online or round up in-store purchases to support the Macy’s Mission Every One Scholarship Fund. In 2024, the campaign raised nearly $1.4 million for new and existing student scholarships. “Obviously, Monique, being an HBCU alumna, knows first-hand the impact and value an HBCU education has,” said Dedra Owens, Howard alumna and owner of DOT Communications, a communications firm based in Washington, D.C. “That speaks to the commitment she has. And it’s not always just about the classroom; it’s the incredible network that you build.”
A CAREER PATH MADE JUST FOR UNCF LeNoir spent the first part of her
career working for nonprofits including American Farmland Trust where she built a communications program from the ground up. She moved on to enhance branding for FINCA International, a microcredit nonprofit that provides financing to micro-business owners and farmers around the world. The second part of her career, she said, was spent in education as director of resource development for the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), director of communications at the Washington Teachers’ Union, in addition to managing communications at DC Public Schools. But she’ll never forget her roots: working for her father, Dr. Michael LeNoir, a University of Texas alumnus. “Growing up, my dad had a radio and TV program and I did his PR when I was in high school,” recalled LeNoir of her father’s medical broadcast which continues today. “That’s how I got into public relations.” “I’ve always wanted to work at places where I could give back and make a difference,” continued LeNoir whose parents hosted a UNCF fundraiser in Oakland when she was in college. “Communications plays a big role in shaping how fundraising works, so I decided to accept a position as director of resource development at the Black Alliance for Educational Options, where I had the opportunity to do meaningful work from a different perspective in the education space.
With the absence of telethon culture and the slow but steady decline of print journalism, UNCF strategically pivoted over the last 20 years to ensure HBCUs and students hoping to attend them continue to thrive. Part of that pivot was updating the logo in 2008, which was followed by a slight slogan update in 2013, to “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste, but a Beautiful Thing to Invest In.” To boot, the nonprofit made a bold move in 2024, to add a communications leadership position: Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications. The Howard University alumna, Morehouse mom and daughter of a Fisk University alumna and Howard attendee, Monique LeNoir was promoted to the inaugural position after serving as director of communications, assistant vice president of communications, interim vice president of communications, and vice president of communications. A VERITABLE CHOICE AS VP MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS “UNCF, in its entire 82-year history, never had a senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications,” said Roy Betts, UNCF Communications Manager, Media Relations. “That speaks volumes that Monique landed the position, particularly as the leadership is still somewhat male dominated. It’s amazing, well earned and deserved. She is taking a realistic approach to what’s
taking place today in the marketplace and in this industry.”
“She recognizes how social media is driving so much of how organizations, the public and private sector and the government in trying to connect and reach audiences,” continued Betts, a Howard alumnus and former Ebony/ Jet reporter who covered President Jimmy Carter’s administration. “We’re emphasizing the real, positive impact that social channels give us to truly connect because she is in tune, in touch with how things are evolving. She has the expertise and awareness, and she’s a good listener. She’s responsive and she’s got all of our backs. We couldn’t have a more solid, dependable leader.” Under LeNoir’s communications leadership, alongside President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF liaised a relationship with media mogul Byron Allen’s company, Allen Media Group, and his HBCUGo network in an effort to connect the organization with current and emerging audiences in philanthropy, corporate America, and government agencies. The partnership expands the network’s sports-only platform to now include content that showcases the totality of the HBCU experience – academic, cultural and athletic triumphs, according to UNCF. Another partnership includes Macy’s Black History Month Round-Up Campaign which launched in 2021, urging shoppers to donate
4 6 | HBCU TIMES SUMMER ISSUE 2026
Powered by FlippingBook