Dr. Wylecia Wiggs Harris, of Washington D.C., ’82, has been named the new Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of the United States. As executive director, Dr. Harris will be building on strategies and relationships that advance some of the most fundamental political principles of the nation.
Dr. Harris received her BA in Biology and Sociology from Wittenberg. While at Wittenberg, she was a member of Concerned Black Students, President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Panhellenic Council, Chairperson of Union Board Speakers Committee, American Institute of Biological Science, and an admissions ambassador. Following her graduation in '82, she received a master's degree in management from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and her PhD in organizational development from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“This position with the League of Women Voters means a great deal to me. It provides me with an opportunity to devote my leadership experiences to an organization whose mission closely aligns with my personal convictions. The League’s efforts to engage all voters has always been professionally inspiring to my work,” said Dr. Harris.
On making the announcement of Dr. Harris’ appointment, Elisabeth MacNamara, president of the League of Women Voters said “her considerable skills in guiding organizations and setting a strategic vision and roadmap for the future will be incredible assets to the League. Wylecia comes to the League at this exciting and important time as we celebrate 95 years and look forward toward our 2020 centennial. I am confident that with Wylecia at the helm, we will reach new heights.”
Dr. Harris joins the League after 11 years at the American Nurses Association Enterprise serving as chief operating officer for the American Nurses Association, the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Nurses Foundation, and previously as chief of staff/special projects officer for the American Nurses Association. Dr. Harris also served as executive director for both the Center for American Nurses and Sister to Sister – Everyone Has a Heart Foundation, a national organization supporting women’s health issues and heart disease education. In addition, Dr. Harris served for 17 years with the American Heart Association in positions at the local, regional and national levels.
Dr. Harris is an active member of many professional organizations and boards, including the American Society of Association Executives and the advisory committee of Capella University’s School of Public Health. Dr. Harris has authored columns for national publications, including American Nurse Today, ASAE Journal and The Nonprofit Quarterly.
The League of Women Voters was founded in 1920 as an outgrowth of the movement that secured women the right to vote to help new voters engage with their government. Today the League empowers all voters to improve their local, state and national government.
