Dr. Iris Bond-Gill (she/her) is the CEO of Opportunity Consulting, where she leads the company's growth and impact. As a strategic advisor, she empowers clients by providing expert guidance and tactical expertise to drive equitable outcomes. A leader in her field, Dr. Bond-Gill is deeply passionate about creating inclusive and equitable spaces. With a wealth of experience in equity-focused public policy, particularly in education and youth policy, she has dedicated over 25 years to senior leadership roles. She served as the Deputy Executive Director at a civil rights coalition focused on education equity and as the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary and Secondary Education at the DC state education agency.
Dr. Bond-Gill commitment to bridging opportunity gaps and advancing equity and justice for marginalized communities is rooted in her life experience. Iris experienced firsthand the challenges of instability and frequent school changes during her upbringing. This instability underscored the critical role of education in creating safe and stable environments that extend beyond academic learning to encompass broader life opportunities. Her experiences propelled her early career choice to become a seventh-grade social studies teacher in New Orleans through Teach For America.
Dr. Bond-Gill is a Research Fellow in the Education Policy Program at New America. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University, a Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Policy from American University. She is trained in human-centered design by IDEO and possesses a robust facilitation toolkit, and is a qualified Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)© Administrator. Her diverse skill set enables her to approach challenges with a comprehensive and empathetic perspective. Iris actively contributes to several nonprofit Boards of Directors, furthering their missions with her expertise.