Zakia Redd joined The Wallace Foundation in 2006 as the Research and Evaluation Officer for the Foundation’s Communities Team. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Redd worked as Senior Research Analyst at Child Trends in Washington, D.C., where she managed evaluations of several out-of-school time programs and took a lead role in synthesizing research on youth development, education and poverty and welfare. In her previous position as a Research Assistant at The Urban Institute, Ms. Redd helped conduct a formative evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers in the District of Columbia.

She has been lead author of numerous publications including: Educating America’s Youth: What Makes a Difference (research brief, Washington, DC: Child Trends, 2002); Academic Achievement Programs and Youth Development: A Synthesis (prepared for the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, Washington, DC: Child Trends, 2001); and Parental Expectations for Children’s Educational Attainment: A Review of the Literature (prepared for the National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: Child Trends, 2005).

Ms. Redd holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology and African American Studies from Oberlin College and a master's in Public Policy from Georgetown University.