Jana Chandler-Ligon Promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Girls Who Code
New York, NY, April 20, 2026 - Girls Who Code announced today Jana Chandler-Ligon’s promotion to Chief Operating Officer. She will lead day-to-day operations and enable organizational growth and impact as Girls Who Code continues its work in service of its Five by Five strategic plan to reach 5 million girls, women, and nonbinary individuals by 2030.
“Jana has been with Girls Who Code for a decade, and she understands who we are, what we're building, and why it matters,” said Dr. Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code. “She has shaped award-winning culture at the organization, and that foundation is key to making everything else possible. I am proud to see her step into this role and cannot think of anyone better suited to help us deliver on our mission at this scale.”
Chandler-Ligon joined Girls Who Code in 2016 as Senior Director of Business Development. She joined the People & Culture team in 2019, where her leadership contributed to Girls Who Code being named one of The Nonprofit Times’ Best Nonprofits to Work For three consecutive years, underscoring her leadership in strengthening organizational culture and elevating employee experience across the organization. Chandler-Ligon has served as Senior Vice President, People & Culture since 2023.
“As someone who has worked in education throughout my career, Girls Who Code’s mission is meaningful to me. I am honored to take on this expanded role to support our goals and ensure we continue to provide opportunities for our students and alumni to learn and thrive,” said Chandler-Ligon.
Chandler-Ligon's experience includes roles at iMentor and New Visions for Public Schools. She holds a Master of Public Administration in Public and Nonprofit Management from Syracuse University, a Master of Arts in Teaching Childhood Education from CUNY’s Queens College and a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies from Syracuse University.
About Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code is an international nonprofit working to close the gender gap in technology. The organization has served over 860,000 students and is at the forefront of equipping the next generation to thrive in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Girls Who Code’s work has generated 15.5 billion impressions globally, with notable campaigns such as Doja Code, the world’s first codeable music video with Doja Cat.
Contact:
