Zenobia Edwards

Dr. Zenobia C. Edwards is a transformational leader, educator, and advocate whose career spans more than two decades of pioneering work in education, nonprofit leadership, and social justice. With an unwavering commitment to serving marginalized communities, she has built institutions, launched programs, and touched the lives of thousands of students and families across the southeastern United States.

In addition to her role as Chief of Strategy at Capstone, Dr. Edwards serves as Executive Director of the Old North State Medical Society, the North Carolina affiliate of the National Medical Association, where she oversees all administrative and operational functions for eight component societies. Under her leadership, she has secured a landmark $1.7 million behavioral health grant, revitalized dormant component societies, and forged strategic partnerships that have expanded the organization’s reach and impact. Concurrently, she serves as a Senior Fellow with the Aspen Institute’s Division of Criminal Justice Reform Initiative, where she advocates for community-centered approaches to re-entry, prevention, and addressing the social drivers of crime in micropolitan cities nationwide.

A visionary institution builder, Dr. Edwards founded and directed two groundbreaking educational programs. As Founding Dean of Johnson C. Smith University’s Metropolitan College in Charlotte, North Carolina, she conceptualized and launched an accelerated adult degree program that enabled working professionals to achieve their educational dreams. In its inaugural cohort, ten adult students graduated—nine with honors—a testament to her belief that anyone can change their destiny by changing their mind. Earlier in her career, she served as Founding Director of Sonovista School in Darlington County, South Carolina, an alternative school for at-risk students in grades six through twelve. Under her leadership, the school earned recognition as an exemplary program by the National Dropout Prevention Center, achieved JROTC Honor Unit with Gold status, and produced a South Carolina Teacher of the Year finalist.

Dr. Edwards is also the Co-Founder of I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L., Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to leadership development and self-esteem enhancement for girls ages six to eighteen. Since its founding in 2003, the organization has served more than 13,000 girls through over 3,000 engaging events focused on college readiness, career exploration, and personal empowerment. Her work has been recognized with national corporate awards from Lane Bryant and Skims via Mia Michaels.

A certified trainer in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma-sensitive school practices, Dr. Edwards brings deep expertise in creating supportive environments for vulnerable youth. Her scholarship includes her doctoral dissertation on strategic planning for at-risk students and contributions to publications on educational leadership and reading instruction.

Dr. Edwards holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, an Education Specialist Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Converse College, a Master of Arts in Teaching Science from Converse College, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Wofford College. Her numerous honors include selection as a South Carolina Sustainability Leadership Fellow, a Leadership Women America National Executive Women’s Leadership Program scholarship recipient, and a Judith O’Connor Scholar through BoardSource.

Guided by a servant-leadership philosophy, Dr. Edwards believes that those blessed with the skills and credentials to lead must use those tools to enhance the lives of others. Her life’s work embodies this conviction—building pathways to success for students, families, and communities who need them most. She remains a steadfast advocate for the belief that education transforms lives and that every individual deserves the opportunity to thrive.