pRESIDENT OF inclusivehire

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Carla Bailey is a strategic and entrepreneurial leader that is accomplished, dedicated, energetic, and respected business owner and community leader with 20+ years of experience developing people, processes, and projects that support diversity, inclusion, and economic opportunities for small businesses and communities. Hands-on leader and influencer with excellent communication, organization, collaboration, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. Prior to being a successful entrepreneur, she served as a Police Officer in Hampton, VA. Her leadership abilities quickly emerged in her role as a police officer and was called to train officers and support the department in its hiring processes by selecting officers that would be best suited to serve the citizens of Hampton Virginia.

Carla remains connected to her law enforcement roots and is a member and board member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Hampton Roads Virginia Chapter (NOBLE-HRVA). She serves in a leadership capacity to the organization and advances its important work across multiple priority areas. Meet monthly with high-level law enforcement officers and agents in the region to facilitate career growth opportunities, community outreach, and inclusivity practices among higher ranks in public safety on local, regional, and federal levels.

With a serving spirit, she is successful at connecting ideas to actionable solutions by liaising with subject matter experts and ensuring the development of the most effective strategies that lead to productive outcomes. As a business leader in the community, she was appointed by City Council to serve on the Virginia Beach Minority Business Council; an advisory agency to the Virginia Beach City Manager and the City Council with respect to the city’s procurement policies and procedures. She served for 10 years, from May 2008 to May 2018, and was elected by her peers to serve as the Chair twice. Under her leadership, she advanced and facilitated an environment of business opportunities, focusing on increasing expenditures to minority, woman-owned businesses, and veteran owned business by the City of Virginia Beach to further the City's economic development and vitality. 

Carla was appointed by the City Council to serve on City of Virginia Beach Process Improvement Steering Committee. The committee served in an advisory capacity to City Council. The function of the committee worked in harmony with City Council and city management to identify problems and barriers that may have negative impact on city operations, efficiency and effectiveness, and facilitate solutions. 

Carla currently serves as a board member of the Norfolk State University Foundation, Inc., where she has served since September 2013. The Norfolk State University Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit fundraising corporation established to support quality education and to generate private financial support for the academic development of the University. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors whose members serve as advocates for the University, and its programs. 

She proudly served as the president of the region’s National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO-SEVA). She was both the first African American and the youngest woman to serve as president. She successfully led her board and the organization to propel women entrepreneurs into economic, social, political spheres of power, and grew membership during the toughest economic crisis in recent American history. 

Carla is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; the first African American sorority, whom has served and volunteered in our communities since 1908. 

Education

Norfolk State University, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, May 1996