Zainab Ali serves as a Partner leading CSGF’s Teacher Experience & Governance work, supporting CEOs, leadership teams, and charter school boards across CSGF’s diverse national portfolio. Her work sits at the intersection of charter school governance, employee engagement, and organizational culture, with a focus on helping leaders build resilient, mission-aligned institutions where educators can thrive. Prior to joining CSGF, Zainab was chief of staff at Alliance College-Ready Public Schools in Los Angeles, where she partnered with senior leaders to lead large-scale organizational change, including strategic planning, communications, external affairs, and complex cross-functional initiatives during periods of transformation. Zainab previously served as chief strategy officer and chief of staff at the Camden City School District in New Jersey, where she supported district-wide transformation efforts and led labor negotiations. Earlier in her career, she served at the New York City Department of Education as special assistant and director of strategic initiatives for Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott, including supporting the rollout of the Common Core and coordinating emergency response efforts during and after Hurricane Sandy. She began her career at LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program in the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles, supporting communications and public affairs. Zainab holds a Master of Public Administration from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Public Affairs from the University of California, Los Angeles.