. "I am forever grateful to Edie Fraser, who has served as CEO since WBC inception, for her leadership, guidance, and particularly her partnership over the last two years and am grateful for our continued work together as she transitions into her new role as Chair of the Board." Gwen K. Young has served as Chief Operating Officer of WBC since 2020. 

"It's been a great honor to lead WBC these last four years and continue to support WBC growth," said WBC CEO Edie Fraser. "Congratulations to Gwen who has been a real partner in leadership. Thanks to the support of our stakeholders as we established WBC as a non-profit with a compelling mission and to all who have contributed and will continue to build WBC's growth. I will forever be grateful to the entire WBC family for their trust and support, and I look forward to continued work with Gwen as I serve as Chair of the Board and we continue to grow WBC."

Gwen Young is an attorney and a leader in international aid and women's advocacy. She has served as Managing Director at the Global Emergency Response Coalition, an alliance comprised of eight of the largest U.S. international aid organizations, as Director of the Global Women's Leadership Initiative at The Wilson Center, and as a Visiting Scholar for Gender Equity in International Affairs Initiative at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs. She has served as the Senegal Country Director for Africare and has held management positions with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Medecins Sans Frontiere RE International, Labat-Anderson/USAID, American Refugee Committee, and International Rescue Committee. After earning her BA degree in Government/International Relations from Smith College, she earned her JD from the University of California – Davis and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.  

Edie Fraser has been a trailblazer, entrepreneur and diversity advocate for four decades. She has served on the boards and advisory boards of more than 20 women business organizations through the years. She founded Diversity Best Practices 20 years ago, built STEMconnector/Million Women Mentors(MWM) with the support of Diversified Search Group(DSG) where she spent 12 years. Edie built three entrepreneur businesses, has won 72 major awards for women and diversity leadership, and written five major books.  Edie was a Founding member of C200 and serves on its board and on the Enterprising Women Foundation Advisory Board.  

For more information, interviews, press packet (photos), please contact Jan Du Plain at news@wbcollaborative.org or 202-486-7004 or visit wbcollaborative.org.