Carlos Santini to join Mott Foundation

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Carlos Santini as CEO of Mizzen by Mott. Santini will join the Foundation in early August to help lead, guide and grow Mizzen as a key resource in elevating the quality of afterschool programs for young people across the United States.

“From the very beginning of my career in out-of-school-time education in 2002, my focus and passion have been about being a resource to our field to achieve high levels of impact,” said Santini. “The Mott Foundation was instrumental in providing guidance and leadership for us leaders and practitioners then. It’s serendipitous to find myself joining the very same organization that was there for me almost 20 years ago and paying it forward to new generations of educational leaders and youth developers.”

Launched in 2020, Mizzen features program tools, professional development tips and learning content from organizations like NASA, The Nature Conservancy, Jazz at Lincoln Center, VentureLab, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, STEM Next Opportunity Fund and the California Academy of Sciences.

Santini previously served as executive vice president of programs for After-School All-Stars, a national education nonprofit offering comprehensive afterschool programs for middle school youth in 19 cities across the country. His work there centered on creating programs, professional development experiences, partnerships and strategic initiatives that strengthen the all-important connection between staff and students in the teaching and learning experience.

Santini is well-versed in shepherding startup initiatives to success. Prior to joining After-School All-Stars at the national level, he was the associate executive director for After-School All-Stars, Los Angeles, one of California’s most influential out-of-school-time programs. He helped grow the organization to serve more than 14,000 youth daily. The organization also played a significant role in 2002 in passing the afterschool initiative known as Proposition 49, which provided $550 million in allocated funding for afterschool. The After-School Education and Safety Grant currently provides over $600 million in funding for afterschool programs across California.

A featured presenter at national conferences and summits showcasing best practices and innovative strategies in the expanded learning field and nonprofit leadership, Santini also serves on the board of the National Afterschool Association.

Santini immigrated to the U.S. from Honduras at age 7 and credits his experience as an English language learner for paving his path towards a career in education. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he first began his work in youth development as a sophomore for UCLA UniCamp. Prior to his career in expanded learning, he had a successful career in marketing and public relations for high-tech corporate clients, successfully placing them in top-tier media outlets, including Time magazine, Fortune magazine and The Wall Street Journal.

Santini is married with two daughters, ages 11 and 14. His wife, Alejandra, has been an elementary school teacher for over 25 years and is a former nonprofit executive leader.

“Carlos brings the perfect combination of deep experience in afterschool, passion for innovative and equitable learning opportunities, and marketing savvy needed to bring Mizzen to scale for the out-of-school-time field,” said Ridgway White, Mott Foundation president and CEO. “He’s exactly the right leader at the right time.”

For more information on Mizzen by Mott, visit mizzen.org or download the app from your favorite app store.