Deena Hayes-Greene

Deena A. Hayes-Greene is a racial equity consultant, trainer, and community/institutional organizer whose work focuses on the impacts of race and racism on systems, institutions, organizations and individuals. In her training and consulting she brings examination of the impact of race in systemic outcomes to include the broader environmental and social determinants of well-being and opportunity. She also brings a power analysis that guides institutions and organizations in a change process designed to dismantle racism. Deena is the co-founder and managing director of the Racial Equity Institute LLC, a minority-owned business that brings racial equity training and consultation to communities, organizations, and institutions across the United States. She is frequently requested as a speaker and commentator on issues related to structural racism and its impacts.

Deena is also a leader in her community of Greensboro, North Carolina. She has been re-elected to the Guilford County Board of Education since 2002 and has served as its chair since 2018. As a school board member, her advocacy has challenged the district to investigate the structural causes of the disparate outcomes of African-American students and other students of color. She has chaired the Achievement Gap Committee, the Historically Underutilized Business Advisory (HUB) Committee, and the School Safety/Gang Education Committee. As chair of the HUB Advisory Committee, she has illuminated the disparities in school construction and goods and services data and initiated efforts to examine institutional practices and systemic barriers.

Deena is also the chair of the board of directors for the International Civil Rights Center and Museum and a judge for the Roddenbury Foundation. She is a member of the NC State DMC-RED Subcommittee (Disproportionate Minority Contact – Racial and Ethnic Disparities), Guilford Anti-Racism Alliance, and the Ole Asheboro Street Neighborhood Association. She has also served on the Human Relations Commission for the City of Greensboro and the Guilford Gang Commission. Deena has received numerous awards and citations for her leadership.