Rodrigua Ross currently serves as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. She is also the Chair of the National African American Resource Network for YUSA.  She has been with the YMCA for over 22 years both in Dallas, TX and in Framingham, Massachusetts.

She’s driven to be an advocate for children and families in under resourced, marginalized, and access deficient communities.  She is also driven to be a strategist that aids organizations embed equity strategies into their operations.

She has collaborated with government entities, public and private nonprofit agencies, and corporate partners nationwide to address issues such as youth development program deficiencies, improving family stability, increasing access in resource deficient communities, poverty, reducing social stigmas associated with certain populations, and the dismantling of inequitable systems.

To that end, she:

• Created comprehensive strategies and delivery models to facilitate with organizational pivots and culture shifts for various YMCA organizations.
• Established early childhood learning academies that served hundreds of children each school year through subsidized programs.
• Created food and fresh produce strategies and programs to support families living in food deserts.
• Implemented financial development strategies that raised money to support families with financial assistance to participate in programs and activities as well as for facility capital and infrastructure improvements.
• Chaired a multi-million-dollar Collective Impact Strategy to address public health, education, poverty, public safety, housing and economic development in South Dallas.
• Sat on the task force to develop the first Purpose Built Community in South Dallas.
• Cohosts a weekly podcast called Causenetic which boasts thousands of listeners worldwide
• Is currently a Research Fellow with the University of California at Berkely and the Independent Sector Organization to research the concept of bridging in racial reconciliation.

She holds a BA in Political Science and an MBA with a focus on Strategic Leadership.   She is a national trainer and public speaker in courses with topics ranging from mitigating bias, finance and budgeting, diversity and inclusion, understanding cultural competency, program development, executive presence, business culture, and leading and coaching and others.  She is President and CEO of her own consulting firm called Dreaming Out Loud Inc. and has also partnered to establish a nonprofit based out of her hometown of Brooklyn, NY to support academic achievement among student athletes of color.  But most importantly, she is the wife of Dr. Iman Ross, and a mother of three Asha, Azeem and Ameer.  In her free time, she is a shoe enthusiast.