Katie Poulos

Katie Poulos

2016 NACSA Leader

Director of Options for Parents, New Mexico Public Education Department

Katie Poulos joined the New Mexico Public Education Department in April 2015 as the Director of Options for Parents. Previously, she was the Director of Accountability at the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS). She began her charter school authorizing work at ASBCS through the NACSA Fellows program.

Prior to entering the charter school authorizing world, Katie taught 8th grade math in the Mississippi Delta with Teach For America. Before that, Katie was a corporate litigator with Irell and Manella LLP in Los Angeles.

Katie received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. from Vanderbilt University.


Most Recent Posts
NACSA’s 2024 Change Makers
Each year we highlight a few Change Makers—people in and around authorizing who are working tirelessly to meet the needs of students, families, and communities. Their commitment to high-quality education...
Impact, Accountability, and Innovation: Reflecting on Charter School Authorizing in 2024
As we close out 2024, I am filled with gratitude and purpose. Gratitude for the extraordinary work happening across the charter school sector to advance a defining truth about our...
Here’s What Innovation Looks Like in Schools
The prevailing narrative about the pandemic and innovation is incomplete. Did the pandemic force America’s hand and finally propel innovation in schools? Did schools suddenly embrace new technology and begin...