Sonali Patnaik is the Vice President and General Counsel at IES Abroad. She joined IES Abroad in 2025 with more than 20 years of legal and leadership experience across nonprofit and private sectors. In previous roles, Sonali led legal functions for international education organizations, advised senior leadership on strategic matters, and supported organizational growth. She also served as Executive Director and General Counsel, guiding a digital transition during the pandemic that enabled the continued delivery of ESL (English as a Second Language) and workforce readiness programs to thousands of adults each year.
While earning her J.D. and B.A. at the University of Texas–Austin, Sonali studied abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris and spent summers in India conducting research for her undergraduate thesis. She is semi-fluent in Spanish and Gujarati. In her role at IES Abroad, Sonali leads the legal function and partners with leadership in advancing the organization's mission and values.