A New Chapter for Anaya Scholars

Welcoming Our First Executive Director!

Dear Anaya Village,

Today marks an important milestone in the journey of Anaya Scholars. With great excitement and gratitude, I am delighted to welcome Olivia Mathews as our first Executive Director.

Olivia brings 25 years of experience engaging people in mission-driven organizations and leading and expanding nonprofits dedicated to providing educational opportunities for low-income students. Most recently, Olivia led philanthropic initiatives at City Year Greater Boston and served for six years as Executive Director of Girls on the Run Greater Boston. Her previous roles include CEO of the national literacy and mentoring organization Read to a Child, Assistant Director of the Boston College School of Social Work’s Center for Social Innovation, and Assistant Principal at a public school in Cambridge, MA. 

Olivia earned a Master’s Degree in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Outside of her professional life, she is an enthusiastic charades player and, together with her husband, has three children who somehow convinced her to add two dogs to the family!

For me, this moment is deeply personal.

Anaya Scholars was born out of the loss of my daughter, Anaya, and my commitment to carry forward her legacy by helping other young people access the educational opportunities and support they need to realize their potential. This mission is woven into who I am. Through this work, I have met so many bright, kind, and impressive students who continually remind me of the importance of investing in their futures. By bringing Olivia on board, we have an incredible opportunity to deepen our impact across the Commonwealth and change the trajectory of even more young lives.

As we welcome Olivia, I want to assure you that I am not stepping away from Anaya Scholars or the mission that means so much to me. I will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board, and regardless of my role, I will always be part of Anaya Scholars. 

I look forward to working closely with Olivia as we build on what we have created together. Anaya Scholars is so much bigger than any one person. It reflects our shared belief that talent, determination, and ambition should never be limited by circumstance—and our commitment to making that belief a reality.  

Thank you for being part of Anaya Village and for standing alongside us as we take this next step.

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Olivia Mathews, Anaya Scholars’ first Executive Director!

With gratitude,

Monica Kachru
Founder & Chairman of the Board
Anaya Scholars