Hiewet Senghor is a visionary leader who believes education is a critical vehicle for the advancement and self-determination of the African-American community. Specializing in nonprofit organizational development, Hiewet’s professional journey exemplifies her deep commitment to supporting the leadership of Black children and pioneering programs that serve those leaders. Hiewet is the Founder and CEO of the Black Teacher Collaborative (BTC), a nonprofit organization that believes in the genius and beauty of Black children and the unique role of Black teachers in cultivating those gifts. As the founder of BTC, Hiewet casts a bold vision for a Black-led education focused social entrepreneurship venture that works to build the mindsets, skills, and knowledge of Black teachers specific to the relationship between positive racial identity and learning and the development of Black children.

Hiewet is uniquely positioned to bring the important and innovative work of BTC to life. Her decision to start BTC leveraged her years of work of advancing the political and social conditions of Black people through traditional civil right organizations like the NAACP and the Children’s Defense Fund along with her solid grounding in the power and perils of education reform gained through six years in leadership at Teach for America. Hiewet is a proud graduate of Hampton University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. She also completed graduate level work in Public Administration at the University of Georgia. Hiewet is a native of Atlanta, GA where she currently resides.