A dedication to diversity and inclusion also comes with her managerial package.
“We best serve our community when our employees reflect that community,” she said.
“At YWCA, we build a strong, effective workforce by selecting staff that represent people of all genders, race, age, experience and abilities. We also create inclusion and equitable opportunities for our staff while providing essential programming for clients we serve.”
Watkins-Moore said a member of her team “embodies this intentional focus.”
“[The employee] provides services to people of various abilities while she herself is a person with a disability. Another example of diversity modeled in our organization is keenly reflected in YWCA’s Head Start staff. Because our Head Start families are diverse, our team that serves them represents the same diversity.”
Watkins-Moore is familiar with the YWCA’s role in the region. She served as a board member from 2012-2014.
A physician by training, Watkins-Moore also holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
She was a co-founder and chief marketing officer of Accelerated Rehabilitation Technologies, LLC, a technology development company in the rehabilitation market. She also served as the director of bioscience entrepreneurial inclusion for BioSTL, where she strived to increase the contributions of underrepresented populations in the regional bioscience sector.
She led BioSTL’s STEM Entrepreneurial Inclusion Initiative which supports women, people of color and immigrant entrepreneurs in launching STEM ventures. In that role, she worked with corporations, non-profits, government offices and educational institutions.
Ruth Saphian, YWCA board chair, calls Watkins-Moore “a proven leader with a distinguished professional record of innovation, talent development and entrepreneurship.”
“Dr. Watkins-Moore’s appointment is a clear reflection of YWCA’s motivation, [which is] to serve and [be] ready to take on the future after a year of unprecedented service to women and families within the St. Louis community. Our next leader needs to thrive in a highly dynamic environment, to be capable of accelerating what is working well for YWCA and disrupting what needs to change.
She added that Watkins-Moore “has a deep commitment to empowering women, and her innovative approach will position YWCA to be the leader in providing safety, security and economic opportunities to women and families within the St. Louis area and beyond.”
“We have selected a very strong leader at a time when YWCA is positioned to continue its 117-year legacy of service, especially when the pace of change is exponential.”
Watkins-Moore said focus and a solid plan of action will be parts of her work.
“I believe it is important to be purposeful about everything we do at YWCA. As a legacy organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women, we have to work ensure that all people, all gender types, and all races have equitable outcomes, both on our internal team and in the community,” she said.
“As we focus on the near future, we plan to serve more people in our region by expanding and increasing YWCA programming and collaborating with more community partners. You can expect to see YWCA ‘at the table’ and in the community to address and resolve issues related to women’s rights and racial equity. We will be a voice for the underserved in our region.”