National Executive Director
Tamika D. Mallory is the National Executive Director of National Action Network (NAN), one of the nation’s leading civil rights organizations found by renowned preacher and social justice leaders Reverend Al Sharpton. Just 30 years-old, Ms. Mallory has been a member of the organization since its inception in 1991, and she is the youngest National Executive Director in the history of the group. Currently making headlines around the country for her tireless activism and strong stance on women’s issues, anti-violence, and voter registration, Mallory was chosen by Ebony Magazine as one of the 30 most influential national leaders under 30-years-old and she was publicly applauded as “a leader of tomorrow” by Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie B. Jarrett. She is currently being heralded as one of the youngest champions of the civil rights movement.
Ms. Mallory was introduced to the world of civil rights at a young age by her parents who were founding members of National Action Network. Together, they regularly attended rallies, marches, vigils and protests. At age 15, Mallory officially joined the organization as a staff member and quickly ascended through the ranks. From NAN’s Youth Director to Associate Director of Communications, Mallory was later promoted to a dual leadership role as Director of the Decency Initiative and Deputy Director of the Social Justice Initiative.
Mallory’s tenure at NAN is the foundation for her current leadership role as National Executive Director of NAN, Reverend Sharpton’s 2nd in command. As the ED she leads a coalition of over fifty chapters nationwide and has led the National Action Network to many significant achievements. This year Mallory planned, managed, and successfully executed a 4-day convention celebrating the organization’s milestone 20th Anniversary, which was highlighted by a keynote address delivered by President Barack Obama. She orchestrated a march led by Reverend Sharpton, NAN and labor leaders around the issue of jobs and justice on the weekend of the historic King Monument unveiling in Washington, DC.
Ms. Mallory works closely with the Obama Administration as an advocate for civil rights issues, equal rights for women, health care, gun-violence, and police misconduct. Mallory, under the leadership of her mentor Reverend Al Sharpton, has been integral in the coordination of a national education reform tour that NAN embarked on in 2010 with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and former Speaker of the House of Newt Gingrich. She is also part of a team of African-American leaders and organizations on a historic quest for results and accountability to enhance the lives of people of color, entitled “Measuring the Movement: Black Leadership’s 12-Month Action Plan.”
Early career highlights include: The National Day of Outrage against Gun violence, an anti-violence initiative led by Mallory with participation in 26-cities in 2009 that was the impetus for a coalition of anti-violence groups to collectively work together to combat gun-violence and the “National Day of Outrage” a protest of three offensive words: The “n” word, the “b” word and the “h” word in music, an unprecedented accomplishment in the history of the organization resulting in tougher standards in the radio and record industries.
Ms. Mallory has been celebrated by the NAACP who gave her the Roy Wilkins Award, and NV Magazine, for her achievements as a young professional, and she has been featured on CNN, Fox, TV One, MSNBC and many other mediums as a leading voice on key issues. She sits on the News Corp Diversity Advisory Council and is a board member of Youth-in-Action. Ms. Mallory holds a B.S. in Communications from the College of New Rochelle, and resides in New York City with her 12-year-old son Tarique.
