Katherine W. Lawson, MPA

In 1984, Mrs. Lawson started Families at Work in order to conduct research and special projects both inside and outside of government. Over the years, she has completed marketing research, organizational analysis, resource development, advocacy and training.

She spent twelve years in monitoring and evaluation of human service programs including family services, eligibility programs, regulatory programs and support enforcement. Eventually, she developed a national regulatory training curriculum and began travelling the country discussing trends in human services.  She has field directed grants research and program development in the area of juvenile violence and worked as executive director of the area's premier mentoring organization and a Governor-appointed board concerned with domestic violence. Most recently, she has been working in the disabilities arena, pioneering programs for community integration, capacity building and systems change on behalf of a Governor-appointed Board.

Katherine earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and her Masters in Public Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has served on a wide variety of community projects, board appointments, committee and local task force assignments. Each has reinforced her views that community-based initiatives are critical to support families under the pressure of rapid concurrent changes in social and economic systems.

Katherine's familiarity with enabling and interpretive law, policy development and practice gives her the perspective to help lawmakers, corporate leaders and governmental agency heads understand how systems impact the family. She also helps families and businesses understand how to impact executive decision-making boards, legislative initiatives and government administrators.