Sarida Scott is the Vice President of Program at The Skillman Foundation, providing both strategic and operational leadership to the Foundation’s program team, guiding and implementing grantmaking totaling more than $20 million annually in alignment with the organization’s mission, values, and People Powered Education strategy.
As a native Detroiter, ensuring that Detroit has an equitable recovery and returns to its once-legendary vibrancy is a professional and personal passion for Scott; she has worked for the betterment of children and communities throughout her career.
Scott is a licensed attorney, engineer, and community development practitioner. Her legal work includes the roles of city attorney, child advocate, and nonprofit legal director. She has extensive nonprofit management experience from serving as the Executive Director of Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD), as well as serving on multiple boards and in numerous fellowships. Scott also worked as a Senior Program Officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, supervising its Detroit team and the deployment of more than $10 million in grant funds. Most recently, she held the roles of Assistant Professor and Director of the Community Development Department at the University of Detroit Mercy.