Dr. William D. Gibson is a transformative executive whose career sits at the intersection of community and economic development, youth empowerment, and systems innovation. A first-generation college graduate and former Club kid, he has spent more than three decades building organizations, strategies, and partnerships that expand opportunity and strengthen local economies.

Gibson serves as President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Triad, where he is leading one of the most ambitious regional expansions in the organization’s history. Under his leadership, the Clubs are reentering Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and surrounding communities through a Future Ready strategy that links high-quality youth development with regional workforce needs, educational attainment, and long-term economic mobility. His work centers on diversifying the funding model, elevating staff excellence, strengthening governance, and positioning the organization as a catalyst for community growth across the Triad.

Before joining BGC Triad, Gibson served as President & CEO of Helping Education, where he advanced evidence-based literacy interventions and community-rooted strategies that improved outcomes for children in under-resourced schools. His leadership significantly extended the organization’s impact while deepening its role in the broader educational equity landscape.

Previously, as Chief Strategy Officer at Sustineri Group, Inc., he guided organizations through mission-aligned strategy, innovation design, and growth planning—helping nonprofits, public agencies, and private enterprises achieve measurable and sustainable results.

Gibson’s earlier career includes a 21-year tenure with The United Methodist Church, where he led social justice and community development efforts spanning Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. There, he developed a $42.7 million fund supporting social enterprise, affordable housing, workforce development, and place-based revitalization projects that strengthened more than 40 community organizations. This work shaped his approach to building ecosystems—not just programs—that accelerate local opportunity.

An entrepreneur at heart, Gibson also spent 16 years founding and leading startups across sectors including hospitality, apparel, and technology. His ventures—from launching a national restaurant brand to developing Power Up® Trading Cards—deepened his expertise in design, branding, and innovation, helping him bridge private-sector creativity with social impact strategy.

He is the author of Sustainable Engagement: Strategic Planning for Positive Social Change (2022) and The Box: How the Gift of Adversity Shapes Growth, Innovation, and Transformation (2025), works that capture his philosophy of resilience, innovation, and systems thinking in organizational and community settings.

Gibson holds a doctorate in semiotics and future studies from George Fox University, a master’s degree from Duke University focused on social entrepreneurship, and an executive specialization in entrepreneurship and innovation from Harvard Business School. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he brings a disciplined, mission-centered approach to every leadership role.

He continues to advise organizations including the Tombolo Institute at Bellevue College and the Women-Sew Global Foundation, supporting inclusive innovation and economic empowerment worldwide.