Victoria R. Bennett was appointed ECS’ first chief inclusion and advocacy officer in 2016. With more than 30 years of human services commitment, and with a focus on progressive family care and parental involvement, she is highly-regarded as an expert working with urban women, children, youth, and marginalized communities.
Performing in various capacities since joining the agency in 1992, Victoria served as senior director of St. Barnabas Mission, an emergency housing facility for homeless female-headed families, where she led the transformation of St. Barnabas into one of the most state-of-the-art and respected facilities and service providers in the Philadelphia homeless services system.
As chief inclusion and advocacy officer, Victoria’s role capitalizes on her extensive experience engaging staff, the community, and program participants in a self-empowering process to affect service delivery and systemic change.
Victoria has received numerous certifications and awards in leadership, social services, and training, including the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI) certification from Bryn Mawr College and the Instructor’s certification from the Center for Improvement of Child Caring’s “Effective Black Parenting” curriculum.
Victoria holds a Master’s Degree in Human Services from Lincoln University, completing her thesis on “Cultural Exposure and Empowerment for the African American Family.”
As ECS’ appointee to the Family Services Provider Network, she is instrumental in advocating for and providing vital input into family-centered and inclusive progressive policies.
