Teresa C. Younger is a renowned activist, advocate, public speaker, organizational strategist, and proven leader in the philanthropic and policy sectors. Having spent thirty years on the frontlines of critical battles for comprehensive equity and the elimination of institutionalized oppression, she has served as the president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women for more than a decade, making her the longest-serving CEO of color and second-longest-serving CEO in the organization’s fifty-plus-year history.
Prior to joining the Ms. Foundation for Women, Younger served as the executive director of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and as executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut—the first African American and first woman to hold that position. Within the philanthropic sector, she has worked on initiatives to shape and change the narrative on women and girls, including the Women’s Funding Network, Grantmakers for Girls of Color, Philanthropy New York, Black Girl Freedom Fund, and Funders for Reproductive Equity. She was named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Philanthropy” and to the “Top 100 Leaders in Philanthropy” by Inside Philanthropy.
A sought-after thought leader at the intersection of gender and race, Younger serves on a number of boards, including the Ethel Walker School, Equal Justice Works, and Hedgebrook. Younger is a graduate of the University of North Dakota, was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters in humanities from the University of New Haven, and was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. She is also a proud lifetime Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient.