Sterling Bay promotes chief diversity & engagement officer

Keiana Barrett

Sterling Bay, a Chicago-based real estate development firm, has promoted Keiana Barrett to serve as the company’s chief diversity & engagement officer, effective January 7.

Barrett oversees the development and execution of Sterling Bay’s community integration and diversity inclusion strategies. She has more than 20 years of experience in government affairs, strategic communications and community engagement.

From coordinating Sterling Bay’s external diversity, equity and inclusion advisory council to chairing the company’s internal inclusion committee, Barrett has consistently pushed Sterling Bay to be an exemplary corporate citizen in advancing critical diversity initiatives. As Sterling Bay has grown nationally, so too has her role, expanding beyond Chicago and making an impact on the company’s projects in cities like Philadelphia, PA; Miami, FL; Durham, NC.

Prior to joining Sterling Bay, Barrett served as deputy director for Heartland Alliance – READI Chicago; senior advisor to several members of the Chicago City Council; director of communications for the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C.; national press secretary for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition; director of external affairs for the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago; and interim chief of communications and director of strategy for Chicago Public Schools.

Barrett earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and english from Illinois State University and a Master of Health Science degree from Spertus College in Chicago.