Mika Rao is a Partner with Transcend leading our Communications work. She believes in the power of words and brings two decades of experience in elevating organizational goals through media engagement, storytelling, and targeted strategies designed to raise awareness. Mika began her career as a management consultant with Accenture and later directed marketing/communications at education and mission driven organizations including Dale Carnegie Training, the LifeLink Foundation, and Memorial Hermann Health System. 

In 2015, Mika realized a longtime goal of working to advance opportunities for more young people when she took on the role of Managing Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Teach For America. At TFA, Mika partnered with regions to increase the public’s understanding of educational inequity and amplify TFA’s work in the sector. She later served as the VP of Communications at IDEA Public Schools and then worked with a number of ISDs and charter school networks supporting communication strategy during COVID-19. 

Mika holds a BA in communications from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in science from Boston University. She is active in the community and serves on the boards of the League of Women Voters and Daya, an organization that supports those experiencing domestic violence. Her writing has been published in numerous outlets and was featured in Legacy: An Asian American Anthology. Mika is a resident of the greater Houston area where she lives with her terrific husband, two launching teens, and devoted officemate/ dog.