Derrick W. Byrd has been an active member in PTA in New York and North Carolina for nearly 30 years.  Derrick has served as a local unit president, president of Mount Vernon Council of PTAs and other leadership positions on the Westchester, New York District PTA Board. Derrick is immediate past council president of the Wake County Council of PTAs in Raleigh, North Carolina. Derrick served for over 6 years on the North Carolina PTA Board of Directors as Health and Welfare Commission Chairman and Vice President For Legislative Activity. 

Derrick has held leadership positions in organizations in New York and North Carolina that support public schools and children. He has served as the Secretary for the Covenant with North Carolina’s Children, Chairperson of the Policy Council for the Raleigh, North Carolina-based Wake Chatham Orange Head Start program, Chairman of the Coalition for a Better Education in Mount Vernon, NY President of the Board of Directors for HopeLine Inc., and President of the North Carolina Family-Based Services Association. Derrick planned and developed a Family Resource Center for Raleigh that has been in existence for 10 years. 

Derrick’s professional experience includes working with homeless children and children alleged to be abused, neglected or dependent in accordance with child protection laws. He is currently a Social Work Supervisor at Wake County Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina where he manages a social work staff that provides direct services to adolescents in foster care. He also manages other services to families including activities and strategies to reduce racial disparities in child welfare and Team Decision Making. 

Derrick has a Masters in Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Bachelors of Science degree from Touro College, both located in New York, New York. 

Derrick resides in Cary, North Carolina and is the proud parent of two boys, Alex and William, ages 7 and 8.