The Executive Leadership Council and Foundation Names Libi Rice Director of Communications, External Affairs and Public Relations, and Steven Williams Director of the Institute for Leadership Development & Research

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Libi Sprow Rice and Steven Williams, Ph.D., SPHR have been named to leadership posts with The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) and Foundation (ELF), the pre-eminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises, and its related charitable organization. The Institute for Leadership Development & Research offers leadership development training for senior level executives, research and thought leadership about the realities and potential impact of diverse executive talent and direct coaching of executive leaders. Its ultimate goal is to examine and impact black executives across a full lifecycle of corporate engagement, from mid-level management to senior executive, c-suite executive, board member and entrepreneur. 

"We are delighted to have these two talented leaders join us at a time when we are achieving significant growth and impact in the key areas of building brand awareness and expanding global black corporate leadership," said Ronald C. Parker, president and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council and Foundation. "Our organization is taking the business case for corporate diversity and inclusion to a higher level, and Libi and Steven will help us tell our story, track our progress and develop a pipeline of future global black leaders."

Rice has more than 15 years of in-house and agency marketing and communications experience. Prior to joining ELC, she was Director of Global Communications/Employment Branding for CEB, a global best practices research firm that provides insights for C-suite executives at Fortune 500 companies. Libi also served for more than five years in Discovery Communications, Inc.'s Corporate Communications and Global Events departments. She managed high-profile external projects, and was responsible for developing and implementing special event and trade show strategies to meet business and budget objectives for all of Discovery's cable networks and related business divisions.

Dr. Williams also has more than 15 years of experience addressing workforce, talent management and leadership issues for CEOs, CFOs, HR and other executives. Previously, Steve spent ten years with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) -- the world's largest association of HR executives with more than 275,000 members globally --- where he served as Director of E-Media Innovations and Business Development, and previously as its Director of Research. Prior to SHRM, he was the Director of Industry and Market Research for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), an association that provides workforce and leadership solutions to CEOs and other senior executives in nonprofit organizations.

Rice holds an MBA degree with a Marketing concentration from The Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University, a BA in Communication and Foreign Language from American University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Event Management from The George Washington University. She is a charter member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture's Ambassadors program for young benefactors. Williams earned his Master's and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Howard University, and his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Instructional Design and Technology Program at George Mason University, and is a board member for other nonprofit organizations. He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.

SOURCE Executive Leadership Council