About
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Kriste Dragon is the chief executive officer of the Pahara Institute. In her prior role as Co-founder and CEO of Citizens of the World, a national network of tuition-free schools committed to serving diverse communities across the country, Kriste and her team’s work has been recognized as a model for building understanding and connection.
In addition to her experience as a middle school teacher, instructor at UCLA, and board chair for several charter schools, Kriste’s professional path has also included experience at the systems level. As Vice President of Regional Operations for Teach For America, Board Chair of EdNavigator, Board Member of the National Charter Collaborative, Board Member of Promise54, Advisory Board Member of the National Association for Charter School Authorizers, and Broad Academy Fellow, Kriste has grounded her life and work in the fundamental belief that all children deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential.
Kriste has served as a moderator for numerous fellowships and programs including Pahara-Aspen, Pahara-NextGen, Aspen Action Forum, and Aspen Young Leaders. As a result of these experiences, Kriste is more committed than ever to strengthening and sustaining diverse, high-integrity leadership in order to reimagine public education for all students in America and beyond.
Kriste holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Alabama. She is based in the Los Angeles Area, where she lives with her three children.
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