C.J. Wise serves as Chief Operating Officer at New York Edge, where she translates organizational strategy into execution as a connective leader across programs, operations, human resources, compliance, and finance — ensuring that systems, people, and processes are aligned to support mission delivery. Over a career rooted in New York City’s educational nonprofit sector and extending to international development, management consulting, and the art world, C.J. has developed a throughline of bringing order, rigor, and strategic clarity to organizations navigating complexity.
Before joining New York Edge, C.J. served as Senior Vice President of Finance & Strategy at New York Center for Child Development and New York Center for Infants & Toddlers, where she led financial operations, strategic planning, and systems modernization across a complex nonprofit and for-profit enterprise. Prior to that, she served as Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Yamba Malawi, overseeing a transformation of both the organizational infrastructure and the underlying program model. Her earlier career includes management consulting at Bain & Company, a fellowship with TechnoServe in Uganda, and roles at Christie’s spanning marketing and auction operations — each chapter deepening her ability to help mission-driven organizations grow thoughtfully and sustainably in service of children and families.
C.J. is deeply committed to New York City’s social sector. She serves as Vice President of the board of Henry Street Settlement and co-chairs its Finance Committee. She is also a trustee of the Edith and Herbert Lehman Foundation, which supports education, social services, and the arts in New York City, and has previously served on the board of Village Care of New York, an expansive social services provider.
C.J. earned her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she co-chaired the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Conference, named by Forbes as one of the top 12 executive gatherings of 2009, alongside the World Economic Forum. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Art History from McGill University.
C.J. and her husband, a longtime advocate for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, are raising two children in New York City.