SAN JOSE, Calif., January 17, 2023 — Second Harvest of Silicon Valley announced today that it has named Marcus Bryant as its Chief People and Inclusion Officer. Bryant will lead the Human Resources organization and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts for the food bank. His leadership will enable Second Harvest to continue to grow and develop to meet the needs of the community while advancing inclusion and equity across the organization. Second Harvest is serving more than 450,000 people every month, through a network of nearly 400 nonprofit partners.
Bryant, a Charleston, South Carolina native, comes to Second Harvest after serving as a Managing Principal at Vantage Custom Solutions, a Charleston-based human resource consultancy. In that role, he led and managed the firm with primary P&L, strategy and growth responsibility.
“Welcoming an experienced DEI leader into this new role reinforces Second Harvest’s commitment to foster authentic and meaningful growth in equity and inclusion both internally and externally,” said Second Harvest CEO Leslie Bacho. “This work is critical to our long term goals and the pursuit of our mission. We’re excited to have Marcus’ partnership and expertise on our journey.”
Previously, Bryant worked at FareStart as Chief People and Inclusion Officer. In this position, Bryant honed his skills in guiding executive teams to scale and grow businesses and expand their programs. He provided insight for human resource management while prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion.
“I am elated to join Second Harvest as Chief People and Inclusion Officer. As someone who formerly struggled with hunger, poverty and homelessness, I am intimately aware of what it feels like to have a great need and feel unsure about how those needs will be met,” said Bryant. “I am grateful for Second Harvest and the opportunity to serve alongside our incredible employees as part of the solution to addressing the root causes of hunger.”
Bryant holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Psychology from Charleston Southern University. He holds a Senior Certified Professional designation (SHRM-SCP) through Society for Human Resource Management —the world’s largest certifying body for HR professionals and executives. Additionally, he is a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) through the Institute for Diversity Certification and a distinguished member of both CNBC’s Workforce Executive Council and the Forbes Global Human Resource Council. He has been honored with several awards and accolades over the years —most recently being named a 2022 Forty Under 40 Honoree by South Carolina’s Regional Business Journal.
Bryant will be a member of Second Harvest’s executive team and report to Bacho.
About Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Founded in 1974, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of the largest food banks in the nation and a trusted nonprofit leader in ending local hunger. The organization distributes nutritious groceries through a network of nearly 400 partners at drive-thru and walk-up sites across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Due to the prohibitively expensive cost of living in Silicon Valley and the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Second Harvest is now serving an average of about 500,00 people every month. Second Harvest also connects people to federal nutrition programs and other food resources, and advocates for anti-hunger policies on the local, state and national levels. To learn more about how Second Harvest is responding to the incredible amount of need in Silicon Valley, visit shfb.org.
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Please contact Diane Baker Hayward at dbakerhayward@shfb.org or 408-266-8866, ext. 368.
