Obama Foundation Names Adren Wilson as New Executive Director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance

January 27, 2022 at 10:00 AM CST

The Obama Foundation is pleased to announce Adren Wilson as the new Executive Director of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBKA). Wilson, an experienced leader committed to equity, will lead the next chapter of President Obama’s national call to action to build safe and supportive communities where boys and young men of color have clear pathways to opportunity.

“I am thrilled to welcome Adren to the Obama Foundation,” said Obama Foundation Chief Executive Officer Valerie Jarrett. The leadership roles he has held, his life experiences, and his commitment to equity and justice make him the perfect choice to lead My Brother’s Keeper and improve the trajectory of the lives of boys and young men of color across the United States.”

Prior to his role as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Louisiana, Wilson served as the national CEO of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps national service program that has advanced the leadership of more than 8,000 diverse young leaders across the country. He’s also worked as the National Director of Youth and Student Leadership at The Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C, training thousands of young leaders to advocate for, and serve the needs of, vulnerable children and families across the United States.

“Based on his impressive background and after conducting an extensive open search, it was very clear that Adren possesses the experience, vision, and passion needed to advance MBKA’s mission of closing disparities and improving life outcomes for our boys and young men,” said MBKA Advisory Council Chair and Obama Foundation Board Member Broderick Johnson.

“It is an honor to be the one tasked with driving this important work forward with My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and the Obama Foundation—work that means so much for our boys and young men of color who are calling on leaders, like myself, to establish the proper resources and support needed to help them realize their dreams and potential,” said Wilson.

Wilson holds a master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, a doctorate in Public Policy from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Southern University, and a bachelor of arts in History and Political Science from Louisiana State University.

Wilson will join the Foundation on March 7, 2022.