Sherese A. Ward

Sherese A. Ward brings a wealth of experience and passion to her work, most recently serving as Portfolio Director with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation where she oversaw the deployment of investments in K12 Education programs. Previously, she was Chief of Staff and Strategy for the Division of Human Capital at the New York City Department of Education. In that role, she led the execution of the division’s strategic plan, while supporting cross-functional agency initiatives. As Special Assistant in the Office of the Superintendent at Newark Public Schools, she advanced district priorities through impactful corporate and community partnerships. In her home state of Connecticut, Sherese led fund development, school turnaround projects and advised on government relations strategies for education non-profits. As a founding member of a national advocacy organization, she was at the forefront of strategic partnership development and legislative advocacy. Her career began managing corporate philanthropic investments in Connecticut and New York with Bank of America. Sherese serves on the Board of Directors for the New York University Alumni Association and Education Reimagined and is a Strategic Advisor to Beyond 100K and the Principal Impact Collaborative. Sherese is a Pahara Institute Fellow and an alum of The Broad Residency in Urban Education. Sherese holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, a Master of Public Administration, and a Master of Education.