Carrie Wagner is the Founder and CEO of HARNESS, a back-office services firm supporting mission-driven organizations with financial, operational, and strategic leadership.
Previously, Carrie founded the Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles (GALS), the first all-girls charter middle school in Los Angeles. She also served as COO of Bright Star Schools, CFO/COO of Citizens of the World Charter Schools, and President and COO of ExED, where she spent nine years supporting California charter schools.
Carrie is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds degrees from UCLA Anderson, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Santa Monica.
Charter school leaders make critical decisions every day that directly impact students, staff, and l…Charter school leaders make critical decisions every day that directly impact students, staff, and long-term sustainability. Yet the people responsible for finance, operations, governance, and compliance are often furthest from the classroom experience itself. What happens when schools and back-office providers move beyond a transactional relationship and become true strategic partners?
In this session, leaders from MLC and Harness Potential will share a real-world partnership model that redefined how finance, operations, and leadership collaborate to support mission-driven decision-making. Participants will explore how shared systems, real-time dashboards, and collaborative planning structures created greater transparency, trust, and organizational alignment across executive leadership, finance teams, and boards.
The session will highlight practical approaches for managing the complexity of charter school operations, including braided funding streams, board reporting, and cross-functional decision-making. Presenters will demonstrate how collaborative technology and clearly defined roles empowered leaders at every level with timely financial and operational visibility—allowing teams to move from reactive reporting to proactive strategic planning.
Participants will leave with actionable ideas for building stronger partnerships between charter schools and back-office providers, improving communication and transparency across stakeholders, and creating systems that support faster, more informed decisions in service of students.
Bond financing can be transformative for charter schools—but the process can also feel complex, in…Bond financing can be transformative for charter schools—but the process can also feel complex, intimidating, and high stakes. This session brings together charter school leaders and bond financing experts to provide both practical guidance and real-world lessons from the field.
Participants will hear directly from charter school executives who have successfully navigated bond issuances and refinancing, including the challenges they faced, key decisions they made, and lessons they would share with peers considering facility financing. Panelists will discuss timing, market conditions, refinancing opportunities, governance considerations, and how financing decisions can support long-term organizational sustainability.
In addition, a municipal bond advisor and bond attorney will walk participants through the financing process, including how to assemble the right financing team, evaluate financing structures, negotiate favorable terms, and avoid common pitfalls. The session will also explain the roles of key partners such as investment bankers, legal counsel, trustees, and financial consultants.
Whether attendees are exploring financing for the first time or evaluating refinancing opportunities, this session will provide actionable insights, practical tools, and candid perspectives to help charter schools make informed facility financing decisions.
