Rickkay King, PhD

Rickkay L. T. King, Ph.D., is a strategic, equity-driven leader with more than 12 years of experience advancing nonprofits, educational institutions, and public-facing organizations that serve marginalized communities. He has secured over $1M in grants and philanthropic funding, launched transformative programs, and built cross-sector partnerships with funders, policymakers, and civic leaders to drive systemic change.

As Co-Founder and Director of Phoenix International School of the Arts, Dr. King helped launch one of the first diverse-by-design charter schools in Charles County, MD, serving predominantly students of color and maintaining a two-year enrollment waitlist of more than 500 families. His leadership blends vision and execution, with expertise spanning program development, fundraising strategy, stakeholder engagement, and culturally responsive leadership.

Dr. King also serves as Chair of the Board for Teens of Color Abroad, expanding access to global learning opportunities for students of color. He holds a BA & MA in Psychology along with a Ph.D. in Global Leadership & Change and remains committed to dismantling systemic barriers, amplifying community voices, and creating sustainable, scalable pathways to opportunity.