What is AIM?

AIM was created for the community, WITH the community.

School Leadership

Chief Executive Officer - Co-Principal

kbeam@aimgeorgia.org

Dr. Kristy Beam

Kristy Beam has spent her life proving that excellence and equity are not opposites. From Georgia classrooms to international schools in Spain to leading teaching and learning in Decatur, she has shaped environments where students thrive and educators rise. But her vision for AIM began long before the school had a name. It grew from a question she carried for years: “What if Atlanta built a school where rigorous academics and real healthcare pathways were seamlessly connected—starting in middle school?” As a teacher, she saw brilliance overlooked. As a principal, she built global learning experiences. As an Assistant Superintendent, she helped lead Decatur to the highest reading scores in the state. But AIM was the step beyond all of that—the chance to design a school that doesn’t just prepare students for the future, but positions them to shape it. She founded AIM because she knew Atlanta needed a new model: a school that expands opportunity, transforms workforce futures, and builds the next generation of diverse healthcare leaders.

Chief Academic & Innovation Officer / Co-Principal

nwarfield@aimgeorgia.org

Dr. Nikkita Warfield

For twenty-six years, Nikkita has believed that students are more likely to thrive when they can see a clear connection between what they learn today and who they can become tomorrow.

She has spent her career serving students across the full K–12 continuum as a teacher, instructional coach, school leader, district leader, chief academic officer, and chief of schools, always guided by one question:

"What does every student deserve?"

That question shaped her work transforming schools and expanding opportunities for young people. Schools exited Georgia's improvement list. Graduation rates increased. Students earned millions in scholarship dollars. More importantly, students gained access to pathways that connected learning to purpose, possibility, and future success.

When she looked at AIM, she saw the opportunity to help build the kind of school she had spent her career envisioning—one where students do not have to wait until the end of their educational journey to understand where it can lead.

A school where rigorous academics, authentic healthcare experiences, and future opportunities are intentionally connected, helping students discover purpose, explore meaningful career pathways, and envision what is possible for their future.

Her "yes" to AIM was a commitment to reimagining health-science education and helping shape the learning experiences behind tomorrow's healthcare heroes—laying the foundation for a national model of healthcare-focused education.

Chief of Staff

egonzalez@aimgeorgia.org

Eric González

Eric has spent two decades designing structures that make equity real.

He’s seen how disconnected education, workforce, and policy systems leave young people navigating pathways never built for them.

When he looked at AIM, he saw a chance to prove that operational excellence is an act of justice — that a school can be both a launchpad for students and a blueprint for how a region invests in its own future.

His “yes” to AIM was a commitment to building the systems that make opportunity possible.

Strategic Consultant | Health Education & Workforce Development

jhicks@aimgeorgia.org

Jenay Hicks

As an executive trauma therapist and consultant for Grady’s Office of Health Outcomes, Jenay has sat with the people behind the statistics — students, residents, teachers, and professionals carrying invisible weight. She understands that you cannot build brilliant professionals on top of burnout.

Belonging, emotional safety, and mental health are not extras; they are infrastructure.

Jenay came to AIM because she believes a school can be both rigorous and affirming — a place where students feel seen, supported, and emotionally prepared for high-stakes healthcare environments.

At AIM, she owns the pathways and work-based learning behind that belief — integrating career-connected learning across Grady and AIM, and making sure the curriculum and the clinical experience move as one. Her work is the bridge between the classroom and the healthcare careers scholars are training for.

Her “yes” to AIM was a commitment to building healthcare pathways that are as affirming as they are rigorous — so students don’t just enter the workforce, they’re ready to lead in it.

Director of Operations

k.bemus@aimgeorgia.org

Kelly Bemus

Kelly has led teams, opened schools, and engineered the operational foundations that help students and teachers thrive. Her belief is clear: students rise when adults build environments designed for their success. At AIM, she ensures every system — logistics, compliance, scheduling, and operations — is built with precision, compassion, and unwavering commitment to student opportunity.

Her “yes” was rooted in creating a school where the vision actually works in practice, every single day.

Chief Financial Officer

c.thomas@aimgeorgia.org

Christopher Thomas

Christopher believes that strong systems are how vision survives.

For more than a decade, he has worked at the intersection of education, government, and public finance, building financial structures that protect mission, ensure compliance, and allow innovation to grow responsibly. He understands that behind every bold educational idea must be clear, ethical, and disciplined stewardship.

Christopher has overseen complex academic and auxiliary operations within higher education, managing state funding, grants, and public resources with precision and care. His work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief that when financial systems are clear and trustworthy, educators and students are free to focus on what matters most: learning, growth, and impact.

His connection to AIM is rooted in earlier work supporting K through 12 STEM implementation efforts, where he saw firsthand how thoughtful investment and fiscal integrity can expand access and unlock opportunity for young people. AIM represents the kind of institution he believes in, one where innovation is matched by accountability and ambition is supported by strong foundations.

At AIM, Christopher ensures that resources are aligned with purpose, systems are built to last, and the school’s growth is sustainable, transparent, and mission driven.

Christopher holds a Master of Accountancy and an MBA from Mercer University’s Stetson School of Business, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Speech Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Outside of work, Christopher is drawn to the arts and is an avid foodie, always curious, always exploring, and always appreciative of craft.

School Directory

The Board

AIM’s Governing Board brings together experienced leaders in education, healthcare, finance, and community development—united by a shared commitment to student success and health equity. Their guidance ensures AIM remains accountable, mission-driven, and built to deliver real outcomes for students and Atlanta’s future workforce.

Meet Our Governing Board

Contact Us

We're here to help guide your journey from middle school to medical school.

Contact us if you have questions or want more information about AIM. We’ll respond within 24-48 hours.