Dr. Sonia Stewart is deputy superintendent for Hamilton County Schools (HCS) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she oversees the Teaching and Learning, Opportunities and Access, Social Emotional Academic Development, and School Supervision departments.

She was previously community superintendent for the MidTown Learning Community within the district. In that role, she designed and implemented a robust turnaround plan that led to improved student achievement in all MidTown schools.

Prior to joining HCS, Stewart was the executive officer for organizational development in Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). In this role, she designed the MNPS Leadership Framework; built robust leadership selection and development structures; collaboratively advanced talent acquisition and retention work; and enhanced district-wide equity frameworks. Stewart also served as a principal in MNPS. During her time as a campus leader, she was honored as the district’s Principal of the Year. Her school was recognized as a National School of Excellence by the Coalition of Community Schools and was featured in Edutopia’s “Schools That Work” series.

Stewart has a doctorate in education, leadership, and policy from Vanderbilt University; a master’s in educational leadership from Trevecca University; and a bachelor’s in mathematics from Biola University.