Dr. Tanya Lewis-Jones is an educator, author, and advocate committed to building schools that honor the brilliance, resilience, and cultural identity of Black children. With over two decades of experience in education, from classroom teacher to education leader, she brings a sharp eye for excellence, a deep respect for community, and a heart for justice.

She currently serves as the Director for New Charters at the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, where she leads the proposal process by which prospective charter schools are reviewed for potential approval. In this role, she also oversees the preopening process, working closely with newly authorized schools to ensure they are fully prepared for a successful launch. In addition to her leadership in the charter approval pipeline, she serves as an occasional school evaluator, offering insight into school performance and alignment to SUNY’s rigorous standards.

Dr. Lewis-Jones has also contributed to the broader charter and education policy landscape as a peer reviewer for both the New York State Education Department and the U.S. Department of Education, bringing her grounded, equity-centered lens to national-level evaluation processes.

Her work is informed by her journey — as a Black woman, a wife and mother, and a first-generation college graduate who pursued her doctorate while working full-time.

Dr. Lewis-Jones holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in education, and a lifelong belief that education can and should be a tool for liberation.

Through The Amandla Collective, she will offer resources that support education leaders, organizations, and authorizers with services rooted in cultural responsiveness, strategic clarity, linguistic justice and joy.