As owner of Kalafatas Partners, John Kalafatas brings 30+ years of experience leading mission-driven organizations to impact, equity, sustainability, and scale.

For 15 years, John has worked at KIPP Public Schools, the nation’s largest charter network with a mission to prepare its 120,000 students with skills and confidence to lead fulfilling lives and create a more just world. Currently, John serves as KIPP’s national Vice President of Growth & Scale. Previously, he was a Senior Relationship Manager guiding a portfolio of KIPP regions and COO/CFO of KIPP Massachusetts leading rapid growth.

As a Portfolio Manager at Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (now Blue Meridian), John invested $40M in grantees advancing opportunities for youth overcoming poverty. At City Year, a national service and education organization, John served as Director of Strategic Planning & Org Development and as Regional Director managing site EDs. John has also been a management consultant, university fundraiser, and researcher at Duke and Harvard social enterprise centers.

John is also owner of Kalafatas Partners (kalafataspartners.com), which provides leadership coaching, consulting, and board development for mission-driven organizations. Trained by Noble Story Group, he is a leadership coach for nonprofit executives and rising leaders.

A 2024 Pahara Fellow, John is a graduate of Tufts, Harvard Business School, and the National Outdoor Leadership School. He lives in North Carolina with his wife Karen and daughter Becca.