

Aysha E Schomburg
Keeping children and families first
- A E Schomburg
Aysha E. Schomburg is a nationally recognized advocate for racial equity in child welfare and a transformative leader at the intersection of policy, prevention, and legacy. Currently serving as President and CEO of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC)—the oldest child protection agency in the world—Schomburg brings more than two decades of experience centering families, preserving cultural legacy, and advancing justice for historically marginalized communities.
From 2021 to 2024, Schomburg served as Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Children’s Bureau under President Joe Biden, overseeing a $10 billion federal child welfare agency. During her tenure, she championed sweeping efforts to reduce foster care interventions, expand community-led funding, and advance legal protections for parents—including support for kinship caregivers, affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth, and access to legal representation in housing court to prevent unnecessary family separation.
A proud descendant of Harlem Renaissance scholar Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Aysha’s advocacy is deeply rooted in legacy and cultural preservation. Her leadership blends data-driven policy with historical consciousness and Afrocentric values. At NYSPCC, she is ushering in a new era focused on family-centered prevention, trauma-informed services, bilingual and culturally responsive therapy, and deeper community partnerships to support children and families affected by domestic violence, housing insecurity, and systemic inequity.
Schomburg’s voice is sought after nationwide as a keynote speaker, policy strategist, and equity thought leader. She has spoken on topics including:
• Racial justice and transformation in child welfare systems
• The role of historical context and cultural legacy in shaping policy
• Creating responsive systems through prevention and community power
• Leadership and inspiring the child welfare workforce
• Altruistic coalition building and radical sharing
Through bold leadership, authentic storytelling, and policy innovation, Aysha Schomburg is redefining what child protection should look like in a just society.
How Ascend Fellows are reshaping the child welfare system
2021 Ascend Fellow Aysha E. Schomburg
(Photo by Stephen Jaffe)
2021 Ascend Fellow Aysha E. Schomburg is the associate commissioner of the United States Children’s Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families, which envisions “a loving approach to helping children obtain what they need to live with dignity.” One of the Children’s Bureau’s priority goals is preventing children from coming into foster care. To do that,
Aysha is encouraging states to rethink their definitions of neglect. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, neglect is the primary cause of child maltreatment cases, accounting for 76 percent of all cases. The problem is that in many states, the definition of neglect is often conflated with indicators of poverty. For example in Michigan, the definition of neglect included “the failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care,” without acknowledging that inability to pay for these items may be a factor.
Aysha and the Children’s Bureau are raising awareness to make sure that the difference between neglect and poverty is clear in state policies, and states are starting to listen. In California, economic disadvantages are no longer considered part of general neglect. States like Iowa and Kentucky now have clauses that specify that neglect exists in cases where caregivers have failed to provide basic needs for their children “while financially able to do so.”
The hope is that these policies result in children being safely supported in their communities rather than separated from their families. “We have approved Family First prevention plans in 44 jurisdictions, and we have established our plan to promulgate a regulation that would advance equity and provide much needed support for kinship caregivers,” Aysha wrote in March 2023. “There is still a lot of work to do, but I am encouraged about how far we’ve come.”

Take a peek as President and CEO, Aysha E. Schomburg, shares the behind the scenes of the NYSPCC highlight reel filming session with @iwomantv!

Written by Associate Commissioner
Aysha E. Schomburg
We entered the month of June in full celebration mode. All around the country, we acknowledged and celebrated Juneteenth, the commemoration of the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans in this country. This was only the first anniversary of Juneteenth as a federal holiday; as old as Juneteenth is for the African American community, its observance by this nation is still new. Juneteenth is all about freedom.
Without Community There is no Liberation: United We Stand Keynote: Aysha E. Schomburg, JD
This presentation will discuss the meaning of collaborating within adoption and foster care communities and will emphasize the value of community building in impacting the lives of people; nationally and locally. It will include historic examples of how community building lives at the core of bringing about positive change, and why we as community members need each other for survival. The conversation will examine Audre Lorde’s statement that “without community there is no liberation,” in the context of some of the challenges we face today.
Power, Policy, and Purpose: Advancing African American
Family Well-Being
Keynote: Aysha E Schomburg, JD
Schomburg shared how policy can serve as a powerful force for equity and urges collective leadership across sectors to center healing and generational well-being in policy design.
Take a peek as President and CEO, Aysha E. Schomburg, shares her opening remarks "You are Fit to Weather a Storm
ACS OTWD convening: “Thrive: Pivot to Stay Resilient”
At the end of July, NYSPCC President and CEO Aysha E. Schomburg, J.D., attended Aspen VisionXChange 2025, a national gathering of leaders working to transform our nation’s hearts, minds, and policies so all children and families can thrive.
As a 2021 Ascend Fellow, Aysha joined changemakers from across the country for three days of reflection, connection, and strategic visioning.

A E Schomburg
Interested in bringing this conversation to your community or event? Aysha would love to near more about what you're planning! Send a message, attach documents with the details and she'll follow up soon with more info on availability.