About The Founder
LaTara Harris is a change catalyst with nearly 30 years of experience in both corporate and nonprofit sectors. In 2023 LaTara was appointed as the CEO & President of the longest standing organization serving teen girls, Crittenton Services of Greater Washington. Harris comes to Crittenton after a celebrated tenure at AT&T, where she served as the Director of External and Legislative Affairs in the Mid-Atlantic for almost 11 years. Harris focused on local legislative and regulatory affairs in Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Harris joined AT&T after over a decade of working at the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education in high-level executive roles, including Director of Partnerships and Outreach.
During her time with AT&T, Harris demonstrated exceptional leadership doing the critical work around the company’s obligation to prioritize Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace. Harris earned her undergraduate degree from Bowie State University and her MBA from the University of Maryland. She spearheaded several initiatives, including the launch of AT&T Scholarships with the nation’s oldest HBCUs – Lincoln and Cheyney Universities, and the establishment of Tech Centers at various YMCAs and Boys & Girls Clubs around the country, having provided thousands of internship and mentorship opportunities for youth.
Harris has shown a powerful commitment to elevating women’s voices in business, emphasizing the critical importance of Black and minority leadership in corporate and nonprofit sectors. She founded We Empower Women Inc., a global women’s empowerment organization that aims to uplift and motivate women of all walks to take the next step toward their full potential. She has personally mentored dozens of individuals over the years to identify their gifts and find their space in this world. This work also led to Ms. Harris becoming a co-founder, alongside her children, of Youth Leaders in Training, an organization focused on leadership development and volunteerism. In 2015, Harris was recognized as Maryland’s Top 100 Women by the Maryland Daily Record and has received several other outstanding awards:
· 2020 AT&T Women of Color Graduate
· 2019 National Congress of Black Women – Sisters Empowering Sisters Award
· 2017 Washington Business Journal – Minority Business Leader Award
· 2015 & 2014 US President’s Volunteer Service Award
· 2014 High Tea Society’s – Communi-Tea Service Award
· 2010 Maryland Daily Record – “VIP Successful by 40” Award
Visionary Charter Members
