Malcom Rawls

Executive Director

Malcom Rawls, the new Executive Director of RISE Memphis, brings over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience and a lifelong dedication to empowering communities through education and support. A University of Memphis alumnus, Malcom holds a degree in Spanish and later earned his master’s in Leadership and Public Service from Lipscomb University, strengthening his commitment to service and civic leadership.

His leadership journey is shaped by his participation in programs like Leadership Memphis and the Nexus Leadership Program, which provided opportunities to enhance his skills in community development and strategic leadership. Malcom is currently a member of the MOSAIC Changemakers cohort of 2024, where he continues to engage in meaningful work that drives social change in the Memphis area.

Passionate about youth development, Malcom partners with Playbook for Success, where he dedicates his free time to reading to elementary students across Memphis and giving them books to start their own personal libraries—helping to inspire a love for literacy and learning at an early age. Malcom is also a proud father to his daughter, Mela, a student at Idlewild Elementary, whose growth and education motivate his work in empowering the city’s youth.

As Executive Director of RISE Memphis, Malcom’s vision is to build on the organization’s mission of fostering financial literacy, empowerment, and self-sufficiency for all Memphis communities. RISE, originally founded to assist public housing residents in achieving financial self-sufficiency, has evolved to serve a wider demographic across the city. With a focus on programs that help individuals budget, save, and accumulate assets, RISE has established itself as a vital force in breaking cycles of poverty and enhancing economic stability in Memphis and Shelby County.

Malcom is committed to supporting and expanding RISE’s current programs, ensuring they reach a broader audience and continue to have a transformative impact. His vision is to see a Memphis where every individual has access to the financial education and tools necessary to achieve economic mobility and build a brighter, more prosperous future for themselves and their families. By fostering a culture of responsibility, initiative, solutions, and empowerment, he aims to create lasting change that aligns with RISE’s core values and the needs of the Memphis community.