Tamika Edwards named SPP Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has chosen Tamika Edwards to serve as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), effective March 28, 2022.
In her new role, Edwards will lead SPP’s DEI initiatives and work closely with internal and external stakeholders to continually advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization and community.
“We are very excited to have Tamika join SPP,” said Kelly Carney, vice president of human capital. “She brings extensive experience in creating and promoting equitable and inclusive practices. With her help, we will continue to build SPP into a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization known for its strong corporate culture and benefits.”
Edwards has more than 20 years of experience in social justice, public policy, government and community engagement. Most recently, she served as Special Advisor to the CEO on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Engagement at Central Arkansas Water (CAW). In her role, Edwards identified key performance indicators to measure the organization’s progress toward its equity goals and recommended strategic improvements to operationalize diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace and the community.
"I am both personally and professionally committed to ensuring diverse, equitable and inclusive spaces,” Edwards said. “I’m excited to carry out this important work at SPP where its talented team of leaders and professional staff is committed to fostering an environment in which opportunity exists for all, and every employee feels welcome and valued."
Prior to her role at CAW, Edwards served as the executive director of the Social Justice Institute at Philander Smith College, director of governmental affairs at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, director of public policy at Southern Bancorp Community Partners and community affairs specialist for former U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
Edwards is active in the Central Arkansas community. She is a member of the Little Rock Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a founding board member of the Friends of Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and a member of the Delta Dental of Arkansas and the Little Rock Port Authority boards of directors. Recently, Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Edwards to the Commission on the Status of Women in Arkansas. The Commission will make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on eliminating barriers to entering the labor force for women.
She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work and community contributions, including the 2021 “Woman of the Year in Business” from the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. Edwards earned a juris doctor from the William H. Bowen School of Law, a Master of Arts in professional and technical writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
SPP’s board of directors recently approved the DEI Task Force recommendations, including reinforcing talent pipelines through historically Black colleges and universities, community programs and business resource groups, evaluating volunteer efforts and designating oversight of a formal DEI program.
About SPP: Southwest Power Pool, Inc. is a regional transmission organization: a not-for-profit corporation mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure and competitive wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members. SPP manages the electric grid across 17 central and western U.S. states and provides energy services on a contract basis to customers in both the Eastern and Western Interconnections. The company’s headquarters are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Learn more at SPP.org.