Kate McKenney
Kate McKenney
Senior Associate
“I see equitable early care, health, and education systems as fundamental to a peaceful, prosperous, healthy, and just society. At SRC, I am fortunate to work with colleges and partners who thoughtfully and diligently create and reimagine early childhood practices, programs, and systems through an equity lens. Taking this powerful perspective reveals the progress we have made, and our unfinished work, in building robust early childhood ecosystems where racial, economic, and other social factors do not determine a child’s opportunity to fulfill their innate potential.”
Kate is curious, empathic, and collaborative as she works with partners to consider child, family, and community-centered solutions. At SRC, she takes a holistic view of early childhood issues by recognizing and acknowledging the perspectives of all stakeholders and working towards feasible and viable outcomes.
Kate’s expertise includes early childhood program development and leadership, as well as mixed-method evaluation research. She has in-depth knowledge of intervention design, implementation and outcome evaluations, interviewing, needs assessments, and qualitative data analysis. Kate has extensive experience collaborating and engaging with parents, families, teachers, and administrators, developing strategic community partnerships, implementing continuous improvement processes, and early childhood systems research.
Kate began her 20-year career in education as a classroom teacher, community college instructor, central office administrator, curriculum designer, and family education program director in diverse communities across the country. Before joining SRC, Kate held leadership roles within the military childcare system and founded and directed a non-profit, equity-centered cooperative preschool. Kate earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Johns Hopkins University where her research focused on military child school readiness. She also holds an M.Ed. from the University of Virginia, a B.A. in Government and Economics from the College of William and Mary, and is a licensed teacher and PreK-12 School Administrator.
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