A legacy of leadership for the UO Black Alumni Network

February 10, 2026
On the left half of a collage is a Black woman in her forties smiling at the camera wearing black thick rimmed glasses and a yellow suit coat with black and yellow graphics. On the right half is a smiling Black woman with curly hair to her shoulders in a bright green polo with a yellow Oregon O on the breast.

Ericka Warren, BA ’92 (Asian studies), MBA ’19, is the founding president of the University of Oregon Black Alumni Network and has spent the last decade building a thriving community that doesn’t exist simply in name, but in action.  

Now, after nearly a decade as UOBAN president, Warren is passing the baton to Olivia Manwarren, BA ’14 (family & human services), who will continue advancing UOBAN’s vision of a strong network for Black alumni and students. 

“Serving as UOBAN’s founding and charter president has been one of the great honors of my professional life, and I am deeply proud of all we have accomplished together to strengthen connection, visibility, and opportunity for Black alumni and students at the University of Oregon,” Warren said.  

Manwarren, who has served on the UOBAN board since 2023, shared Warren’s pride in the group’s work and said she is grateful for the opportunity to build upon her predecessor’s many accomplishments.  

“I want to express my deep gratitude to Ericka for her extraordinary leadership over the past ten years,” Manwarren said. “As the chartering president, she built this organization from the ground up and guided it to new heights with vision, dedication, and heart. Her legacy is woven into every part of the Black Alumni Network, and I’m honored to continue the work she so powerfully set in motion.”

Looking back on a decade of leadership  

A bald smiling middle-aged white man stands on the left, smiling Black woman with a shaved head and black thick rimmed glasses stands in the center holding a plaque that says "2024 Jeanne Johnson Alumni Service Award Ericka Warren, BA ’92,MBA ’19, and a white woman with brown hair in a green shirt stands on the right, smiling.

Ericka Warren, BA ’92 (Asian studies), MBA ’19, was recognized with the Jeanne Johnson Alumni Service Award in 2024. Warren (middle) is pictured with UOAA Executive Director Raphe Beck (left) and UOAA Past Board President Erin Watkinson, BA '00 (right).

When Warren returned to the UO in her late forties, she took on the challenge of developing strategy for the UO's Black Cultural Center as her MBA capstone project. Out of this endeavor and her involvement organizing the first-ever Black alumni reunion in 2016 sprang UOBAN. 

“Even prior to 2016, [Ericka’s] vision and desire to connect Black alumni from the University of Oregon energized and reconnected many of us to Oregon,” said Lisa Lawrence Brody, BA ’92 (political science), JD ’95, and UOAA board member.  

As the founding president, Warren established the group’s goals and mission to foster community among Black alumni and students through mentorship, scholarship, and the celebration of Blackness. Warren’s efforts made the mission a reality.  

Under her leadership, UOBAN developed a volunteer board of more than 25 people, launched its UO Black Alumni Network Student Support Fund, and hosted a variety of events that create a supportive and uplifting community.  

“Ericka [did] what most did not even think was possible,” said Clarence Williams, Jr., BEd ’03 (family & human services). “[She] energized us all to another level.” 

Warren’s dedication to the UO alumni community and to UOBAN earned her the UOAA’s Jeanne Johnson Alumni Service Award in 2024. This award honors an alum who exemplifies loyalty, distinguished leadership, and generous contributions of time and talent to the university and its alumni association. 

Introducing a new UOBAN president 

A Black woman with long locs down her shoulders poses for a headshot, wearing a black, green, and white chevron blouse in front of a blurred natural background.
UO Black Alumni Network President Olivia Manwarren poses with the Oregon Duck in front of a yellow O display.

Manwarren takes the helm of UOBAN president with a deep connection to the university. Growing up in Eugene, she was mentored by UO students in after-school clubs and community organizations. She said they showed her that a college degree was within reach, supporting her journey as a first-generation college student.  

On the UO’s Eugene campus, Manwarren became involved with organizations like the Black Student Union and the Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence, developing skills in community building, advocacy, and leadership. These experiences prepared her for a career in education and college admissions, as well as her role as UOBAN president.  

“It is with these roots that I humbly and excitedly lead the UO Black Alumni Network. This community supported me in immeasurable ways, and I am honored to give back a fraction of that,” she said.  

In addition to her volunteer service with UOBAN, Manwarren works as a regional admissions counselor for the UO, creating equitable pathways to higher education and building supportive systems that help students thrive. Manwarren is based in Houston, Texas and recruits students from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Texas, and West Virginia.

The UO Black Alumni Network board of directors

The UO Black Alumni Network board of directors gathered on the UO's Eugene campus for team building, student engagement, and planning for the year ahead.

—By Sarah Bathke, BA ’25 (journalism), UO Alumni Association communications generalist