Braven Welcomes Dr. Anthony Pinder as New Chief of Higher Education Partnerships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHICAGO (July 20, 2026) – Braven, the nation’s largest college-to-career organization for first-generation and low-income college students, has hired longtime higher education leader Dr. Anthony (“Tony”) Pinder as its new Chief of Higher Education Partnerships — a hire that positions the organization to reach 80,000–100,000 Fellows over the next decade.
Tony joins Braven after a 12-year tenure as Vice Provost of Global Engagement and Programs at Emerson College, capping a 30-year career spent expanding access and opportunity at a broad range of institutions including Georgia Gwinnett College, Georgia Perimeter College, Morehouse College, Dillard University, and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), as well as the U.S. Peace Corps.
As Chief of Higher Education Partnerships, Tony will set the vision for how Braven builds new partnerships and deepens existing ones. Those partnerships sit at the heart of Braven’s model: by embedding directly within colleges and universities, Braven meets students where they are, weaving career-accelerating experience into the undergraduate years. Tony will lead the higher education partnership team, charged with ensuring current partnerships remain strong while thoughtfully welcoming new institutions into the model, always in a way that reflects Braven’s partnership values-based approach, so that more students gain access to the skills, networks, confidence, and experience they need to launch strong careers.
“We are delighted to welcome Tony to our leadership team,” said Aimée Eubanks Davis. “He brings a wealth of experience in higher education and a proven track record of helping to level the playing field for students who hail from more humble beginnings and are first in their families to go to college. We are confident he will be a tremendous asset as we work together to unlock opportunity for more college students nationwide”
“Too many talented students still face barriers to the networks and opportunities that drive career success,” Tony shared. “Braven is changing that reality at scale. I am honored to join the team and help expand higher education partnerships that empower more students to realize their full potential and achieve lasting economic mobility. “
Tony holds a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College, a Doctor of Education from Clark Atlanta University, and Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of Reimagining Internationalization and International Initiatives at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
About Braven
Founded in 2013, Braven empowers promising college students with the skills, networks, confidence, and experience necessary to transition from college to a strong first job. Braven is embedded within colleges and universities and partners with employers to build cutting-edge career education into the undergraduate experience. To date, Braven has served more than 17,400 Fellows nationwide across 12 sites, and Fellows are persisting in college and achieving exciting levels of internship and job attainment. Learn more at braven.org.
