Meet Your Instructor

Sonya Soltani

Sonya Soltani brings over 14 years of experience driving large-scale, system-level change across classrooms, schools, districts, and state agencies. She is an experienced trainer and facilitator with deep expertise in DEI, skilled at strengthening organizational culture, leading strategic planning efforts, and supporting teams through sustainable, equity-centered change.

She has partnered with public sector organizations, nonprofits, and educational institutions to design and deliver leadership development, equity-focused training, and organizational strategy. Her work includes collaborating with the Colorado Special Districts Property and Liability Pool to develop and facilitate a session on creating organizational alignment in implementing DEI initiatives for local governments, and with CPS HR Consulting to lead training on recognizing and responding to implicit bias in the workplace.

Across hundreds of engagements—including large-scale trainings for audiences of up to 800 participants—she has served as a facilitator, coach, and consultant for government agencies, nonprofits, and school systems nationwide. Her areas of focus include leadership development, communication, change management, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as core competencies such as strategic planning, supervision, and project management. Clients include Colorado Special Districts, Jewish Vocational Services, Families in Action for Quality Education, A Year Without War, the Walden School in Oakland, and organizations across multiple states.

Through this work, she helps organizations strengthen leadership alignment, enhance communication, and improve organizational culture. Clients report increased confidence among leaders and staff, adoption of sustainable practices, and measurable gains in effectiveness across teams and systems.

Education