Carlos Santini is the new CEO of Mizzen by Mott.
A project of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Mizzen by Mott is a new, free app developed for afterschool organizations and professionals to help improve and expand the instruction and content of their afterschool programs.
Santini takes the helm of Mizzen by Mott after nearly 20 years at After-School All-Stars, a national nonprofit focused on comprehensive afterschool programs for middle schoolers across the country. For about 13 of those years he worked as associate director of its Los Angeles chapter, helping lead programs which served as many as 14,000 youth every day. Santini’s exemplary work got him noticed by the national organization; eventually joining it as executive vice president of programs in early 2015, a position in which he has served since.
Santini is a recognized leader in the afterschool sector, serving on the board of the National Afterschool Association and regularly presenting at industry conferences and summits. Prior to his career in the afterschool and learning sectors, Santini worked in marketing and PR for high profile corporations.
A Honduran immigrant who came to the country at the age of seven, Santini’s journey and experience learning English while growing up in the education system defined his outlook on youth education and development. His first foray into the youth sector happened while attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a sophomore. He joined the UCLA UniCamp, helping to give thousands of disadvantaged urban youth comprehensive outdoor summer camp experiences. He would go on to graduate from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in history.
“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 in a press release about the appointment. “He’s exactly the right leader at the right time.”
Married with two daughters, Santini’s wife, Alejandra, has also dedicated her career to youth as an elementary school teacher of 25 years and former nonprofit executive.
Carlos Santini takes the lead at Mizzen by Mott immediately, hoping to greatly expand the impact and reach of the organization and app.
