Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913, by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University. These students wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to persons in need. The first public act performed by the Delta Founders involved their participation in the Women’s Suffrage March in Washington D.C., March 1913. Delta Sigma Theta was incorporated in 1930.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. A sisterhood of more than 200,000 predominately Black college educated women, the Sorority currently has over 900 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Republic of Korea. The major programs of the sorority are based upon the organization’s Five Point Programmatic Thrust:

1. Economic Development

2. Physical and Mental Health

3. Educational Development

4. Political Awareness and Involvement

5. International Awareness and Involvement

For more information, visit our national website at www.deltasigmatheta.org

Elsie Cooke-Holmes is the 27th National President and CEO of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Elsie Cooke-Holmes is principal/owner of Cooke-Holmes, LLC a coaching and HR consulting firm. She specializes in executive, leadership and career coaching, leadership development, facilitation, training and change management.

Elsie’s career in corporate America spans over 30 years. She was employed by Texas Instruments and Andersen Consulting prior to joining PepsiCo. At PepsiCo, she held numerous technical and leadership positions in the company’s Information Technology and Human Resources Departments including her last position, Human Resources Director, Corporate HR and Global Financial Shared Services.

Initially elected in 2017, Elsie was recently re-elected National Secretary of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated for the 2019-2021 biennium. She joined the Sorority at the University of Memphis, was elected National Second Vice President, and has held numerous positions of leadership including Eastern Regional Director; Eastern Region Representative to the National Scholarship and Standards Committee; Co-Chair, National Leadership Academy; Co-Chair, Co-Chair, National HR Committee and past chapter president, Westchester Alumnae Chapter. She is currently a member of the Dallas Alumnae Chapter. Elsie participates in a number of other community activities, including membership in The Links, Inc., NAACP, NCNW and the St. Luke United Methodist Church. She is a member of the WiNGS, Inc. Board of Directors and the Werthing Foundation Board of Directors. She is a recipient of numerous awards for leadership and community service. She is a graduate of the University of Memphis, with a BS in Engineering Technology/Computer Systems Degree, and received her MBA from Columbia University. Elsie is married to Clarence H. Holmes, Jr. and resides in Plano, TX.

For more information, visit our national website at www.deltasigmatheta.org