About

Audra M. Watson is the Chief of Youth Civic Programs at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she leads national initiatives that empower young people, educators, and adult mentors with the tools, experiences, and resources to drive meaningful community change. She oversees several flagship programs, including the Youth Advisory Council, Civic Spring Fellowship, Youth Civic Solutions Competition, regional youth summits, and the newly launched Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness (CYL) program. CYL provides funding and support to youth ages 14–24 as they build civic knowledge, leadership, and community-driven solutions to pressing local issues. Across all these efforts, Audra is committed to equipping young people with the agency, skills, and networks to lead with impact. Audra began her career as a middle school teacher before moving into system-level leadership within the New York City Department of Education. As Executive Director for Teacher Development, she led strategies to support and retain early-career educators. In her earlier role as Director of Mentoring and Induction, she designed and scaled districtwide programs to strengthen new teacher development and support. In addition to her work in civic education, Audra serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the TPI-US Board of Directors, faculty in the Ed.D. program in Community-Based Leadership at the College of Staten Island, and Dean of Education at the University of the People. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Carleton College, an M.A. in Education from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy from the CUNY Graduate Center.