Name:
Kate Stephenson
Job Title:
Project Director
Where do you hail from?
Lincoln, NE
What is it they say you do?
I work on a variety of projects related to evaluation and research. I am the project director for the NE IV-E Waiver Evaluation, which evaluates two DCFS programs: Alternative Response (AR), and Results-Based Accountability/Provider Performance Improvement (RBA/PPI). I also work to review curriculum and write knowledge test items for the California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC), serve as a member of the workforce team on the Quality Improvement Center on Workforce Development (QIC-WD), and help with the center evaluation of the Quality Improvement Center on Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservation (QIC-AG).
Who are your early influences/who inspired you most:
I’m inspired by passionate people, people who think critically, care deeply, and persist through tough problems to try to make things better!
What is your passion/what you are drawn to/what motivates you/where do you hope to be in five years:
I am passionate about data and the ability of research to inform decisions. I am drawn to complex problems and love the challenge of developing strategies and creative solutions to try to make things better. Over the next five years, I’d like to continue to grow in my career and work on projects that make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Family life/hobbies /community involvement:
This year my husband, Casey, and I will celebrate 12 years of being together and 5 years of marriage. We have one daughter, Norah, who recently turned 2 and another daughter on the way at the end of August. We also have 2 big fur-babies, a German Shorthair mix named Echo and a Yellow Lab named Hurley. When I’m not too busy with daily life and chasing an active toddler, I love the creative outlet of art and design. I like working with my hands, making art/crafts and doing projects around the house and in the garden. Throughout the years, my husband and I have transformed our home by laying hardwood floors, installing tile, and painting nearly every room in our house (at least once). Our first home has been a really fun project and an opportunity to try a lot of new things…but I also like binging on Netflix.