Janice L. Mathis Named Executive Director of the National Council of Negro Women

— Mathis, a noted lawyer, diversity advocate and administrator, hails from Athens, Georgia —

Washington, DC — The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) today announced the appointment of Janice L. Mathis as the Executive Director of the 80-year old non-profit organization. Before relocating to Washington, D.C., Ms. Mathis will serve out the year as Vice President of the Citizenship Education Fund (CEF), a position she has held since 2000.

“Janice Mathis, with her broad-based experience as a lawyer, negotiator, advocate, administrator and team builder, will serve NCNW well as we build on our legacy and pursue our forward-looking vision in the coming years,” said Ingrid Saunders Jones, NCNW chair. “We’re pleased to have Janice onboard to lead this organization in our continuing efforts of advocating for African Americans, increasing civic participation, strengthening public policies and developing new programs and partnerships.”

Ms. Mathis is noted for her decades of work with Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. She served as General Counsel and Chief of Staff to the Rainbow PUSH coalition. She helped negotiate numerous diversity and inclusion pacts with Fortune 100 firms, served on the Coca-Cola and Georgia Power diversity advisory councils, orchestrated legislative-related efforts in Georgia and shareholder activism nationally. She campaigned for media decency and reform of the criminal justice system and led CEF’s financial literacy partnership with Wells Fargo. She also was managing partner of Thurmond, Mathis and Pickett, a general practice law firm in Athens, Georgia.

“We will miss Janice’s insight and strategic thinking, but we wish her and NCNW every success,” commented Rev. Jackson. “They have made a wise choice.”

Mathis earned a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and is a graduate of the Lumpkin School of Law at the University of Georgia. The National Council of Negro Women is a Washington, D.C.-based international non-profit organization making a difference in the lives of women, children and families throughout the world through research, advocacy, and community-based services and programs. The organization was founded on December 5, 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, President Emerita, led the organization for more than fifty years before passing in 2010. For more information, please visit www.ncnw.org.

 

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