Dr. Sherece Scantlebury, President and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, shares how growing up in Baltimore public housing shaped her career in community development. She and Taryell Simmons discuss why philanthropy must shift power, supporting struggling working families, courageous leadership, and her new coaching practice.
Welcome to this episode of the Rise Urban Nation podcast, hosted by Taryell Simmons. In this insightful conversation, host Taryell Simmons sits down with Dr. Sherece Scantlebury, President and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, to explore her transformative career in community development and public service. Together, they discuss the necessity of shifting institutional power, uplifting working families, and cultivating bold leadership for long-term equity.
Reflecting on Bryan Stevenson and the historical remembrance of the 1919 Elaine Massacre in Arkansas.
Dr. Scantlebury recounting her childhood in Baltimore's Murphy Homes and the early realization of systemic inequities.
Analyzing why traditional philanthropy often hesitates to fund true power shifts in marginalized communities.
Examining the challenges faced by ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families in Arkansas.
The announcement of Dr. Scantlebury's transition into leadership coaching through Executive West Coaching and Consulting.
Roots of Advocacy: How growing up in public housing inspired a lifelong commitment to systemic community improvement.
Disrupting Philanthropic Norms: The critical difference between short-term programmatic charity and long-term policy change.
Supporting ALICE Families: Addressing economic disparities for hardworking individuals who struggle to meet basic household needs.
Courageous Leadership: Developing resilience, strategic communication, and fortitude when advocating for marginalized populations.
Mentorship and Executive Coaching: Creating dedicated support networks and guidance for women of color leading nonprofit organizations.
Focus on root causes and policy reform rather than relying solely on short-term programmatic remedies.
True equity requires philanthropic organizations to share and shift institutional decision-making power.
Advocates must ground their work in deep mission and purpose to maintain courage in the face of pushback.
Effective allies should actively listen with empathy, curiosity, and presence without imposing assumptions.
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury is a distinguished leader with over three decades of experience in philanthropy, community development, and public service. She serves as the President and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and is the founder of Executive West Coaching and Consulting. To learn more about her executive coaching work and future initiatives, connect with her on LinkedIn.
Taryell Simmons: Welcome back to another episode of the Rise Urban Nation podcast, where we unite, empower, and ignite. I am your host, Taryell Simmons. Today we have a phenomenal guest whose work has transformed Arkansas and philanthropy as we know it. If you have ever wondered what true impact looks like, you are in the right place today. Dr. Sherece West Scantlebury has spent over three decades in philanthropy, public service, and community development. She is the powerhouse President and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. She has brought forth initiatives like Excel by Eight, ALICE in Arkansas, and Arkansas Enterprise Capital grant funds. Let us get into her journey of legacy leadership and systemic change. Dr. Sherece, welcome to the show.
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: Thank you so much, my brother. I appreciate the opportunity to be on Rise Urban Nation.
Taryell Simmons: I am glad to have you. In the green room, we started talking about Bryan Stevenson and the phenomenal speech he gave down in Alabama about his work. You told me a beautiful story about something Bryan did in your area. What did he do?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: The Elaine Massacre occurred in 1919 during a period of racial massacres across our country. African Americans were organizing against peonage and abuses in tenant farming. Whites descended upon the Black community in Elaine, resulting in the massacre. Bryan Stevenson dedicated pillars and recognized the Elaine Massacre both in Elaine and at the museum.
Taryell Simmons: That is beautiful. Thank you for sharing that with our audience. What sparked your journey into philanthropy and inspired you to lead from a place of equity and justice?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: I grew up in Baltimore in the Murphy Homes, which no longer exist. Growing up there in the 1970s, it was a time of violence and substance abuse, with playgrounds full of glass and concrete everywhere. My sister and I witnessed tragic events. At seven years old, I did not know terms like structural racism, redlining, or segregation, but I knew something was not right. That drove my career: a quest to understand how to make communities better for kids and families. Just because you are low income does not mean you should live in substandard housing. All people should be treated with dignity and have access to quality affordable housing and childcare. That quest led me to philanthropy—understanding how to combine philanthropic resources, private dollars, and government systems to disrupt systems and contribute to community change. I worked in urban communities, then rural communities in Louisiana, and now in Arkansas.
Taryell Simmons: What made you take the journey from Baltimore to Louisiana and then to Arkansas?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: I spent twelve and a half years at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. I was never seeking to be president of anything. I was offered an opportunity in Louisiana, which turned into becoming the founding CEO of what is now the Foundation for Louisiana, originally the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. For emerging leaders listening: sometimes you have to go where the opportunity is. I followed the quest of improving communities rather than pursuing titles or compensation. While working in Louisiana, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit. I worked on recovery efforts for a couple of years and was then recruited to Arkansas to lead the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.
Taryell Simmons: You have been in this field for over thirty years. How do we ensure communities maintain voice and stay resilient amid economic transitions?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: Trying to build voice for communities and securing funding for organizing and advocacy remains difficult. Most people in philanthropy understand that policy drives outcomes, especially in environments hostile toward nonprofits. When you do not have open public discourse and one voice dictates terms, shifting power is hard. Philanthropy often speaks about equity and inclusion, but true power shifting requires lived experience, humility, curiosity, and willingness. Often, institutions only fund advocacy in small amounts or short durations rather than committing long term. Narrative change, policy influence, and deploying funding to build community power remain essential challenges.
Taryell Simmons: You led transformative initiatives like ALICE in Arkansas and Excel by Eight. How did those come to life and establish staying power?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—an initiative originated by United Way. These are hardworking families, including essential workers and teachers, who do everything society asks but still do not earn enough to make ends meet. In Arkansas, close to fifty percent of families fall under the ALICE threshold. ALICE is the core focus of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. We organize philanthropic partners, educate legislators, and fund policy advocates so that state policies do not work against half of our families. We also launched ALICE at Work to help employers examine their pay structures and pay living wages. Through Reimagine Arkansas, we change narratives so decision-makers understand who these hardworking families truly are.
Taryell Simmons: What results have you seen from linking education to economic opportunity?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: Education is vital, but when seventy percent of jobs in the state require a high school diploma or less and pay low wages, and only thirty percent of children read on grade level, systemic issues compound. These policies are human-made and can be human-unmade. Philanthropy cannot fund every outcome alone; government departments of labor and education must align. Philanthropy contributes through narrative change, movement building, and policy influence. In Arkansas, philanthropic collaboration helped secure accurate census counts, addressed medical debt, and attracted federal infrastructure funding for rural communities by providing grant-writing capacity.
Taryell Simmons: What lessons do you want to pass down to the next generation of nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: First, view this work as a calling rather than just a job. We are not going to program our way out of poverty; systemic policy change is required. Second, build your capacity to use your voice effectively. You must be strategic, courageous, and focused on the mission rather than ego. Third, always center those most affected by decisions. You stay bold when you keep your core vision close to your heart.
Taryell Simmons: Tell us about your upcoming consultancy and what you will be focusing on next.
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: I have mentored nonprofit leaders for years, especially women of color. Through Executive West Coaching and Consulting, I want to support the next generation of leaders. Leadership coaching is about asking the hard questions so that brilliant leaders can uncover their own answers and lead with confidence.
Taryell Simmons: As a leader and an ally, what advice would you give on how to best support women of color in the workplace?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: The most important action is simply to listen. Listen with curiosity, empathy, and genuine presence. Do not offer unsolicited advice, dismiss their experiences, or present counterarguments. Be fully present.
Taryell Simmons: Dr. Sherece, where can our listeners find you and follow your work?
Dr. Sherece Scantlebury: You can learn more about the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation on their website, and you can connect with me on LinkedIn under Sherece West and Executive West Coaching and Consulting.
Taryell Simmons: Thank you for riding with us on another impactful episode of Rise Urban Nation. Keep rising, empowering, and igniting change.
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