Sonya Pryor-Jones serves as an advisor to Mayor Justin Bibb and as a member of his Cabinet as the Chief for Youth and Family Success. In this responsibility, she works across the early childhood system, youth development system, and aging ecosystem in partnership with philanthropy, business, other public agencies, and the nonprofit sector to create and maintain programs and opportunities for children, youth, and adults. Her vision is to activate a collaborative city-wide effort that delivers a system of support that both strengthens families and neighborhoods by improving services, educational attainment, and socioeconomic mobility.
Previously, she was the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for the Fab Foundation. This spin-off of the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) supports communities all over the world in innovation through personal fabrication and the scale of Fab Labs. Sonya is charged with supporting the next iteration of the fab lab program work, and the strategic endeavors of the organization. Sonya manages signature projects for the Fab Foundation including the Brilliant Career Labs, SCOPES-DF, and partnerships with Chevron, The GE Foundation, Adam Savage and Tested.com, The Boston Celtics, and DARPA. Sonya initiated and facilitates a new national field-building coalition with nonprofits dedicated to K-12 digital fabrication and maker education.
Prior to joining the Fab Foundation, Sonya was the founding Director for a national placed-based education and community development strategy at the Sisters of Charity Foundation. She also managed a $3.5 million STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) effort as the Executive Director for Northeast Ohio’s STEM initiative. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Sonya is an active civic leader serving on a number of boards and advisory committees. Additionally, Sonya manages her own consulting business, Synchronicity, a boutique firm that supports clients in the cultivation and execution of new ideas through facilitation, project management, and research & planning.
A sought-after speaker with past engagements including the NSBE National Convention, SXSW, Aspen Ideas Festival, National Governors Association, and the White House, Sonya contributes to the commentary surrounding innovation in education and workforce in today’s global society.
Sonya received a B.A. in International Studies and History from Kenyon College and an M.Ed. in Education from Cleveland State University. She also holds Certificates in Executive Education and Appreciative Inquiry from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
Master of Education, Cleveland State University
Major: Adult Learning and Development
Bachelor of Arts, Kenyon College
Major: International Studies and History
K-12 STEM Education
Coalition Building and Network Design
Leadership and Organizational Development
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Community Development
EDU 210, Family & Community in Early Childhood Education (Baldwin Wallace University)
White House Champion of Change (2016)
German Marshall Memorial Fellow (Summer 2009)
CORO Fellow, Cleveland Executive Fellowship (2006-2007)
“Scaling a Community of Practice for Education in STEM through Digital Fabrication.” (2019). White paper published by The Fab Foundation, Boston. https://www.scopesdf.org/playbook/
Tracy, E. M., Golden, S., Jones-Pryor, S., & White, P. (2004). Parent and staff views of parent involvement: An exploratory study. School Social Work Section Connection. 3-7.
Exploring a Collaborative Model for Broadening Participation in STEM through Digital Fabrication and Making, National Science Foundation, Principal Investigators: Lassiter, Pryor-Jones| Abstract
Scaling a Community of Practice for Education in STEM through Digital Fabrication (SCOPES-DF), Chevron
Mobile Fab Lab Program, GE Foundation
Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood, Cleveland Foundation
Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood, Ohio Department of Education Straight A Fund