Ashanti Sears is a data-driven strategist, community leader, and education advocate originally from Cleveland, Ohio, now residing in Austin, Texas. She previously served as President of the Austin Area Urban League Young Professionals, where she leads initiatives focused on civic engagement, policy education, and leadership development. With a background in data analytics and digital transformation, Ashanti specializes in using data to drive equitable solutions in education and community development. Passionate about social wellness, she is committed to advocating for education policies and creating programming that promote equity and personal growth for all people. Through the YPI: EDU Leadership Fellowship, TexEd was born - with the goal to develop actionable strategies that empower communities with data-driven insights to shape education policy and improve student outcomes.

In her spare time, Ashanti enjoys hosting local meetups to foster dialogue around emerging concepts, exploring Austin’s creative culture, and staying grounded through hot yoga, strength and HIIT training. Her analytical mindset was sharpened during her time as a Data Analyst at Apple, where she used exploratory data analysis to evaluate program performance and identify areas for process improvement. This experience, combined with her community leadership and storytelling skills, makes her uniquely positioned to conduct research that is both methodologically sound and grounded in the lived experiences of communities. Ashanti brings both curiosity and clarity to her work—bridging research and real-world action to inform the programs and policies that shape our future.