NARIA K. SANTA LUCIA

General Manager, Digital Inclusion and US Community Engagement
Microsoft Philanthropies

As general manager for digital inclusion and US community engagement at Microsoft Philanthropies, Naria leads Microsoft’s global philanthropic strategy, grant investments and partnerships in digital skills, computer science education, and career pathways. With the goal of increasing digital, computing, and AI skills for traditionally underrepresented and under-resourced communities, Naria’s team works in partnership with nonprofit organizations around the world to help millions of people thrive in the digital economy.

Prior to joining Microsoft Philanthropies, Naria served as Executive Director of the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS), a unique public-private partnership helping to build the next generation of scientists, engineers, technology specialists, mathematicians, and health care professionals in Washington state through scholarships and support services for low- and middle-income college students. Under Naria’s leadership, WSOS raised over $200M in public-private support for scholarships and supports and to support 20,000+ students by 2025 - the majority of whom are women, students of color and/or first in their families to go to college.

Naria has also served as the Executive Director of the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, a juvenile and education law and social work organization in Illinois and the Director of LAW Fund and the Endowment for Equal Justice at the Legal Foundation of Washington.

Naria has served various boards and committees including the ACLU of Illinois, Seattle Goodwill Industries, the Governor’s STEM Alliance (Washington state), and Columbia Legal Services. Naria currently serves as the Chair of the World Bank’s Solutions for Youth Employment initiative.

Naria is a graduate of the Law School and the College at the University of Chicago.