Joanitha Groves
Chief Human Resources Officer

A Human Resources executive with over two decades experience in Human Resources and organizational management, Joanitha Groves is a strategic result-driven leader dedicated to fostering a positive, inclusive, and a high-performance workplace. Ms. Groves brings a strong blend of expertise in strategy, compliance, and organizational development.

As the Chief Human Resources Officer at the African American Planning Commission, Inc. (AAPCI), Ms. Groves works closely with executive leadership to onboard staff and new programs, including competitive employee benefits and compensation, performance management, employee relations and labor law compliance. Ms. Groves has led initiatives to enhance the employee experience, including redesigning job descriptions, comprehensive strategies, policies, and practices within the HR field. Joanitha Groves’ work spans all facets of human resources to ensure industry alignment while maintaining equitable treatment.

Before joining AAPCI, Ms. Groves served as the Executive Director of Human Resources at the Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs; Inc (NAICA), where she supported the organization’s mission to provide transitional housing, social services and legal services to low-income communities in various New York City boroughs.

Ms. Groves began her career at Franklin Credit Management Corporation, where she worked for almost a decade and a half. During this time, she held roles as Human Resources Generalist, Human Resources Manager, and Human Resources Director, helping to grow the Human Resources department into a competitive and well-established division within the company.

Ms. Groves earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Université du Benin, currently known as Université de Lomé.