Empowering Communities. Changing Lives. Launching a New Economic Mobility Strategy for North Texas.
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas – After an extensive national search, the Dallas–Fort Worth Urban League (DFWUL) Board of Directors is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Brandy Alfred as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
Dr. Alfred brings more than two decades of executive leadership, scholarship, and community-centered innovation across the fields of technology, healthcare and public policy. A proven systems thinker and industry leader, her career has been shaped by one enduring belief: leadership is stewardship.
A two-time graduate of Southern University and A&M College, she earned her doctorate from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy, where her dissertation examined trust as a predictor of engagement. That research continues to shape her leadership philosophy: organizations earn lasting influence by building trust, creating opportunity, and leaving every institution stronger than they found it, with a measurable return on investment. A respected voice on the humane and responsible use of technology, Dr. Alfred is a trusted advisor on workforce transformation, AI governance, and health and economic equity policy.
“Dr. Alfred is the visionary leader this moment demands,” stated Bemnet Meshesha, Chair of the DFWUL Board of Directors. “Her expertise, voice and commitment to leveraging data and technology will propel the DFW Urban League into its next era of growth, relevance and regional impact.”
North Texas is one of the fastest-growing economies in the nation. Employers across industries; including construction, healthcare, technology, advanced manufacturing, logistics and finance; are actively seeking skilled, qualified workers to fuel continued regional growth.
Yet opportunity remains uneven.
Across communities in the region, unemployment rates and economic mobility still vary dramatically by ZIP code leaving thousands of North Texans behind despite a booming economy. The Dallas–Fort Worth Urban League is committed to changing that reality by using data and technology to better understand where opportunity exists and where communities are being left behind.
“When I heard economic forecasts projecting hundreds of thousands of jobs and workers needed to sustain our region’s growth, I didn’t hear a labor statistic. I heard an assignment,” stated Dr. Brandy Alfred, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas–Fort Worth Urban League. “In this new role, I am excited to lead the DFW Urban League in equipping those who live within our 13-county service area with essential tools and resources to fully participate in that prosperity.”
Under Dr. Alfred’s leadership, DFWUL will expand its regional impact across four key areas:
· Workforce Development: Connecting residents to in-demand careers and industry credentials.
· Youth Empowerment: Investing in the next generation of North Texas leaders.
· Small Business Growth: Supporting entrepreneurs in underserved communities.
· Civic Engagement: Strengthening community voice and participation.
The organization will convene capital, employers, educational institutions, government, philanthropy, workforce organizations and community partners. The common objective is to train, credential, connect and place North Texans into sustainable careers that measurably improve household income, economic mobility and quality of life by leveraging data, technology and community trust.
To learn more about the Dallas-Fort Worth Urban League, visit www.dfwul.org.
