Myesha Watkins
Executive Director, Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance
Myesha Watkins is a licensed social worker, youth development professional, and violence prevention expert. Myesha earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from Cleveland State University, followed by a certificate from Harvard Business School, Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management in 2021. She was just selected for the inaugural cohort of the Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy (CVILA). She will be joining a powerful community of leaders from across the country who are dedicated to ending the cycle of gun violence in Black and Brown communities through intentional, data-driven, and trauma-informed Community Violence Intervention (CVI) strategies.
Myesha is currently serving as executive director of Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, an organization committed to providing community-led prevention and intervention and restoration services to those in our communities the most impacted by gun violence. In 2021, Myesha was selected to participate in Mayor-elect Justin Bibb’s transition team and public safety committee. A thought-leader in the community, she supports city and county governments, and surrounding suburbs, by educating and addressing the underlying issues that lead to community with gun violence.
In 2022, Myesha was recognized for her impactful work in violence prevention in Cleveland by the President Biden and invited to the White House. Most recently, she was honored in the 15th Edition of Who’s Who in Black Cleveland as one of the most influential people in Cleveland and continues to use her influence platform to create positive change that supports and inspires Black people and communities.
Myesha has founded a private practice called Counseling for the Culture (C4TC), which provides individual counseling sessions, group therapy, and trauma informed training for organizations and systems. Myesha hosts ‘Healing with my Homegirls’ every fourth Wednesday in collaboration with Ghetto Therapy. Ghetto Therapy offers free group therapy every Wednesday.
Myesha is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, she is a proud graduate of John Marshall High School, and mother of two beautiful daughters, Elle, and Cori Crowe.