Denisse Arias

Denisse is the inaugural Director of EdRedesign’s Fellowship for Cradle-to-Career Partnership Leaders, supporting new and aspiring leaders of cradle-to-career place-based partnerships. 

Denisse brings experience in equity-focused leadership development, cross-sector collaboration, education systems transformation, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning within education and international development. Prior to joining EdRedesign, Denisse held various roles at Teach For All, supporting leaders across Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe pursuing systems change and collective leadership efforts, most recently as the Director for Leadership Development & Equity. During her time at Teach For All, Denisse also co-led a 17-person team responsible for designing and executing over 50 learning experiences, Fellowships, and communities of practice for network stakeholders. She also supported partnerships with USAID, the European Commission, and the World Bank. Denisse co-led the Leading from Lived Experience Fellowship from 2019-2024, a leadership development opportunity for network members who themselves had experienced inequities within their contexts, that reached over 100 network members. 

A Teach For America Alum, Denisse taught in her community and served as inaugural Co-Board Chair for the Teach For America – Massachusetts’ Homegrown Alumni Board, supporting engagement with corps members and alumni from Massachusetts. In June 2024, Denisse was selected as a Hispanics in Philanthropy Lideres Fellow. Denisse serves as a board member for Shout Mouse Press, an organization that supports youth in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area dedicated to centering and amplifying the voices of marginalized youth through writing workshops, book publication, and public speaking opportunities. She holds a B.A and B.S. from Boston University and a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs.