Dr. Nancy Sanchez has been named Chief Opportunity Officer for Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK). In her new position she will expand access to PTK scholarships, connect members with colleges and companies, and ensure that students are trained, prepared, and supported as they pursue college and career opportunities.
Sanchez previously served as Executive Director of the Kaplan Educational Foundation (KEF). Author of “Your Guide to College Transfer” and a regular contributor to Forbes, she is one of the industry’s leading voices on community college to four-year transfer.
“Dr Sanchez brings more than 25 years of expertise providing greater access to higher education, and we are very pleased to have her join our staff,” said PTK President and CEO Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner. “She has worked to improve the college experience and support leadership among low-income, under-represented and nontraditional students through collaborative partnerships and services that directly target factors affecting degree-attainment gaps.”
Sanchez is a frequent media spokesperson on issues around degree attainment gaps and has been interviewed by national media outlets including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and SiriusXM. She has also spoken at national educational conferences including ASU+GSV, NACAC, NISTS, NASPA, and PTK. Sanchez has been invited to speak at the United Nations and the Aspen Institute on expanding the community college talent pipeline. Her work has been featured in Inside Higher Ed, the Daily News, DIVERSE Issues in Higher Education, the Hechinger Report and PBS News Hour.
“In the fifteen years I had the honor to serve the Kaplan Educational Foundation PTK became a true partner,” Sanchez said. “I am focused on using this opportunity at PTK to create opportunities for community colleges to meet their highest educational, professional, and leadership potential”
Sanchez has served as a selection judge for the multiple scholarship programs including the Dell Scholars Foundation, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and the Coca-Cola Scholars through Phi Theta Kappa. She also served as the chairman of the board for New York Math Academy and Coaching Services, and currently serves as a board member of the Kingsborough Community College Foundation.
Sánchez’s own educational journey started at Kingsborough Community College (KBCC), where she earned an associate degree in early childhood education. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from Long Island University, a master’s in sociology from Brooklyn College, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Innovation at New York University. As a 2014 National Hispanic Executive Leadership Fellow, Sanchez completed an Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership. Born in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, she currently resides in Brooklyn.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org