Lonie Haynes has spent the last twenty years working in corporate America in various capacities from client services and sales to marketing and project management. Prior to his arrival at National Urban Fellows, he worked for Sprint, BellSouth and AT&T and has also consulted for numerous firms and institutions, surrounding management, public policy and diversity.

Lonie is well versed in a variety of research areas from micro and macroeconomics to fiscal impact studies and health economics. He is a former intern and visiting scholar with AIMD, The American Institute of Managing Diversity, a national think tank, promoting diversity management in the workplace. Lonie also provides written commentary for several publications, surrounding, arts, culture and business.  He notes one of his most rewarding assignments was interviewing former vice-president Al Gore, during the release of his Oscar® award winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. Lonie recently completed a doctorate in Law and Policy, magna cum laude, from Northeastern University. He also holds a master’s degree from Boston University and bachelor’s degree from Excelsior College at SUNY.  

Lonie, a native son of Georgia, has been married for over 21 years to Stephanie Haynes, a committed public school teacher; together, they raised their niece, Caronda. Lonie is excited about the National Urban Fellows program, he notes that following; “I was 19 leaving for the United States Army in the early 1980’s and the world and all it offered seemed rich, exotic and exciting and it turned out to be just that—it was the greatest experience in my life. I now feel that same nervous excitement as I embark on my journey with NUF. I am confident that my experience and education from CUNY Baruch coupled with my fellowship with the NUF will provide me with a greater level of understanding and application of public policy, but equally important, it will provide me with unparalleled exposure and access to institutions and individuals not easily afforded in the outside world!”