Edisa Niyifasha

About Edisa Niyifasha

I’m a recent MSW graduate from the University of Michigan School of Social Work, with a concentration in Child Welfare and Family Services. I’m passionate about improving outcomes for youth and families, especially those with lived experience in the child welfare system. My work spans direct service, research, and systems-level advocacy, all grounded in a trauma-informed, equity-centered approach.With experience in case review, policy analysis, program development, and youth engagement, I bring a holistic perspective to child welfare work. I’ve contributed to state and national efforts to center youth voice in program design, co-led presentations on education equity for students in foster care, and conducted case reviews to inform expungement decisions. My background also includes work in communications, team leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration.I’m especially interested in roles that allow me to combine macro-level policy work with micro-level support, ensuring that young people transitioning out of care have access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities they deserve.Let’s connect!

Experience

1. Independent Consultant

   Westat

   Oct 2024 — Present · Ann Arbor, MI, US

   I consult in the Chafee Housing Learning Collaborative Design Project, shaping the project’s understanding of youth voice. My responsibilities include co-designing and facilitating a cross-community panel of young adults, co-leading learning activities to identify housing challenges and potential solutions, providing input on collaborative and evaluation designs, conducting pilot testing of data collection tools, and co-developing the final report and other public-facing products.

Education

• University of Michigan School of Social Work

  Masters, Social Work

• Noble Schools

  High School Diploma

• University of Michigan

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Sociology and Social Work