Sonya Malunda
Sonya Malunda has almost 40 years of experience across higher education, government, and commercial banking. Known for her leadership and collaborative approach, Sonya has an excellent reputation for fostering effective community and government relations, as well as achieving success in program development, urban planning, and nonprofit management. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a proven ability to engage diverse constituencies, build strong alliances across sectors, and manage change.
Currently, Sonya serves as a Senior Advisor at the Peterson Rudgers Group, a federally certified, women-owned consulting firm, where she provides executive coaching and strategic advice to leaders in higher education. Additionally, she is the Principal of Malunda Consulting, LLC, where she focuses on executive coaching, capacity building, and new program design for nonprofits and institutions.
From 2017 to 2024, Sonya was the President of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), where she led a consortium of 14 private liberal arts colleges across five states on collaborative projects. Under her leadership, the consortium underwent significant transformation, improving operational efficiency, securing multi-year grants, and enhancing faculty, staff, and student engagement.
Prior to her role at the ACM, Sonya spent nearly two decades at the University of Chicago, where she held several leadership positions in the Office of Civic Engagement and the Office of Community and Government Affairs. In these roles, she designed and launched impactful community partnerships and initiatives, significantly contributing to the quality of life on Chicago’s South Side. Notable achievements include leading the University’s Civic Leadership Academy, successfully advocating for the siting of the Obama Presidential Center and launching the UChicago Promise initiative to support local youth in their pursuit of higher education.
Sonya’s experience also includes key roles in the City of Chicago’s Department of Housing, where she served as the First Deputy Commissioner, and in commercial banking with Continental Bank of Illinois and The First National Bank of Chicago.
Sonya holds an MBA in Finance with concentrations in real estate and organizational behavior from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Spelman College. She is actively involved in various nonprofit boards, including Knox College, the Chicago Community Loan Fund, and Leadership Greater Chicago.
A committed leader, thought partner, and advocate for community impact, Sonya is dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their goals while fostering collaboration and inclusivity.