Sondai K. Lester has spent much of his life leading, teaching, researching, and writing, with education as a central theme in his commitment to social change. His experiences and leadership have ranged across the social sector: as public school and university teacher; board of education region vice chair; Atlanta Housing Commission chair; a lead minister and theologian at the Pan-African Orthodox Christian Church in Detroit and Atlanta for more than 25 years; leader of Black male, fatherhood and early childhood learning initiatives for City of Detroit Head Start; educational consultant to school leaders; and service on numerous community boards. He has taught and trained scores of ministers in liberation theology and helped transform the lives of thousands seeking racial uplift, reclamation of self-worth and a path to social change through the Christian experience.
He is a teacher, mentor, friend, and leader. He is consultant and founder of P.S.E. Institute (Planting Seeds of Excellence), which is committed to laying the foundation for excellence among generations of socially-conscious leaders and learners. He continues as a 50+ years’ member of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Sondai has a Master of Arts in Teaching and underwent doctoral studies in Educational Administration. To augment his theological work, he attended seminary at Atlanta’s Interdenominational Theological Center.