Tony Sanneh

Founder and CEO
The Sanneh Foundation
Saint Paul, MN

Tony Sanneh established The Sanneh Foundation in 2003 to support community-based organizations and to assemble a supportive network within the community that provides positive environments for urban youth to become positive and productive adults. In 2003, while still at the height of his professional career, Mr. Sanneh created The Sanneh Foundation (TSF) to leverage what he saw as soccer’s unique potential to create positive social change for youth. However, it wasn’t until officially retiring from professional soccer in 2010 and becoming the organization’s full-time President and CEO that TSF began its meteoric growth. Tony believes in giving all children the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed and with The Sanneh Foundation, he seeks to accomplish that goal through its programs, partnerships and events. The Sanneh Foundation's mission is to empower youth by supporting and promoting educational attainment through in-school and after-school support, improve lives by providing programs that strengthen physical health and social & emotional development, and unite communities by advancing diversity, equity and community well-being. Tony is excited to serve on the Search Board because he believes their work that is centered around developmental relationships helps give our young people SEL competencies that improve their well-being.