What are you most proud of in your nearly 15-year tenure at KYA?

Starting at KYA as an intern, I don’t think I could have imagined all of the ways I’ve gotten to engage with Kentuckians across the Commonwealth over the last several years. Getting to know and learn all the ways leaders across Kentucky support and care for kids has been an incredible experience – from hosting regional Family First convenings in partnership with DCBS to working closely with the experts in child abuse recognition and their forensic pediatric teams at University of Louisville and University of Kentucky, I have gotten to deepen connections with experts and advocates who serve kids in so many ways. 

On a macro level, I’m so proud of how KYA has grown in regional connectivity and engagement and my role within that. On the policy and systems change side of things, I’m most proud of how the work of the Face It Movement has changed key child abuse prevention policies, expanded the conversation about child abuse prevention and true primary prevention, and all the ways we can keep kids safe in whatever environment they are in. 

What has surprised you most about child advocacy?

As a social worker by training, I knew collaboration and listening was key in the work – but I had no idea how much sustained and intentional collaboration was the mechanism for child advocacy and real systemic change both in practice and policy. If our partners aren’t identifying patterns and sharing those, the data only provides one side of it. 

In the ever changing advocacy landscape, what do you see as opportunities for KYA to remain the independent voice for kids?

There is no shortage of need when it comes to changing the environments and systems that kids interact with and, in some ways, they are becoming increasingly complex. 

  • One of the biggest strengths of KYA is our multi-sector focus. For example, when we can see what the data says about children in child care centers experiencing more expulsions, we understand that not only does it connect to the lack of adequate training on disabilities and their corresponding behaviors, but also the strain on child care providers due to staffing retention issues.
  • As Kentucky is looking ahead to a new Governor, KYA is prepared to offer the necessary data, research, and solutions that those new leaders in the administration will need to get up-to-speed on what’s working and what’s not. We will continue to build kid advocates in the legislature, especially as families across the Commonwealth face mounting financial pressures, critical decisions about quality education, physical and behavioral health care, and out-of-school opportunities.
  • And, especially as our systems navigate federal policy changes, federal funding changes, and the realities of our state budget, KYA will be there to help educate and mobilize advocates to ensure all decisionmakers are keeping kids at the center of their plans.  

What’s the biggest challenge facing KYA?

I think there are two challenges that KYA will need to creatively overcome in the coming years; funding and pace. 

  1. As most nonprofits face challenges with sustaining the bottom line, KYA will continue to identify investors in this critical work to ensure we can keep moving the needle for Kentucky’s kids. The funding landscape can at times feel tumultuous and many organizations are doing less with more. As we aim to stay lean and effective, we also want to ensure we can retain our incredibly talented staff and support their professional growth. We are supported by incredible philanthropic partners and we aim to continue growing our supporters and diversifying the types of funding that we can earn.
  2. Over the last few years we have seen changes to federal and state policy shift with a speed that feels unprecedented. That word ‘unprecedented’ has begun to lose its meaning because of the frequent and sweeping changes that are quickly announced and implemented, affecting parents and their children. We are a capable team, who prides ourselves on a discerning, nonpartisan lens. So long as we can support each other’s growth and rest, we can be responsive and maintain attention to the pace of change that sometimes feels out of balance with the needs of families. 

As KYA’s approaches its 50th anniversary, what’s your hope for the KYA legacy?

Dr. Brooks has positioned KYA so well over the last 21 years that resulted in sweeping changes to systems that impact kids and families. He has brought intentionality, strategic thinking and attention-grabbing messaging to create frequent, focused discourse on kids issues. Decisionmakers see us as a credible and reliable source of information when it comes to children and families and that is a legacy I want to sustain for the organization as we head toward our fifth decade as the independent voice for Kentucky’s kids. 

We want to see good policy, strong investments, and the use of best practices in all the sectors that serve and engage young people. Kentucky can be the best place in America to be young, and I do believe that KYA is an essential part of that vision.