Christa Thomas
Vice President of New School Development
Christa Thomas
Vice President of New School Development
Christa Thomas is a seasoned education leader with nearly two decades of experience in charter school design, leadership development, and systems-building. A native Georgian and direct product of the state’s early workforce-development pipeline, Christa began her journey as a Teacher Apprentice in Bulloch County Schools—an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to expanding high-quality, career-aligned educational opportunities for students.
She has worked in the charter sector across four states—Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee, and Florida—and has held roles within several national charter management organizations, giving her a valuable multi-state, cross-organizational perspective on what it takes to build and sustain high-performing schools. Christa leverages this diverse experience in her role with the Georgia Charter Schools Association, supporting founders, boards, and school leaders in designing community-rooted, academically rigorous, and operationally sound charter schools across the state.
Christa’s foundation as an instructional leader includes teaching middle school on Chicago’s West Side and upper elementary in Duval County Public Schools in Florida. She also served as a Curriculum Specialist with Teach For America–Chicago Summer Institute, where she led three summers of foundational new-teacher training focused on rigorous instruction, classroom culture, effective planning, and data-driven teaching practices.
Christa has served as a founding principal, successor principal, principal manager, regional vice president, and talent and recruitment leader. Prior to joining GCSA, her leadership encompassed launching six new charter schools and coaching school leaders to achieve top-tier academic outcomes through her roles with Rocketship and IDEA Public Schools.
A graduate of Spelman College, Christa also holds a Certificate in Leading School Strategy and Innovation from Harvard Business School, is a KIPP Fisher Fellow, a Relay National Principals Fellow, an alum of the Relay National Principal Supervisors Academy, and a Teach For America Jacksonville alum. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Christa is married to Dr. Jonathan Gaines and is the mother of Jonathan Jr. and Malia, bonus mother to Janiyah, and fur mom to Loki—a family she describes as the rhythm to her purpose and the heartbeat of her calling.
