A champion of women's rights around the globe for more than three decades, she is the founder and CEO of Women’s Global Initiative, a for-profit organization that works to enhance the lives of women by increasing their wealth, education, and civil participation. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright selected her to be on the Women’s Global Summit Leadership Board and Zainab Al-Suwaij, the president of the American Islamic Congress, invited her to join her in Cairo, Egypt, to work with Egyptian women on creating a modern narrative for Muslim women. Dyson co-hosted the First Ladies Global Summit in 2012 and is a member of the Middle East Peace Civic Forum—the goal of which is to create a civic participation and conversation between Israeli and Palestinians. She is also an annual participant at the Black Entertainment Television (BET)’s Leading Women Defined Summit.

Committed to helping rebuild Haiti, Dyson has worked as consultant to the Clinton Foundation on behalf of the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC) and as a volunteer with Partners in Health and Partners in Education. She is a board member of We Advance, an organization founded by Maria Bello and Alison Thompson that challenges domestic violence and other social injustices toward women in Haiti, as well as a member of Femmes en Démocratie, which aims to empower Haitian women to seek political participation.

Her Royal Highness Basmah bint Saud bin Abdel Aziz selected Dyson to be one of the Global United Lanterns, whose mission is to “push back the darkness and ignorance that prevents us from solving humanity’s gravest problems.” Dyson was also named the first chaplain for the Coalition of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit, charitable organization that provides global humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief support through a ship that sails around the globe.

Dyson was a contributor to Essence magazine and currently contributes to New Deal 2.0, The Grio, The Root, and The Huffington Post and has been a political commentator on MSNBC’s Martin Bashir Show.

A spirited and stirring public speaker, Marcia Dyson has carried out a ministry of healing to wounded women, neglected children, and suffering men throughout America and around the globe. Her spiritual wisdom and insight has been shared in historic lecterns across America, on lecture stages at many of the nation's outstanding universities, and on the pages of some of our country's most provocative magazines and books.

Dyson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Illinois and completed a University of Chicago executive program in business management.

She served as the first chief of staff for Reverend Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH International Trade Bureau, for which she created and executed multi-country conferences and conventions around discussions on trade, foreign policy, economic development, and education.  

Dyson served as the public information officer for the City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events, where she built bridges across the diverse 87 ethnic communities through cultural diplomacy and world-class events. She was the city’s host to foreign dignitaries including presidents, queens and kings, chieftains, and prime ministers and acted as the liaison to the Illinois Tourism Board, McCormick Authority Convention Center Board, Illinois Film Office, and Chicago's religious community.

During the 2008 primary election, she was asked by the top three presidential hopefuls—Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McClain—to be a national surrogate for their campaigns.  She campaigned for Barack Obama victory in 2008 and 2012.

She is a member of the Black Women's Roundtable, which acts as a liaison to the White House on behalf of women to voice their concerns; a member of Face to Face, which addresses cultural differences among women, diplomacy, and social justice for women globally; and a member of the Middle East Peace Civic Forum, the goal of which is to foster conversation between Israelis and Palestinians. She is also an executive advisor and consultant to the National Conference of Black Mayors.

Dyson was senior vice president of R.J. Dale and senior manager for Margie Korshak Inc.

She was a Presidential Scholar at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina; an executive board member of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas; and an advisor to Howard University's international outreach team and business school.  Dyson is also an affiliate of Georgetown University’s Center for Social Justice, Teaching, and Research in Washington, DC, where her husband, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, is a tenured professor.

Dyson’s most prized work is that of mentorship. She embraces students and professional women at home and abroad and is an advisor to ColorComm, which connects women with other like-minded individuals to build a strong network of leaders. Read Less ^