Erica Edwards- Oneal is a bridge-builder, a change maker, and a fierce champion for equity. For more than 25 years, she’s been helping organizations reimagine what’s possible—transforming workplaces into spaces where people feel valued, included, and empowered to do their best work. She currently serves as the Chief Diversity Officer for the not for profit New York Road Runners where she oversees Diversity, People & Culture Operations, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Functions.
As an attorney and the founder of EEO Consults, Erica leads with her signature approach, Baked In Equity™️—the belief that equity shouldn’t be an afterthought, but woven into the very DNA of an organization. Her expertise in leadership development, change management, and team building has helped countless companies thrive, especially for those who’ve historically been overlooked or under-resourced.
She has been recognized by Crain’s New York Business as a Notable Woman in Sports. Her work has also earned her Empact Inc’s Change Maker Award, the National Black Pre-Law Impact Award, the Women of Distinction Award presented by Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre, and numerous other honors recognizing her leadership, advocacy, and service.
Her story begins in a small town, where her parents juggled full-time jobs while running a farm. Those early years instilled in her a love for hard work, humility, and nature. Today, she’s the proud mother of four daughters, wife to Thurston, her best friend of nearly three decades
