Anya Tanyavutti

Anya Tanyavutti has over 20 years of experience working in the fields of education, nonprofit leadership and community engagement. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in socio-cultural studies and educational thought, both from Western Michigan University. Tanyavutti’s work and academic experience has afforded her knowledge and awareness of emerging strategies and priorities in community organizing and schools including education equity policy and research, the impact of social and emotional learning and restorative justice, literacy development, culturally relevant pedagogy, and family and community engagement. She is president of the Evanston/Skokie D65 Board of Education, an engaged D65 parent participating in D65 early childhood programs, and served on the Parent Teacher Association Council’s Navigating Real Life Diversity series and current Next Steps series planning committee. She is the executive director of Chicago Volunteer Doulas, Inc., a birth justice organization providing comprehensive doula care to the Chicagoland community through four programs, including birth and postpartum doulas and the first of kind in the nation peer doula program at Logan Correctional Facility. Lastly, she and her husband are the proud parents of three amazing children.