Angela Bannerman Ankoma is the Vice President, Executive Director of Equity Leadership at the Rhode Island Foundation which she oversees the professional development of leaders of color in RI. She previously served as the Executive Vice President, Director of Community Investment at United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI). Angela directed UWRI’s grant-making, public policy, government relations, research and evaluation and 2-1-1/The Point. Prior to her role at UWRI, Angela worked at RI Department of Health (RIDOH) as the founding Co-Director of the Health Equity Institute where she oversaw the implementation of RIDOH’s leading priorities on health equity.

Angela has master’s degrees in both Public Health and Social Work from Columbia University and has varied experience on innovative program design, public policy and building strategic cross-sector partnerships. She’s currently a Doctoral student at the University of North Carolina, Gillings School of Public Health. Angela is actively engaged in local community investment efforts. Angela has served on the board of West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation (WEHDC) in Providence’s West End neighborhood; a community she has lived in for over 40 years. Angela is one of the founding members of WEHDC’s nationally recognized Sankofa Initiative. The Sankofa Initiative is a multimillion-dollar project that combines housing, a world market and farm to improve health outcomes among Providences’ growing immigrant community. Angela has also served on the Advisory Board of the Latino Policy Institute, Amos House, Community College of Rhode Island Foundation and Leadership Rhode Island.

Angela’s service to the community has garnered both local and national recognition. Awards of note include: Junior League of Rhode Island, Community Service Award (2022), YWCA, Woman of Achievement (2019), Providence Business News, C-Suite Awards (2019), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Health Equity Award (2018), NeighborWorks America, Dorothy Richardson Award for Outstanding Resident Leadership (2015); NAACP Providence Branch awarded Angela the Rosa Parks award (2016).