Kaya focuses on organisational strategy, human capital, and labour relations. Prior to her appointment as deputy to Chancellor Michell Rhee, she served as the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at The New Teacher Project (TNTP), where she oversaw the organisation’s work on improving teacher hiring for school districts from a process, policy, and capacity-building perspective. She also launched a managed alternative certification programs in a number of districts, including the DC Teaching Fellows Program.

Kaya began her career in education as a Teach For America Corps member, teaching middle school Spanish in the South Bronx, and overseeing the development of new teachers at summer institutes. She served the organisation for a number of years as a Recruiter, National Director of Admissions, and the Executive Director for Teach For America-DC, where she was responsible for 170 teachers in over 50 DC Public Schools.