Naiema N. Carolina is a senior operations executive with over a decade of experience driving organizational efficiency, financial stewardship, and operational excellence within the K-12 education sector. She currently serves as Managing Director of Operations at MESA Charter High School, where she leads the strategic and day-to-day operational functions that support the school's mission and long-term growth.

Prior to MESA, Naiema spent over three years as Managing Director of Operations at KIPP New Jersey in Newark, where she oversaw budget management, operational strategy, and cross-functional coaching to strengthen school-level and network-wide performance. Her operations career began at Achievement First, where she spent over six years progressing through roles of increasing responsibility — from Senior Manager of Finance and Associate Director of Financial Operations, to Founding Director of Operations, and ultimately Greenfield (DSO) Operations Cohort Lead. In these roles, she built financial and operational infrastructure from the ground up, developed high-performing operations teams, and honed deep expertise in budget forecasting, data analysis, and coaching.

Naiema's leadership capabilities were further sharpened through her selection as a Futurity Fellow in the Aspiring COO's program with Acuity Consultants, a competitive fellowship designed to prepare high-potential operations leaders for chief-level roles. She continues to expand her network and industry knowledge as an active member of Chief, a private organization for senior executive women in the New York City metropolitan area.

Naiema is a very proud Brooklyn native, mom to the most amazing 8 year old daughter and a lifelong Knicks fan (#Knicksin5). Naiema holds a Master's degree in Sociology and Education, with a minor in Education Policy, from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics, with a minor in Business, from New York University. Her combined background in finance, education policy, and organizational leadership positions her as a strategic operator dedicated to building sustainable systems that allow mission-driven organizations — and the students and communities they serve — to thrive.