Inland Empire Resource Network Convening

• Centering Culture in Community Engagement: Lessons from COVID-19

• The Ark of Safety as a Catalyst for Collective Action

• From Engagement to Ownership: Community-Led Resilience

Speaker: Minister Debra J. Williams, Founder/CEO Building Resilient Communities

Minister Debra J. Williams is the Founding CEO of Building Resilient Communities (BRC), where she leads efforts to advance equity and resilience by strengthening disaster preparedness, improving health equity, addressing climate challenges, and fostering community connection. Since co-founding BRC in 2011, she has developed nationally recognized initiatives such as the Ark of Safety Youth Program and the African American Health Equity Collaborative, which improved COVID-19 vaccination rates in the Inland Empire and advanced health equity for underserved communities.

With more than 25 years of leadership and consulting experience, Debra has equipped Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits with strategies for long-term impact. An ordained minister and trusted community voice, she has served as a Subject Matter Expert for the National Emergency Training Center, authored training curricula, and mobilized faith-based networks during major crises, including the San Bernardino terrorist attack and Ridgecrest/Trona earthquakes.

Through her work at BRC, Debra continues to champion resilience by preparing communities for disasters, ensuring fair access to health, advancing climate-ready solutions, and building partnerships that strengthen belonging and connection. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the NAACP’s Waudieur Rucker-Hughes Social Action Award for outstanding community service n 2025.