Dr. Amber Banks is a social entrepreneur with a passion for all things trust and repair. She is the Founder & CEO of the Center for Trust and Transformation (CTT) and the Founder of Trust Compass Studio. Dr. Banks is a seasoned social sector leader with over two decades of experience in the education, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. She works with organizations across the country to build and repair trust to accelerate social impact. Through the Center for Trust and Transformation, she provides facilitation, coaching, training, and advising to social sector leaders advancing joy, justice, and liberation. Her approach is distinguished by its emphasis on understanding how context, identity, and power dynamics shape relationships and inform collaborative efforts for social change.
Dr. Banks began her career as a Special Education teacher in Los Angeles, where she spent ten years working primarily with young people with autism. She has held a range of leadership roles in education, philanthropy, and social justice, including The Education Trust-West, The Gates Foundation, and Decolonizing Wealth Project.
Dr. Banks holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Boston University and a Ph.D. in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Policy from the University of Washington. Her doctoral research broke new ground in understanding how cross-cultural, cross-sector trust networks can advance social justice.
In addition, she is a healing practitioner as a Healing-Centered Coach and a Level III Reiki Master. Her leadership has been supported through fellowships with Education Pioneers, the Pahara Institute, and Mosaic Changemakers. She is also a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Dr. Banks serves on the board of the Groundswell Fund and is an advisor to numerous social justice and solidarity efforts globally.
Dr. Banks lives in Nashville, TN with her partner, two children, their dog, and a house full of plants. She finds joy in writing, capoeira, swimming, nature, meditation, spending time with family and friends, and tending to her garden. She loves to dream of what’s possible when we work together from a place of trust and healing.