Koya Partners | Diversified Search Group partnered with the Center on Halsted to recruit its next CEO.
Center on Halsted is the Midwest’s leading LGBTQ community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the LGBTQ people of Chicagoland. More than 1,000 community members visit the Center every day, located in the heart of Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood.
Our work resulted in the recruitment of Joli Robinson to the role.
As a lesbian woman in this space with over two decades of leadership experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Joli emerged as a trailblazer committed to advancing equity, fostering inclusivity, and driving positive community change.
Previously serving as President/CEO of Housing Forward (formerly known as Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance), Joli has led transformative initiatives aimed at advocating for racial equity and elevating the narrative around housing and homelessness across the Dallas region. Under her leadership, the organization was awarded over $23 million in federal funding through a competitive grant process, showcasing her ability to drive impactful change on a significant scale.
Joli currently serves on the board of the ACLU of Texas, where she provides strategic oversight and engages as a thought partner in supporting the organization’s mission. She also contributes to the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce Board, working towards creating an inclusive business environment and advocating for equality through business. Previously, she served on the Village Tech Board and was Co-Chair at the Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation organization.
Joli’s dynamic leadership, coupled with her dedication to creating positive social change, positions her as an inspiring figure in the realm of community leadership. As a Black women who has led many efforts to boost programmatic and organizational diversity and inclusion, she is committed to strengthening engagement and relationships with BIPOC members of the community.
Joli holds a Master’s Degree in Communications, specializing in Organizational Communication Management, and a Bachelor of Art and Science in Sociology and Communication, both earned at Dallas Baptist University.