Meet Sumaya,

one of our Associate Consultants.

Sumaya Quillian (she/her) is motivated by a desire to achieve equity in all spaces. Through her experiences living in both the U.S. and Europe, Sumaya has witnessed a variety of ways that injustice and discrimination can manifest, and she believes that confronting equity issues head-on is the only way to progress towards change. Whether it’s speaking up on behalf of marginalized voices in her client relationships or writing op-eds about her own experiences dealing with racism and sexism as a Black woman, Sumaya is an advocate for underrepresented communities, and her work reflects that.

Previously, Sumaya led programs at the Pacific Council on International Policy, where she developed programming to engage stakeholders on how local experiences and conditions connect to global policy and action. She coordinated dozens of high-level events every year, in addition to moderating policy discussions, authoring publications on foreign policy issues, and leading several DEI initiatives for the organization. Highly proficient in French, Sumaya has also worked at the Paris Office of the German Marshall Fund (GMF), where she served as a coordinator and host for the Marshall Memorial Fellowship, GMF’s flagship leadership development program.

Impact Approach	Enabling equity, dignity, and justice in the world is at the core of Sumaya's work. She is dedicated to promoting and supporting opportunities for meaningful engagement across communities, and she believes in creating inclusive spaces where all individuals have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
Education	College of Europe ‒ M.A., European Politics and Administration Stanford University ‒ B.A., International Relations
Select Clients	Select Publications
American Lung Association Center for African American Health Ford Foundation Hijas del Campo National Domestic Violence Hotline Northwest Health Foundation San Diego Natural History Museum Save the Redwoods League	Now Is Time to Get Gen Z in the Nonprofit Sector: What We Can Gain from Private Sector Layoffs
“I aspire to promote a culture of honesty, accountability, and empowerment for all.”
Outside of Work
Sumaya is always happiest when she is traveling, but when she's not traveling, she enjoys watching classic films, listening to records, and being at the beach with her husband Derek and her dog Boushka. She is also a long-time volunteer for the American Cinematheque, the Stanford Office of Undergraduate Admission, and the Stanford National Black Alumni Association.