ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

About the Black Economic Alliance

The Black Economic Alliance (BEA) is a nonpartisan coalition of Black business leaders and aligned advocates committed to growing Black political and economic power. Whether by helping elect and hold leaders accountable, carrying out research to support and develop data-driven solutions, or catalyzing programs to move those ideas into action, BEA ensures Black work, wages, and wealth are a focal point of decision-making in Washington, on Wall Street, in state houses across the country, and in the boardrooms of America’s leading companies and philanthropies.

BEA operates as a formal alliance of Black business leaders and aligned allies, with a well-established collection of entities — including the BEA 501(c)(3) charitable Foundation, the BEA Political Action Committee (PAC), the BEA 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, and the BEA Venture Fund. A Chief Executive Officer oversees all entities and works strategically across the philanthropic, private, and public sectors to advance work, wages, and wealth across the Black community.

About the BEA Foundation

The Black Economic Alliance Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit entity of the Black Economic Alliance. The BEA Foundation works with leaders in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to evaluate, analyze, and curate data and research that diagnoses the obstacles to Black economic mobility and prescribes practical solutions to advance Black work, wages, and wealth. The Foundation convenes leaders, drives research, and builds programs designed to produce better economic outcomes for Black Americans — in ways that grow the entire U.S. economy.

In a moment defined by federal disinvestment and retrenchment, BEA Foundation has deepened its focus on driving impact at the state and local level, recognizing that with nearly 60% of Black Americans living in just 16 states and over one-third calling 10 metropolitan areas home, local solutions are essential to national progress.

Signature Programs & Initiatives

Research, Policy & Convenings

BEA Foundation’s research and policy work is nationally recognized as a leading voice on Black economic opportunity. The Foundation’s Policy Agenda to Advance Black Work, Wages, and Wealth — a data-driven roadmap for policymakers — has shaped Congressional action, Vice Presidential economic tours, and White House convenings. The Architecture for Action, covered first by Axios, provides private and philanthropic leaders with a first-of-its-kind, evidence-based suite of solutions for advancing Black economic opportunity.

The State and Local Playbook, released in 2025, extends this work to frontline governing executives — compiling data-tested, stackable solutions, policy recommendations, and replicable models for state and local leaders. The Architects of Change Series, co-hosted by mayors of cities with large Black populations, brings these solutions to life through place-based public-private-philanthropic partnerships that have already engaged over 150 national and local partners.

BEA Foundation’s signature convenings — including the annual Solutions Summit, The Gathering on Martha’s Vineyard, and the State and Local Solutions Forum — bring together the nation’s top decision-makers across business, government, academia, and philanthropy to drive collective action.

Entrepreneurship Initiatives

BEA Foundation has committed $100 million to expanding the ownership economy, grounded in the belief that lasting economic progress requires moving beyond representation to true ownership. The Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Initiatives portfolio spans three interconnected areas:

• The Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE) — a strategic partnership between BEA Foundation, Spelman College, and Morehouse College — is the first-ever academic center dedicated to producing, training, and supporting a new generation of Black entrepreneurial talent. CBE’s programming has expanded significantly, with Faculty Research Fellows tackling urgent questions in Black entrepreneurship, the national rollout of the LIFT (Launch Incubator for Traction) program for early-stage tech founders, and an annual CBE Research Symposium convening leading scholars and practitioners.
• ScaleUp supports nine Business Support Organizations (BSOs) deploying technical assistance, capital investment, advocacy, and strategy to grow Black employer-led firms nationwide.
• BEA Venture Fund, investing $1–$3 million in Seed+ and Series A founders working to close the wealth gap — with initial investments in ChargerHelp, Culina Health, and Unrivaled — began deploying capital in 2025.

This work is led by BEA Foundation’s Managing Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives, who reports directly to the CEO, and represents one of the most ambitious direct-investment strategies in Black entrepreneurship in the country.

ROLE SUMMARY

The BEA Foundation is seeking a President who is passionate about the organization’s mission and committed to leading programs, research and data, convenings, and partnerships that drive economic progress for the Black community.

The President will report to the CEO and work closely with the Board of Directors on strategy, fundraising, and brand-building for the BEA Foundation. They will lead program development and management, research and data initiatives, and stakeholder engagement — and will serve as a key external representative of the Foundation’s work and impact. The President will partner with the Office of the CEO on the strategic growth of the Foundation, working in close coordination with the Managing Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives, whose portfolio of programs reports to the CEO.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for a leader ready to take one of the nation’s most important institutions advancing Black economic progress to its next chapter.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead implementation of the BEA Foundation strategic plan, including overseeing staff and collaborating across BEA entities.
• Create and manage an annual budget and operational work plans to meet Foundation goals.
• Lead all operational, financial, and staff management for Foundation programs, research and data, and partnerships — maintaining coherence and strategic vision across functions.
• Build and advance an innovative research and data agenda to diagnose obstacles to Black economic mobility and prescribe practical solutions; oversee the Foundation’s policy and research thought leadership.
• Lead the Foundation’s state and local strategy, to drive coordinated action across BEA’s network of cross-sector partners.
• Ensure programmatic and organizational excellence through rigorous evaluation and continuous measurement of progress against goals.
• Serve as a principal external representative of the Foundation to constituents, partners, funders, the media, and the general public.
• Establish and steward relationships with partner organizations, corporate funders, philanthropies, government, and other stakeholders to strategically enhance the Foundation’s mission.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy, including building the Foundation’s donor base, establishing major gift relationships, and growing earned and contributed revenue.
• Partner closely with the CEO and Managing Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives to ensure strategic alignment between the Foundation’s research, policy, and convening work and the entrepreneurship portfolio.
• Oversee marketing and communications related to Foundation programs, research, data, and partnerships.
• Engage and report out to the Board of Directors on strategy, financials, and programmatic progress.
• Review and approve contracts for services and agreements with re-granting recipients.
• Other duties as assigned by the CEO.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Deep commitment to the mission and values of the Black Economic Alliance Foundation.
• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university; advanced degree preferred.
• Ten or more years of senior nonprofit management experience, including demonstrated success leading complex organizations and high-performing teams.
• High-level strategic thinking and planning, with an ability to translate vision into operational excellence.
• Transparent, high-integrity leadership with strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
• A track record of successful fundraising, including building major gift pipelines, cultivating institutional funders, and generating new revenue streams.
• Experience as a compelling external representative and public communicator — able to articulate strategy and impact to diverse audiences including funders, partners, media, and the public.
• Deep familiarity with issues at the intersection of racial equity, economic policy, and Black community advancement; experience in research, policy, or data-driven advocacy is a strong plus.
• Prior success establishing and stewarding high-impact relationships with corporate, philanthropic, government, and community partners.
• Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision-making, and reporting.
• Proven ability to work effectively across a multi-entity organization and in partnership with senior leadership peers.
• Experience engaging with and reporting to a Board of Directors.
• Strong written, oral, and public speaking skills; a high degree of energy and work ethic.
• The capacity to work on a fully remote basis with monthly travel for internal and/or external gatherings; being based on the US East Coast (i.e., New York or Washington, DC) is preferred.

COMPENSATION

The BEA Foundation offers a competitive salary with a comprehensive benefits package.

REPORTING TO

Samantha Tweedy is an accomplished executive who has spent two decades working to increase economic mobility and opportunity for Black people. 

Samantha is the first-ever Chief Executive Officer of the Black Economic Alliance (BEA) Foundation, the nation’s leading organization harnessing the collective expertise and influence of business leaders to expand work, wages, and wealth across the Black community. Previously, she served as the inaugural President of the BEA Foundation — leading the organization’s efforts to produce cutting-edge research, practical solutions, and programming to create better access to good-paying jobs, livable wages, and wealth creation for Black people.

Before joining BEA, Samantha was the first Chief Partnerships and Impact Officer at the Robin Hood Foundation, one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations. She developed and directed the Power Fund to invest in nonprofit leaders of color and the High-Quality Schools Fund to support innovative school models for New York City’s most under-resourced communities. 

Samantha brings a unique mix of on-the-ground and executive experience to her leadership. She served as the first Chief Advancement Officer at Uncommon Schools, a network of public charter schools serving historically disadvantaged students of color who go on to graduate from four-year colleges at higher rates than students from the wealthiest American households. She also founded and directed an elementary school that won the National Blue Ribbon School Award for its success in closing racial and socioeconomic opportunity gaps.

After graduating from Yale Law School and Duke University, Samantha began her career as an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she worked on landmark school equity litigation to close the public school spending gaps that disproportionately impact students of color and practiced commercial litigation.

Samantha is a Pahara Fellow and serves as a board and advisory member for a number of organizations dedicated to social and economic justice, including the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and The Highland Project.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BEA Foundation is fortunate to have an extraordinary Board of Directors that reflects the deep commitment of a coalition of Black business leaders and allies advancing the Foundation’s mission.

Board Co-Chairs Charles Phillips (Co-Founder & Managing Partner, RECOGNIZE) and Tony Coles (Executive Chairman, Cerevel Therapeutics) lead a Board comprised of prominent corporate and civic leaders, including former Governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick, Roz Brewer (former Walgreens CEO and Interim President of Spelman College) and Richelieu Dennis (Founder and Chair, Essence Ventures).

EXECUTIVE SEARCH PARTNER

The BEA Foundation is partnering with Protégé Search on this executive recruitment. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume to Rory Verrett, Managing Partner: Rory.Verrett@ProtegeSearch.com.

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