Dianne Ward English

Dianne Ward English spent over 30 years advancing understanding across difference and engaging individuals, organizations and institutions in the long-term work of building relationships, of acquiring knowledge and skills and of committing themselves to working for inclusion and equity for all.   She was a founding member of the Urban Ministry Center and served on numerous civic and non-profit boards. 

From 1990 to 1997 Dianne worked through Mecklenburg Ministries to create interfaith understanding between congregations and people from diverse faith communities and to engage both adults and youth in programs that built bridges across difference.  In 1997 Dianne was tapped to lead the Community Building Initiative (CBI) - a county-wide effort to address historic and present-day racial/ethnic divisions, to increase knowledge and skills through innovative, cross-sector programming and to provide strategic assistance in supporting more inclusion and equity within our increasingly diverse community.  Dianne partnered with numerous community organizations and leaders in collaborative civic efforts and retired from CBI in late 2021.  Woman Of the Year 1999.