Kriste Dragon is the President of Pahara Institute at Lone Rock, leading a national effort to strengthen and sustain values-driven leaders reimagining public education. She previously served as the CEO and co-founder of Citizens of the World Charter Schools, a national network of tuition-free schools celebrated for fostering excellent academic results and helping students thrive. Under her leadership, the network expanded to serve communities in Los Angeles, New York, and Kansas City.
Throughout her career, Kriste has been a champion for educational excellence. She began her work in education as a middle school teacher in South Los Angeles before expanding her impact by moving into leadership roles. At Teach For America, she served as Executive Director of the Los Angeles region and later as a Vice President of Regional Operations. She was also an instructor at UCLA and chaired several charter school boards across Los Angeles.
Kriste is actively engaged in advancing the broader education sector, and previously served as a Board Chair for EdNavigator, a Board Member of the National Charter Collaborative, an Advisory Board Member of the National Association for Charter School Authorizers, and a member of the California Charter School Association Advocates, the political advocacy arm of the CCSA.
She earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Alabama. In addition to being a Pahara Fellow, Kriste is also a Broad Academy Fellow, recognized for her commitment to strengthening leadership and innovation in public education
