Vicki Escarra is CEO of Opportunity International, a global non-profit organization that helps people in developing nations work their way out of poverty, strengthen their families and improve their communities. Named to The NonProfit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 for three years in a row, Vicki Escarra is a highly respected leader with a distinguished career as an executive in the nonprofit and corporate sectors. From 2006-2012, Ms. Escarra was president and CEO of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Prior to leading Feeding America, she served as chief marketing officer for Delta Airlines Inc.
With a keen eye toward building partnerships with individual donors, corporations and like-minded organizations, Ms. Escarra is charting a path to grow Opportunity International’s
ability to serve more clients with an expanded range of services.
Ms. Escarra led Feeding America through the most significant period of advancement in its three-decade history, elevating it to a $1.2 billion organization. She oversaw the organization through a transition from America’s Second Harvest to Feeding America, increased fundraising by 300 percent, and almost doubled the number of people served who were living in poverty or food insecurity.
Under her leadership, Feeding America also established several corporate partnerships, growing revenue by 400 percent. Additionally, Ms. Escarra successfully led two major pieces of national legislation providing millions of dollars to increase the amount of healthy food for lower income families. She has been profiled in numerous media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Chronicle of Philanthropy, USA Today and CBS Evening News.
In her longstanding career with Delta Airlines Inc., Ms. Escarra ascended through several leadership positions and ultimately became the company’s chief marketing officer. As one of the highest-ranking women in the aviation industry, she oversaw $15 billion in revenue and led a work force of 52,000.
Ms. Escarra actively participates in community and civic service. She served on the board of directors for the financial services company, AG Edwards, from 2004 to 2007, and is currently on the board of HealthNet Corporation and the board of regents for Roosevelt University. She served as chairman of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and assisted Mayor Shirley Franklin with the Brand Atlanta Campaign.
Ms. Escarra received her degree from Georgia State University and completed the Columbia Executive Management Program and the Harvard Leadership Program. She resides in Chicago where she is a member of Fourth Presbyterian Church, and has two grown daughters.