Byron Sanders - Facilitating a Creative Path for Kids | CEO, Big Thought | Community Advocate | Presidential Scholar

Byron Sanders is a committed advocate for education, economic
development, and creating equitable communities throughout
Dallas, Texas. As the President and CEO of Big Thought, he works
each day to explore innovative ways to narrow the opportunity gap
for children. Big Thought connects people and organizations to
prepare youth and children in under-resourced communities for tomorrow's creative economy through quality in-school, after-
school and community-partnership experiences. Byron has worked with Big Thought in various capacities since 2008, as a supporter, volunteer, advisor, partner, and most recently, board member.

Byron is a recipient of 2014 Dallas Business Journal's Minority
Business Leaders and it's 2012 40 Under 40 awards. He has also been recognized as a Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau BIG Influencer, in Who's Who in Black Dallas, Dallas Foundation Good Works Under 40, and as a TEDx speaker. In 2017, he was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar by the program led by the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Most recently he received the Parkland Foundation's Community First Award.

Byron's professional expertise spans the fields of banking, education, philanthropy, and entrepreneurism. Prior to Big Thought, Byron served as Vice President for U.S. Trust, the private bank of Bank of America, where he connected high net worth individuals and institutions to solutions that accomplish their financial goals. He is the former Executive Director of the Dallas Education Foundation, where he built and cultivated philanthropic, corporate, and community relationships to support initiatives benefitting the students of Dallas Independent School District. He also served as Vice President of Group Excellence, a mentoring and tutoring organization serving at-risk K-12 public school  students. During his tenure, Group Excellence was named the country's fifth fastest growing education company in Inc. Magazine's 2011 Inc. 500 list.

Byron believes that one's purpose and mission cannot be fulfilled without being actively engaged in the community. He is a member of many high-impact boards, such as United Way's Community Impact Council, Social Venture Partners Dallas, CitySquare, ChildCareGroup, KIPP DFW, and the Mayor's Star Council. He is also a member of Dallas Assembly, Leadership Dallas '13, Leadership ISD '12, Latino Center for Leadership Development Fellows, and several other service engagements.

A graduate of the University of Tulsa with a BSBA in Marketing, Byron's first love is spending time with his wife Celeste and his two young children.