Gwen Wright

Gwen Wright is the acting Executive Director of the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. Wright has been with the office for 20 years and has served in many capacities, most recently as Director of Human Services and Prevention. She has supervised training and policy programs in the areas of child welfare, social services and public benefits, substance abuse and mental health, healthcare, and criminal justice. Wright was integral in the development and implementation of the New York State Domestic Violence and the Workplace Initiative required by executive order in 2006.

Wright has held numerous positions in the domestic violence field.  She is the former Executive Director of the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a statewide grassroots advocacy group. As the first women of color to head a state domestic violence coalition, she coordinated statewide legislative activities, organized regional domestic violence efforts, participated in numerous policy discussions with state lawmakers and made dozens of media appearances, both locally and nationally. Wright has been on the board of directors of the Pride Center of the Capital Region, formerly the CDGLCC, and currently serves as President.

She has also just completed a 10-year reign as the President of the board of directors of A Call to Men, a violence prevention organization and respected leader on issues of masculinity, male socialization and its intersection with violence, and preventing violence against all women and girls. Wright is the former co-chair of In Our Own Voices, and served as interim executive director in 2005.