Bonnie Somers
As senior vice president of communications for the Milken Family Foundation, Bonnie Somers is privileged to lead a talented team in media, marketing and public affairs. She has directed several award-winning marketing campaigns, including those for the Milken Educator Awards’ national notifications and the Ferne Milken Youth & Sports Complex. The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching honored Bonnie with a 2013 TAP Distinguished Service Award for her contributions to TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement.
The fact that the Milken Family Foundation and its affiliated initiatives have education at their core resonates deeply with Bonnie. Her great-grandmother emigrated from Poland to the United States in 1911 and sent six grandchildren to college. As a special education teacher, Bonnie’s mother made a profound difference in young lives. And as a mother herself to three sons, Bonnie wants every child to have access to a great teacher. Her own education includes a B.A. at Pomona College and both a master's in public relations and an MBA from the University of Southern California where she was named her a Commerce Associates Fellow.
Bonnie’s diverse background prior to MFF combined corporate, nonprofit and agency experience. For 12 years, she ran Somers Communications, serving clients ranging from the Los Angeles Times in Education to the Los Angeles Convention Center and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.