Stefanie Sanford

Dr. Stefanie Sanford is President of Civic Ventures at Alithi Consulting and Humanitae Philanthropy Advisors, where she leads efforts to improve civic knowledge and engagement, transcend polarization, and animate spirited and effective conversation across differences in multiple contexts and policy areas.

Over the last 20 years, she has held executive roles in philanthropy, education policy, and government. Most recently, she served as Chief of Global Policy and External Relations for the College Board and President of the College Board Foundation. Previously, she spent over 10 years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, beginning as the first education advocacy program officer and rising to Director of U.S. Program Advocacy.

Sanford began her career serving in both Republican and Democratic administrations in Texas, in various roles advising the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, and Attorney General. At the federal level, she was selected as a White House Fellow, serving in the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs.

She currently chairs the Board of Trustees for the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, is Vice Chair of America’s Promise Alliance, and serves as a trustee of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and Planet Word, the Museum of Language. She is the author of Civic Life in the Information Age: Politics, Technology and Generation X and holds an MPA from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas.