Terris Ross

Managing Director, AIR Opportunity Fund

Terris Ross is the managing director of the AIR Opportunity Fund, where she leads the Fund’s strategy in education. She works to expand educational and economic opportunities by supporting research-driven solutions that inform policy and improve student success.

With more than 20 years of experience in education policy, research, and advocacy, Dr. Ross has led efforts to use data and evidence to strengthen school improvement strategies. She previously held research and evaluation leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Education, where she directed studies on education access and outcomes, including the congressionally mandated Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. She also served as vice president of policy and advocacy at a national nonprofit, working to develop civic leaders in education policy, advocacy, and community organizing.

Dr. Ross builds partnerships with policymakers, funders, and researchers to ensure that evidence-based strategies reach the schools and communities that need them most. She works across sectors to bridge research and practice, helping to shape policies that expand learning opportunities.

She is a What Works Clearinghouse-certified reviewer and serves on the United Way of Greater Atlanta Gwinnett Advisory Board, supporting initiatives that promote learning and opportunity in the region.

Terris Ross

Ph.D., Research, Measurement, and Statistics, Georgia State University, Educational Policy Studies Department

+1.202.403.5000