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Dr. Naia Wilson began her career as an engineer, but in her commitment to expanding women’s roles in the technology industry, she discovered a deeper passion for education and leadership. Over more than thirty years, she built a distinguished career as a mathematics teacher, instructional coach, and school principal, earning local, state, and national recognition. Her leadership contributed to honors including the Title I Distinguished School Award, the National Blue Ribbon School for Improvement, and EdVestors’ $100,000 School on the Move Prize.

After decades of working in urban schools to dismantle institutional barriers that fuel the School-to-Prison Pipeline for students of color, Dr. Wilson’s commitment to equity and justice took on new urgency through her own lived experience. A survivor of domestic violence, she became justice-impacted near the end of her education leadership career—a moment when she feared she might no longer be able to serve her community. That trajectory changed when she met Leslie Credle at Justice For Housing. Drawn to the organization’s mission, Dr. Wilson transitioned into reentry and housing advocacy work, where she found renewed purpose and Alignment.

In just one year at Justice For Housing, Dr. Wilson has supported hundreds of justice-involved individuals in securing permanent housing by navigating the public housing and homeless resources in Massachusetts. By fighting public housing denials, developing mitigating factors, fighting evictions and requesting reasonable accommodations, doors are opening for people who thought the barriers were too overwhelming. Her lived experience informs her trauma-informed approach, allowing her to center dignity, safety, and voice while identifying unmet needs within systems that often exclude those most impacted. Participation in the GenUnity Housing cohort provided Dr. Wilson with a meaningful opportunity to stay connected to her community and align with others dedicated to belonging, healing, and collective empowerment, while working to address the root causes of systemic inequities. Dr. Wilson holds a PhD from UMass Boston, a CAGS in School Leadership from Bridgewater State University, a M.Ed. in Secondary Mathematics from Eastern Nazarene College, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

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