Cormekki Whitley is a seasoned nonprofit executive with nearly three decades of experience advancing mission-driven organizations through strategic leadership, operational excellence, and cross-sector collaboration. Most recently, she served as Interim President & CEO of data.org, helping steward the organization through a pivotal period of growth, partnership expansion, and global engagement. As Chief Operating Officer, Cormekki now leads data.org’s financial inclusion and data and AI capacity-building initiatives across the United States and Asia Pacific regions, while overseeing organizational operations, finance, talent strategy, and program execution to support long-term impact and scale.
Cormekki is pivotal in long-term strategic planning, fostering a culture of collaboration, and driving key initiatives in capacity building, fundraising, inclusion, and impact measurement. Her expertise in financial oversight, organizational development, fundraising, and change management has been instrumental in strengthening operational infrastructure and expanding the organization’s reach.
Prior to joining data.org, Cormekki served as Interim Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), where she secured multimillion-dollar funding, improved operational efficiency, authored new policies, and spearheaded high-impact organization initiatives. Her leadership has consistently increased efficiency, stronger financial sustainability, and enhanced programmatic outcomes.
Committed to advancing financial inclusion and innovative solutions, Cormekki champions data-driven decision-making, community impact, process improvement, and leadership development within the nonprofit sector. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from NC State University and advanced degrees from Meredith College and Northcentral University.
Cormekki also serves on the National Board for Volunteers of America, Inc., serves as the board Vice Chair and chairs the audit committee of Code for Science & Society, and volunteers with organizations dedicated to workforce development, youth and economic empowerment.
Outside of work, Cormekki enjoys mentoring emerging leaders, advocating for financial inclusion for underrepresented communities, and spending time with her family.
