Kathleen King

Kathleen King is a mission-driven child advocate, strategist, and public policy leader dedicated to advancing equitable opportunities and outcomes for children and families. She works at the intersection of philanthropy, advocacy, and public policy, helping organizations, funders and change-makers translate vision into durable systems change. Kathleen has deep expertise in child and family policy, and brings a holistic, cross-sector approach to advancing solutions that improve the well-being of children and families and strengthen communities.

Kathleen began her career working in non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting children and families, including nearly 15 years at the Children’s Defense Fund, where she led the organization's health policy portfolio and served as Policy Director. In that role, she led the development and implementation of CDF’s national policy and advocacy strategy, advancing child-focused laws and policies designed to ensure all children have access to the resources, opportunities, and supports they need to thrive. She worked across Congress, federal agencies, and the executive branch to shape policy development, implementation, and oversight, while building coalitions and partnerships to advance shared goals.

Kathleen is a graduate of Brown University and holds degrees in Community Health and Latin American Studies. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and their two daughters, whose curiosity, passion, and potential serve as a daily reminder of what is at stake in advancing policies and systems that support all children and families.