She’s In Charge: African-American Women CEOs In Corporate America

Joyce M. Roché, past president and CEO Girls Incorporated, has been a corporate trailblazer for 25 years.

Roché’s management and marketing expertise is particularly critical as Girls Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowered girls and an equitable society, aims to expand its outreach to millions of girls across the country through technology, wider program distribution, and new efforts for public education and advocacy.

Before joining Girls Inc., Roché served as President and CEO of African-American personal care company Carson Products Company, and Vice President of Global Marketing at Avon Products, Inc. During her tenure at Carson, sales increased more than 130 percent. And at Avon, she was the company´s first African-American female vice president, the first African-American vice president of marketing, and the company’s first vice president of global marketing.

Roché is a graduate of HBCU Dillard University in New Orleans and holds an MBA from Columbia University.  She currently sits on the Board of Directors of AT&T Inc., Tupperware Corporation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Federated Department Stores Inc., and The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. She is also the chair of the Board of Trustees for Dillard University.