For Immediate Release:

February 24, 2017

Sonja Taylor Named Next Director of Diversity and Inclusion


Charlotte, N.C. –

Charlotte Latin School has named Sonja Taylor the school's next Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Taylor was previously at the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM), where she was the Diversity Recruitment Manager. Her role included directing all initiatives to attract and retain underrepresented students, building and managing outreach and school district partnerships and collaborating with civil rights, social and community organizations to increase science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) interest and participation among racial minorities. Prior to her work at GSSM, she was a science curriculum writer for CPO Science, in Nashua, New Hampshire, where she wrote physics, chemistry, biology and other scientific content for inquiry-based secondary science education textbooks, created model lesson plans for teachers, and managed curriculum and assessment projects in several states. Taylor was also a public high school science teacher in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and Orlando, Florida, and a chemist at the start of her career at the Flowers Chemical Laboratories.

Taylor has a long history of service focused on sharing her knowledge and expertise in STEM. Her service work includes the Columbia Urban League, who awarded her their President's Award in 2013, the Girl Scouts of South Carolina Mountains to Midlands, and 100 Black Men of Myrtle Beach. She was also awarded the 2016 Director's Community Leadership Award from the Federal Bureau of Investigation for her efforts to promote social justice and advance STEM access and learning in communities across South Carolina.

"We are delighted to have Sonja join our School community," said Headmaster Arch N. McIntosh, Jr. "She is uniquely qualified to fill this position, and she brings a wealth of experience and skills to support our diversity and inclusivity initiatives. I am grateful for the work of the search committee and all those involved in the hiring process. As Sonja transitions to Latin in a few weeks, I want every member of the CLS community to support her and to welcome her to our School."

Taylor will assume her position at Latin in mid-March and will take time to learn about and observe the school community, as well as Charlotte. She will develop a strategic plan that the School will implement in the 2017-18 school year.

About her appointment, Taylor said, "Charlotte Latin School has an excellent academic reputation entrenched in its commitment to educating the whole child. This setting is conducive for incorporating institutional principles of diversity and inclusion. I am thrilled to join the Latin family and look forward to serving the School and Charlotte communities."

Taylor earned a B.S., in Chemistry from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, an M.Ed., in Divergent Learning from Columbia College, Columbia, South Carolina, and is pursuing an Ed.D. at the University of South Carolina in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and culturally responsive pedagogy. 

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About Charlotte Latin School

Founded in 1970, Charlotte Latin School is an independent, coeducational, non-sectarian, college-preparatory, day school serving approximately 1,400 students in transitional kindergarten through grade twelve. Charlotte Latin does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national origin in the administration of its educational programs, admissions policies, employment practices or other school-administered programs. For more information, contact Susan Carpenter, Director of Marketing and Communications at 704.846.7252 or  susan.carpenter@charlottelatin.org or visit www.charlottelatin.org