Velvet Bryant serves as the Regional Program Officer for the Carolinas at Asset Funders Network (AFN). In this role, she engages funders focused on asset building in North and South Carolina and leads collaborative efforts to promote racial equity and economic justice nationally.
Prior to joining AFN, Velvet served as Program Associate in the Center for Economic Opportunity at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In this role, she advanced philanthropic strategies to promote household savings, debt reduction, asset building and consumer financial protection for families, older youth and young adults. Velvet also codesigned the Southern Partnership to Reduce Debt (SPRD), a multistate, multiyear initiative aimed to address the racial-ethnic wealth gap.
Previously, Velvet served as the Assistant Director of the Institute for Public Engagement at Wake Forest University, where she led university/community partnerships and service-learning opportunities for undergraduate students. She also chaired the Inclusiveness Committee of The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem, which advances economic security for women and girls in Forsyth County. Additionally, Velvet served as a case manager with the BJC Behavioral Health Deaf Services Team, where she coordinated mental health and community support services for adults and young people. Velvet has also led collaborative community efforts to support language accessibility with individuals who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing.
Velvet holds a BA degree in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies from Wake Forest University and a MSW in Social and Economic Development from Washington University in St. Louis. She resides in North Carolina.
Contact: velvet@assetfunders.org
Administrative Support: paula@assetfunders.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers