Thaís Carrero

Thaís Carrero (pronounced tah-EES kah-REH-roh), she/her/ella, serves as EarlyWell Policy Strategist at the NC Early Childhood Foundation, where she co-leads the EarlyWell Coalition to advocate for policies that promote thriving relationships, positive mental health, and equitable access to care for children—prenatally through age 8—and their caregivers.

Thaís is a social justice advocate with experience across government and nonprofit organizations, specializing in policy, advocacy, communications, and grassroots organizing. For over a decade, she led immigrant rights policy and advocacy efforts before shifting her focus after the birth of her daughter, Miciela (pronounced mee-see-EH-lah), who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder. Navigating the complexities of fragmented systems and the lack of coordinated support for her daughter inspired Thaís to champion policy change for all families and children—especially families of children with disabilities and those in historically underserved communities.

Her work is grounded in a whole-child, whole-family approach, recognizing that every aspect of a child’s environment shapes their development. Working through a disability, gender, and racial justice lens, she seeks to transform systems to create opportunities for every child and family to thrive.

Previously, Thaís held senior leadership roles at the National Partnership for New Americans, NALEO Educational Fund, and CASA, where she led large-scale advocacy campaigns, coalition building, and policy development in areas such as immigration, workforce, education, healthcare, housing, climate change, and redistricting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from York College of Pennsylvania. She brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, policy development, and equity-centered systems change, and leverages her cultural and linguistic background to build bridges across communities.

Outside of her professional life, Thaís, her husband Joel, and their daughter Miciela enjoy spending time outdoors—especially hiking and visiting the beach. She also serves as a board member for Latinos Aventureros en las Carolinas and Friends of the Mountain-to-Sea Trail, organizations dedicated to fostering connections between communities of color and nature.