Judy Belk

Judy Belk grew up in segregated Alexandria, Virginia and attended local public schools. She recalls growing up in a supportive environment of family, friends, and neighbors, who, despite the outside dangers of segregation and discrimination, instilled a deep-seated sense of belief in oneself and expectation for the future.

Belk attended TC Williams High School, an early public school integrative effort memorialized in the movie Remember the Titans. She went on to attend Northwestern University where she studied communications and met her future husband. She later received a master’s degree from California State University, East Bay.

During a long and successful career, Belk has worked at the intersection of strategic philanthropy, civic engagement, and corporate social responsibility. She served as president and CEO of the California Wellness Foundation, a foundation dedicated to improving the lives and health of California residents. She has also served on many boards and commissions dedicated to societal improvement.

Belk is also a noted writer and essayist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post.