Dawn Antoine-Forbes is the Chief Operating Officer of Coney Island Prep (CIP), a K-12 charter school network serving 1,300+ students across four campuses in Brooklyn. A first-generation Trinidadian-American with over 13 years of operations, finance, and executive leadership experience in NYC's charter school sector, Dawn brings a rare combination of strategic vision and ground-level systems expertise. Inspired by her mother's example and a deep belief in the power of community-rooted schooling, she transitioned from finance into education — and has spent her career building the operational infrastructure that allows schools to thrive.

At CIP, Dawn leads a team spanning school operations, compliance, enrollment, facilities, and IT — driving cross-functional alignment while investing in the development of her people and the systems that sustain them. Prior to CIP, she served as the inaugural COO at Forte Preparatory Academy, where she built operational infrastructure from the ground up during a period of significant growth. Earlier, at PAVE Academy, she rose from Director to Senior Director of Operations, stewarding financial health, navigating organizational change, and leading high-stakes renewal and compliance work. Across all three organizations, Dawn has been the person leaders turn to when something complex needs to get done right.

Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies from Binghamton University, and an MBA in Finance and Nonprofit Management from George Washington University. She currently serves as Board Chair of Ivy Hill Preparatory Charter School and is an active member of the Education Pioneers NYC Alumni Board — extending her commitment to educational equity beyond the walls of her own organization.