Kayla Williams

About Kayla Williams

I’m a problem solver by nature—driven by curiosity, systems thinking, and a commitment to meaningful outcomes. I constantly ask how we can achieve our goals more effectively and sustainably, whether through better data, sharper strategy, or stronger collaboration.This mindset has shaped every step of my career: from co-founding a nonprofit to leading research on inclusion and systems change, to building internal tools that increase program efficiency and reduce costs. With a background in Political Science and Data Science from Stanford, I combine analytical rigor with a deep understanding of structural challenges facing communities and organizations alike.I’m especially drawn to work that requires cross-functional thinking—where data, operations, and lived experience come together to drive smart decisions and scalable impact.

Experience

1. Associate

   Share Our Strength

   Sep 2023 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Design and implement an evaluation framework across a $7M portfolio of 44 grantees in 18 states and Washington, D.C, enabling stronger analysis of program effectiveness and long-term impact.Create tools, systems, and visual materials to communicate theories of change and track outcomes at both the organizational and portfolio levels.Lead grantee relationship management, ensuring agreement compliance, surfacing technical assistance needs, and strengthening programmatic support strategies.Maintain and update four pages in a Power BI dashboard combining U.S. Census and partner-level data, improving access to timely insights for decision-makers.Manage partnerships with three external research and data firms to align programmatic goals with ongoing research and to communicate the value of the Family Economic Mobility body of work to internal and external stakeholders.Reduce organizational costs by bringing data analysis in-house, eliminating the need for external consultants, and aligning reporting with internal systems like Salesforce.

Education

• Stanford University

  Bachelor's degree, Data Science & Political and Economic Development

• Stanford University

  Bachelor's degree, Poltical Science and Data Science