Dr. Sonya Anderson holds an undergraduate degree in economics and political science from Yale University, and a masters and doctorate degrees in education from Harvard University. She spent two years teaching in rural Mississippi before she took a position as Program Associate with the Ford Foundation where she supported grantmaking in the fields of service learning, higher education reform, and international studies.

Dr. Anderson then went on to work as a Senior Associate at Creative Associates International where she co-directed the implementation of education development projects in West Africa and the Caribbean. She consulted with Ministries of Education and non-governmental organizations to provide technical assistance to educators and policymakers on strategies to improve girls’ participation in education.

Dr. Anderson later joined the Oprah Winfrey Foundations as the Education Program Director where she oversaw the development of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa and managed other domestic and international education projects.

Dr. Anderson went on to serve as the National Director of Ounce of Prevention Fund’s federal advocacy arm, the First Five Years Fund, and later served as the Vice-President for National Affairs.

Dr. Anderson is the former Senior Vice President of Programs at Crown Family Philanthropies.