Kristen White

Kristen White has a diverse work experience spanning multiple organizations. From 2014 until the present, they have served as the Chief Innovation Officer for YWCA Evanston/North Shore, where they focus on leveraging programs to advance women and girls' health and safety, economic advancement, and racial justice and civil rights. Kristen provides strategic direction and support to various program areas, including domestic violence services, economic advancement services, aquatics programming, and the YWCA Equity Institute.

Before their current role, Kristen was the Chief Operating Officer at YWCA Evanston/North Shore from 2014 to 2021. In this position, they oversaw the daily operations of the nonprofit organization, which aims to eliminate racism and empower women. Kristen provided leadership and strategic guidance to comprehensive programs, including trauma-informed domestic violence services, women's leadership and economic advancement, aquatics, racial justice, and public grants development and compliance.

Prior to joining YWCA Evanston/North Shore, Kristen founded and served as the CEO of kazoom, an Evanston-based children's resale store. In this role from 2013 to 2014, they successfully redefined the resale experience for parents and achieved break-even sales within the second month of operations. Kristen also authored a comprehensive business plan, secured 12 investors, and built a strong local online presence.

From 2003 to 2010, Kristen worked at Children's Home & Aid as the Director of Community Schools. During their tenure, they established a new department to support the academic success of children attending low-income, underperforming public schools. Kristen received national recognition for their performance and significantly grew the budget and staff to support over 1,000 youth. Kristen managed and administered numerous funding streams and developed operational infrastructure for smooth program delivery.

Finally, from 2000 to 2002, Kristen served as the Midwest Field Manager for GLSEN, a national organization focused on promoting safe schools for LGBTQ+ youth. In this role, they led strategic planning, public policy initiatives, and organizing campaigns in multiple states, ensuring alignment with the national office.

Overall, Kristen White has extensive experience in nonprofit management, program development, strategic leadership, and community engagement, with a particular emphasis on issues related to women's empowerment, domestic violence, education, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Kristen White attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1991 to 1996, where they earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. Their field of study included Social Thought and Political Economy, Women's Studies, Economics, and French. Later, from 2005 to 2008, they pursued a Master of Education (MEd) degree at the University of Illinois Chicago, specializing in Curriculum, Instruction, and Evaluation.