Bria Graham (she/her) serves as the Senior Program Associate for the Inclusive Economies Program at the Surdna Foundation. In this role, Bria supports internal team management, manages the program’s budget, corresponds with grantee partners, and travels to grantee partner events. Bria is currently studying policy at Baruch College to obtain a master’s in public administration to deepen her understanding of the ways that policy can catalyze social change.

Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Bria has a great interest in the prosperity and well-being of diverse communities in the South. She has the opportunity to lean into this interest by attending and supporting grantee partner convenings in the South.  

Driven by a passion for historic and cultural preservation and a will for centering community voices, Bria previously served as the Program Coordinator for the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, focused along the coastal regions of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Working closely with the community, she designed educational programs, planned heritage festivals, and assisted community members in their efforts to preserve and uplift the Gullah Geechee people’s important contributions throughout the corridor. 

Earlier in her career, Bria worked as a Development Intern at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where she grew her interest in philanthropy and historical studies. Bria earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, specializing in arts management and art history, and during college, she held positions with the Historic Charleston Foundation, the City of Charleston housing department, and art galleries around the city. 

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