TEXAS (October 8, 2026) – Dr. Bob Sanborn, a longtime leader in Texas child advocacy and public policy, will retire as president and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK on July 1, 2027, concluding more than two decades leading the organization.

Sanborn shared his decision nine months in advance, giving the organization time to conduct a thoughtful search for its next leader. He will continue to lead CHILDREN AT RISK through the 2027 Texas legislative session, working alongside Deputy CEO Liza Gomez to ensure continuity for staff, partners, and the children and families the organization serves.

“Bob’s leadership has made a lasting difference for children and families across Texas, strengthening CHILDREN AT RISK’s voice and advancing policies that put children first,” said John Seo, Chair of the CHILDREN AT RISK Board of Directors. “His decision to announce his retirement well in advance is one more example of his commitment to this organization and to Texas children. It gives us the time to find the right leader to build on his legacy, while allowing Bob to carry our agenda through one more legislative session.”

Under Sanborn’s leadership, CHILDREN AT RISK grew from a Houston-based nonprofit into a statewide research and advocacy organization, with work spanning public education, human trafficking, child hunger, early childhood education, juvenile justice, health, immigration, poverty, and economic mobility. Throughout, the organization has maintained a nonpartisan, unabashedly prochild focus, building partnerships across sectors and political lines.

“I have been incredibly fortunate to spend much of my life doing work that I believe matters, alongside people I deeply admire, and on behalf of children who deserve every opportunity we can give them. I can’t imagine a more meaningful way to have spent my career,” said Sanborn.

Known as the “father of the Texas School Rankings,” Sanborn created one of the organization’s most widely recognized initiatives, making school performance data accessible to parents and recognizing schools that help students succeed despite economic challenges. He was also an early leader in Texas’ response to human trafficking, bringing together survivors, advocates, law enforcement, and policymakers before the issue drew wide public attention, work that helped establish Texas as a leader in the field. CHILDREN AT RISK also became a prominent voice on childhood hunger, guided by a simple principle: hungry children cannot learn. And its Child Care Deserts research brought new attention to communities where families have too few child care options.

Sanborn has often described his own experience as a “child at risk.” Growing up as the child of a teenage mother and becoming a first-generation college student shaped his commitment to children whose voices are least likely to be heard.

Sanborn founded the University of Houston-Downtown’s graduate program in nonprofit management, where he has taught generations of nonprofit professionals. Before joining CHILDREN AT RISK, he held higher education roles at Columbia University, Rice University, and Hampshire College, where he served as Dean of the College. He earned his doctorate from Columbia University.

Looking ahead, CHILDREN AT RISK enters this transition well positioned for continued impact. Sanborn has built an experienced leadership team, led by Deputy CEO Liza Gomez, who holds deep expertise in collective impact and strategic planning, and Vice President Mandi Kimball, who holds 20 years of experience with C@R and leads the policy and advocacy work. The Board of Directors will conduct a national search for the next CEO, an intentional and thoughtful process to find a leader who can build on Sanborn’s legacy and advance the organization’s mission. 

“I have been incredibly fortunate to spend much of my life doing work that I believe matters, alongside people I deeply admire, and on behalf of children who deserve every opportunity we can give them. I can’t imagine a more meaningful way to have spent my career,” said Sanborn.