Lahari has spent the past two decades designing and strengthening systems that empower students and communities to thrive. She previously served as President, Interim CEO, and Chief Strategy Officer at Civitas Education Partners, where she led the network through the pandemic while advancing growth strategy and strengthening academic and operational systems to better serve all students. She also launched the Civitas Community Impact Experience (CCIE), reimagining the high school model to position students as creators of their learning and drivers of social change. Lahari is also the co-founder of Half Step, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the capital gap for underserved businesses.
Earlier in her career, Lahari held leadership roles at Chicago Public Schools and Bronzeville Scholastic Institute, where she led school turnaround efforts, managed a $4M federal school improvement grant, and contributed to the research and advancement of the Freshman On-Track metric to improve graduation outcomes citywide. She began her career teaching through Teach for America and is a Pahara Fellow.