Bettina Byrd-Giles

Bettina Byrd-Giles is a leading expert in intercultural communication, implicit bias and health inequities. She is the CEO for The Bethesda Life Center, Inc., and a founder of Ensley Alive, a movement dedicated to Ensley’s renaissance through cultural arts, social and traditional media. She is a Culture of Health Leader Alumna, a leadership development opportunity for people working in every field to use their influence to advance health and equity. Bettina has a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.

Session Description:

Branding Ensley: A Community Development Model

Bettina Byrd-Giles will use excerpts from her 2019 strategic initiative for the Culture of Health Leaders program called “Branding Ensley” to illustrate community driven and creative economic development strategies. Branding Ensley highlights the Ensley community’s jazz heritage to shift perceptions of the community and to drive traffic to local retailers. Participants will learn how to use network leadership strategies to build community and techniques for becoming an ally to grassroots initiatives.