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Dennis Hayes, ’77, has been appointed Interim President and Chief Executive Office for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) by Chairman of the Board Julian Bond following the resignation of Bruce S. Gordon.

Hayes was previously general counsel for the organization. This is the third time he has served as interim president, the first being in 1994 and the second in 2004. Hayes worked for the Indianapolis branch of the NAACP until 1985, when he joined the organization’s legal department.

As Interim President and CEO, Hayes oversees the organization's national programs as well as its 2200 units across the U.S. and abroad. These units represent approximately 400,000 members in adult branches, college chapters, and youth councils in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Korea. The NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.
Hayes has devoted a lifelong commitment to public interest causes. In addition to his duties at the NAACP, he contributes his talents to board and committee responsibilities for the American Judicature Society, the Public Justice Center of Baltimore, and the Columbia Sportsmen's Association in Maryland. He is a contributing author of publications, ranging from magazine articles to civil rights training materials.