thart19@nul.org

As the senior program officer for Gates Foundation, Tomeka Hart leads policy and advocacy grantmaking for civil rights and equity organizations. Previously, she served as VP of strategic partnerships at the Southern Education Foundation, VP of African American community partnerships for Teach For America, and president/CEO of the Memphis Urban League. She is a former middle and high school classroom teacher and a labor and employment lawyer.

Hart served two terms on the elected Memphis City Schools Board of Education, including one term as board president. Hart joined with a colleague and led the efforts to merge the Memphis City and Shelby County school systems.

Hart serves on the Data Quality Campaign board of directors and the dean’s advisory board of University of Tennessee College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. She is a charter member of First 8 Memphis board.

In recognition of her work, Hart was appointed commissioner of the Education Commission of the States, a national non-partisan organization that helps states develop education policies. She holds an MBA from Kennesaw State University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing education from the University of Tennessee.