Gwen K. Young's appointment as CEO is announced by Women Business Collaborative

Women Business Collaborative (WBC), which was established in 2019, has rapidly expanded into an unparalleled coalition of over 80+ women's business groups and hundreds of business executives dedicated to attaining equality in position, income, and power for all women in business. WBC engages thousands of varied business groups, public and private enterprises, and professional women and men in cooperation, advocacy, action, and responsibility to accelerate change.

Young noted, "I am extremely humbled and deeply honored that the Board has placed their trust in me to serve as the next CEO of WBC."  She continued by saying that the union would always be thankful to Edie Fraser, who was the CEO of WBC from its establishment, for her leadership, advice, and collaboration.  Since 2020, Gwen K. Young has held the position of Chief Operating Officer of WBC.

WBC CEO Edie Fraser remarked, that it's been a wonderful privilege to lead WBC these last four years and continue to support WBC expansion. "Congratulations to Gwen, who has truly been a leadership partner. We appreciate all of the people who helped us create WBC as a non-profit with a compelling goal and who have since contributed to and will continue to support WBC's expansion. I will always be thankful to the whole WBC family for their faith in me and their unwavering support, and I am looking forward to working with Gwen as I lead the board of directors and expand WBC."

Lawyer Gwen Young is a pioneer in women's rights and foreign aid. She has held positions as Director of the Global Women's Leadership Initiative at The Wilson Center, Managing Director of the Global Emergency Response Coalition, an alliance of eight of the largest U.S. international aid organizations, and Visiting Scholar for the Elliott School of International Affairs' Gender Equity in International Affairs Initiative. She has held executive roles with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Medecins Sans Frontiere RE International, Labat-Anderson/USAID, American Refugee Committee, and International Rescue Committee in addition to serving as Africare's Senegal Country Director. She graduated from Smith College with a BA in Government and International Relations before going on to Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government for her JD and Master of Public Policy degrees.

For forty years, Edie Fraser has been a pioneer, businesswoman, and supporter of diversity. Over the years, she has served on the boards and advisory councils of more than 20 organizations for women in business. She established Diversity Best Practices 20 years ago and, with the assistance of Diversified Search Group (DSG), where she worked for 12 years, developed STEMconnector/Million Women Mentors (MWM). Edie founded three successful enterprises, has garnered 72 notable honors for leadership in women's issues and diversity, and has authored five major books. Edie sits on the board of C200 and the Advisory Board of the Enterprising Women Foundation. She was a founding member of C200.