Lisa Karmacharya

Lisa Karmacharya

2021 NACSA Leader

Executive Director, Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board

Dr. Lisa Karmacharya is the Executive Director of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. Dr. Karmacharya works to ensure that board decisions align with national best practices to maintain high standards for charter schools, uphold school autonomy, and protect student and public interests. She has served as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of School Administrators (MASA) where she honed her skills for marketing, budgeting, conference and program planning. Dr. Karmacharya has over 25 years of experience in public education, having served as a special education teacher, assistant principal, principal, superintendent, and Executive Director of Federal Programs and Curriculum and Instruction for both elementary and secondary schools. Dr. Karmacharya holds a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from the University of Mississippi, a Masters in Supervision of Instruction from Mississippi College, and an Educational Specialist and Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi.


Most Recent Posts
NACSA Transition Updates
Karega Rausch, NACSA’s President & CEO, has accepted an exciting new role as the Executive Director of the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC). We are grateful for Karega’s contributions and strong leadership.  We are also...
NACSACon 2026: Learning in Community
Good authorizing doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s built through shared knowledge and, honest conversations. It’s buoyed by a professional field that holds itself to high standards. NACSACon brings that community...
Beyond the Mold: Equipping Authorizers to Evaluate Innovative Schools
By David Greenberg and Jason Zwara Raising the Bar on Accountability Last year, we made several important updates to our state policy recommendations. These changes were critical to accountability in...