GRETA J. HARRIS

Greta J. Harris, a passionate affordable housing advocate, is the first Black woman to lead the Richmond region’s largest nonprofit community development corporation.

Originally an architect, Harris shifted her focus to nonprofit community development after being laid off from her career as an architect in 1988. “That initial disappointment changed the whole trajectory of my life for the better,” she says.

Harris grew up in segregation-era Danville, where her family and community worked hard to give back and create equal opportunities.

In her work, she prioritizes diversity and inclusion — nearly 70% of the Better Housing Coalition’s staff are people of color, with women comprising about 65% of the team and 85% of leadership positions. In 2022 alone, the organization provided housing for 2,700 residents.

Under her leadership, from 2013 to 2022, the Better Housing Coalition’s annual revenues increased by nearly $14 million and net assets grew by almost $23 million.

In 2015, Harris co-founded SisterFund, a collective philanthropy initiative that makes grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of Black women and girls.

Active in the community, Harris serves on the boards of the Greater Washington Partnership and ChamberRVA and co-chaired the Virginia Redistricting Commission. Additionally, in 2021, she became the first Black woman elected to the board of directors at Henrico County-based Fortune 500 insurer Markel Group Inc. She received National NeighborWorks Association’s 2021 Practitioner of the Year Award and the Ruth Coles Harris Leadership Institute 2021 Leadership Award.

Read more about the 2023 class of Virginia Business Women in Leadership Award winners.