Deirdra Cox is Founder and President of Community Sustainability Enterprise (CSE). Her 30+ years of CRA Community Development banking and Affordable Housing lending experience equipped has her with the leadership, vision, passion, a circle of influence and depth of knowledge needed to launch CSE in Metro Atlanta in 2016 and expand her community and economic development thought leadership throughout the Southeast.
Deirdra’s uncanny knack to forge impactful collaborative partnerships, that drive local community development efforts, has resulted in multiple cross-collaborative partnerships across the state of Georgia, between current CSE clients and several Fortune 500 companies. CSE’s evidence-based program model transforms the socioeconomic trajectory of low income/high potential families, one generation at a time, through the following “success service” pillars: Mental and Physical Wellness, Educational Attainment, Financial Capability, Workforce Development and Career Advancement, Entrepreneurship.
Deirdra’s Level 5 Leadership style, makes her the ideal Community & Economic Development Strategist, for organizations and entities looking to develop long term business and community development strategies that will positively impact families, businesses and communities in a way that will shift the socioeconomic trajectory of America. Deirdra and the CSE team provide Community & Economic Development Coaching to leaders and their teams, who want to make a difference in how they incorporate their local communities into their corporate growth strategy. Deirdra also supports local and national 501c3’s in their crosscollaborative program development, implementation, and funding efforts.
Deirdra is a pioneer in the banking industries CRA-Community Development landscape. Deirdra’s innovative community development efforts resulted in the development and implementation of the first “School-Based Public-Private Partnership” (SBPPP) in Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), which produced two full-service financial services centers inside of Meadowcreek and Central Gwinnett High School’s in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Her collaborative efforts have provided access, exposure, and experience to over 17,000 youth and adults to CSE’s “success pillars.” Deirdra’s long term goal for CSE, is an expansion of the CSE cross-collaborative program model across the United States while impacting local and national policy in the Community and Economic Development landscape, too ensure that next level self-sufficiency and socioeconomic wellness are tangible goals for every human being and community.