Amber C. Davis PhD

Director of Leadership Development

Dr. Amber C. Davis PhD serves as the director of leadership development at the Southern Education Foundation. She oversees SEF’s fellowships that provide leadership training for emerging and established leaders in education across SEF’s 17-state footprint. She also is managing the expansion of SEF’s leadership development programs and alumni relations, applying her expertise in leadership best practices, pedagogy, racial equity, and data analysis to design and facilitate workshops and professional learning for leaders in education.

Amber has served in pivotal roles in public school districts, postsecondary institutions, and the nonprofit sector. As a K-12 school district administrator, she oversaw secondary mathematics and science initiatives for the Birmingham Public Schools in Michigan. She has also served as a lecturer in teacher education at the University of Michigan and Oakland University. She dedicated several years to research, curriculum design, and professional development facilitation as a research and design specialist for TeachingWorks. Her journey in education began as a high school chemistry and forensic science teacher in the Bronx, NY.

Amber is a proud alumna of Spelman College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. She also holds a Master of Arts in Science Education degree from New York University, and a Ph.D. in educational studies from the University of Michigan School of Education.