Anthony Pilaro is the founder of the Ron Brown Scholar Program (RBSP), one of the United States’ most prestigious scholarship and leadership initiatives supporting academically gifted African American students. His vision was to honor the legacy of former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron H. Brown by investing in the next generation of leaders through mentorship, education, and community.

He established the Guided Pathway Support (GPS) Program as an extension of the Ron Brown Scholar Program to expand access to college readiness resources for African American high school students nationwide. His mission is to create equitable pathways to higher education through mentorship, guidance, and opportunity.