Carlisha Williams Bradley is a passionate educator and youth advocate who serves as the Executive Director of ImpactTulsa. Carlisha has held leadership roles as an educator, administrator, superintendent, and nonprofit leader showcasing her expertise in designing focused strategies, providing innovative learning opportunities for students, developing leaders, and maintaining strong community and organizational partnerships. Carlisha has had the opportunity to work in multiple education sectors including traditional public school systems, public charter schools, and international girls education.
In addition to her work at ImpactTulsa, Carlisha serves as the Congressional District 1 Oklahoma State Board of Education Member and as a Commissioner for the Greater Tulsa African American Affairs Commission. Carlisha previously was the Executive Director of Tulsa Legacy Charter School (TLCS). Under her leadership, TLCS became the first charter school in the state of Oklahoma to join the prestigious portfolios of Charter School Growth Fund and NewSchools Venture Fund. Carlisha was also a 2017 School Systems Leader Fellow who supported Tulsa Public Schools as a Senior Consultant to the Superintendent’s cabinet for strategy and talent development.
Prior to these roles, Carlisha served on the National Leadership Team of Lighthouse Academies which served over 7,000 students and 825 teachers, principals and staff members nationwide. In this role, she managed the highest performing school in the network and Oklahoma school expansion. Carlisha was a former middle school teacher and administrator who worked abroad in non-profit development before entering the classroom. Prior to teaching, Carlisha founded Women Empowering Nations, an organization devoted to the self-esteem and leadership development of girls of color in Africa and the United States.
Carlisha holds a Masters of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, B.B.A. in Entrepreneurship and Venture Management, and B.A. in African and African-American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. She has been recognized for her work in the Tulsa community with numerous awards including the 2017 Oklahoma Magazine 40 Under 40, 2017 Price College of Business 40 Under 40, 2016 Mayor’s Pinnacle Women of the Year, 2015 Status of Women, 2014 YWCA’s 100 Women with Moxie, and the 2013 Williams Women of Inspiration Award.