Dr. William D. Gibson is a transformative executive whose work sits at the intersection of youth development, community and economic growth, and systems innovation. A first-generation college graduate and former Club kid, he has spent more than 30 years building organizations and partnerships that expand opportunity and strengthen local communities.

He serves as President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Triad, where he is leading a bold regional expansion across High Point, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and surrounding communities. Through a Future Ready strategy, Gibson is aligning high-quality youth development with workforce readiness, academic achievement, and long-term economic mobility, while strengthening governance, elevating staff excellence, and diversifying the organization’s funding model to support sustainable growth.

Previously, Gibson was President & CEO of Helping Education, advancing evidence-based literacy interventions and community-rooted strategies that improved outcomes and educational equity for children in under-resourced communities and schools. Earlier, as Chief Strategy Officer at Seattle-based Sustineri Group, Inc., he guided nonprofits, public agencies, and private organizations through mission-aligned strategy, innovation design, and growth planning.

His career also includes 21 years with The United Methodist Church, where for 9 years he led social justice and community development efforts across Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. Based in Seattle, he developed and managed a $42.7 million fund supporting more than 40 nonprofits that focused on social enterprise, affordable housing, workforce development, and place-based revitalization—shaping his systems-level approach to community change.

An entrepreneur at heart, Gibson spent 16 years founding and leading startups across hospitality, apparel, and technology, bridging private-sector creativity with social impact strategy.

He is the author of The Box: How the Gift of Adversity Shapes Growth, Innovation, and Transformation (2025) and Sustainable Engagement: Strategic Planning for Positive Social Change (2022). He 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 certificate of specialization from Harvard Business School in entrepreneurship and innovation. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Gibson brings a disciplined, mission-centered approach to leadership and continues to advise organizations advancing inclusive innovation and economic empowerment.