Carlecia D. Wright is the Director for the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity. In this role, she has led the City’s supplier diversity and small business programs; helping facilitate historical accomplishments, including the award of nearly $ 1 billion dollars to small, minority and women-owned businesses under the administration of Mayor Annise D. Parker.
She has also launched and implemented innovative business development policies and initiatives such as Hire Houston First, the largest local preference program in the State of Texas, and TweetMyJobs Houston!, an online job platform that has connected more than 20,000 individuals to over 100,000 jobs in Houston.
Prior to coming to Houston, Carlecia worked in New York City government where she led various policy, strategic planning and communications initiatives for the City of New York’s Departments’ of Small Business Services and Housing Preservation and Development. While in New York, she was recognized as an aspiring and emerging leader for the work she had done in city government. Carlecia is a Change Agent and Strategic Planner, as well as an avid advocate for economic development policies. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Columbia College of Chicago and a Master’s Degree from New York University.
In 2013, Carlecia was honored by the Houston Business Journal as one of the city’s 40 Under 40 professionals. Her leadership has also brought national recognition to the City of Houston for their diversity programs. She involves herself in the Houston community by volunteering for several arts and educational organizations. She serves on various chambers of commerce boards, and the University of Houston’s College of Education Dean’s Advisory Council. She is a proud graduate of the Center for Houston’s Future and Leadership Houston.
A native of Illinois, Carlecia is the wife of Philip Wright, Jr. and mother of Kaomi.
