Edwina Simms currently serves as the Regional Director of Alumni Engagement at the University of Denver. In her role she serves as the lead point of contact for the DU community in the Southeast region. Edwina creates meaningful engagement opportunities and helps to build relationships and enhance levels of engagement with the DU community from the National Capital area to sunny beaches of the Florida Keys.  In her previous role, she served as a member of the senior leadership in the Office of Alumni Relations at American University where she served as the Director of Multicultural and Affinity Engagement. In this role, Edwina oversaw the alumni affinity programs and interest groups, in addition to managing the annual Multicultural Alumni Reunion (MCAR).

As a woman who believes in serving causes far greater than herself, Edwina has a rich experience in public affairs, community outreach, multicultural initiatives, and government relations, having worked for several reputable non-profit organizations. She is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and has served in a number of leadership capacities to increase awareness and promote a more systematic approach to DEI across all areas of Advancement.

Edwina has supported organizational advancement through corporate and individual donor relations, prospect research, and relationship building with key community stakeholders, and leading a multicultural strategy to increase minority engagement, while developing an annual working plan with dollar and volunteer recruitment goals.

Edwina earned her B.A. in political science from University of Central Florida and her MPA with a concentration in non-profit organizational management from Strayer University in Orlando, Florida. She thoroughly enjoys working in higher education, developing sustainable programming, and enhancing constituent engagement at the University of Denver.