Aneesh Sohoni, MPP'13, will become chief executive officer of Teach for America beginning April 15. Sohoni has held several education leadership positions of increasing responsibility since earning his master of public policy in education policy at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development. His impact on students and educational organizations throughout his career reflects the promise and potential of Vanderbilt's education policy graduate students.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the enduring foundation Vanderbilt University Peabody College has provided me as I head into my new role as CEO of Teach For America (TFA), where we recruit, train, and support the next generation of teachers, tutors, and TFA alumni who will work to ensure every child in every neighborhood can receive the education they deserve," Sohoni said. "My Peabody education instilled a deeper understanding of the history, policies, politics, practices, and data that shape the education landscape."
During his time as chief of staff to the assistant commissioner for teachers and leaders at the Tennessee Department of Education, Sohoni wanted to achieve a deeper understanding of the education policy history and frameworks that could inform his work supporting Tennessee students. That desire led him to the MPP program in education policy at Vanderbilt where he learned valuable life-long lessons.
"The robust network of professors and classmates created an enriching environment for learning and growth. The rigorous quantitative coursework not only strengthened my appreciation for data-driven education policies and practices but also enhanced my ability to distill key insights from education research that I could use to support my decision making. To this day, I continue to leverage the knowledge and skills I gained at Vanderbilt in my work as an education leader and fierce advocate for students," Sohoni said.
Prior to being named Teach for America's CEO, Sohoni was CEO of One Million Degrees, a nonprofit that supports community college students to pursue careers that advance their economic mobility. Under his leadership, One Million Degrees quadrupled the number of students served across the City Colleges of Chicago and launched an advisory and capacity-building service model to expand the organization's national impact.
Sohoni has also served as executive director for Teach for America in Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and project director at TNTP (The New Teacher Project). He began his career as a Teach for America English teacher.
Sohoni received the 2024 Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership from Teach for America. In 2016, he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for education. He is a Pahara Fellow, a 2019 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago.
