St. Mary’s Academy

Meet Ms. Edwards

Ms. Danielle Edwards is thrilled to return to her birthplace of Inglewood, CA, and assume the helm of Onward Scholars Program Director at St. Mary’s Academy. As a proud product and proponent of girls schools, she approaches the work of scholarship, mentorship, and access on behalf of bold, goal-oriented young women with passion, purpose, and proximity.

With nearly two decades of varied experience in PK-12th grade education, Danielle has been blessed by her roles as an Educator, Admissions professional, DEI practitioner, and Special Needs Advocate. She earned a Bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Spanish from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, also studying at La Universidad Nacional in Heredia, Costa Rica. She ultimately earned a Master’s in Social Justice Education and Bilingual Teaching Credential from UCLA’s Teacher Education Program in the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies.

Before joining the Onward Scholars Program, Danielle served as an Admissions Officer for Stanford University’s Online High School. She spent the summer months as a Classroom Support Coordinator with USC’s Bovard Scholars Program. Danielle served as the inaugural Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as an Admission Counselor at Harvard-Westlake School. She credits her time as the Associate Director of the Independent School Alliance for Minority Affairs, however, as the catalyst for her drive to champion equitable access to exceptional education for intellectually curious students everywhere.

When not working with students, you can likely find Danielle in a yoga studio, serving the community alongside her sisters of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, Inc., or out enjoying all that Los Angeles has to offer with her husband and two children.