Kenyetta McCurdy-Byrd – Transformational Chief Operations Of

Kenyetta McCurdy-Byrd serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of The WRK Group, a nationally recognized coalition of The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center in Wilmington, Delaware. In this role, she has transformed operations, finance, and human resources into engines of equity, culture, and long-term resilience. Overseeing three independent nonprofits, each with distinct boards, programs, and funding models, Kenyetta modernized multi-site operational systems, streamlined compliance, and built organizational structures that sustain thousands of youth, families, and community members every year. Her leadership is defined not only by operational excellence but also by the human impact she creates. Guiding over half a billion in billings, resident-driven revitalization of Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood, Kenyetta ensures that strategic planning, financial management, and community engagement move in lockstep. She has implemented evaluation systems that track impact across key indicators—affordable housing units delivered, youth served, job-training completions, and health-equity milestones providing residents and funders clear evidence of progress. As a legally blind executive, Kenyetta leads with authenticity and courage. She has embedded diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility into every policy and practice, ensuring that WRK’s culture reflects the values of the community it serves. She also prioritizes mentorship, advancing women and emerging leaders into senior positions, and inspiring the next generation to see themselves at the executive table. A hallmark of her work is a steadfast commitment to rebuilding without displacement. She has championed policies that protect long-time residents, create fair-market housing options, and build pathways to ownership so that revitalization strengthens rather than fragments the community. Today, WRK is recognized as a national model for equitable urban redevelopment, and Kenyetta’s operational mastery is at the heart of that success. By aligning culture, equity, and strategy, she has positioned The WRK Group as a beacon of resilience and inclusion, demonstrating that operations leadership is about more than systems; it is about people. Kenyetta McCurdy-Byrd exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding COO and a catalyst for lasting change.