By Julianna Parker
Katie Fitzgerald, a civic education expert with experience in grassroots advocacy, is the new director of Women's Leadership Programs at the University of Oklahoma's Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center.
"We are delighted to have a person of Katie's talent and energy to continue the center's leadership in providing quality programming to educate and inspire future leaders," said Cindy Simon Rosenthal, director of the center.
Fitzgerald takes over for Hannah Brenner, who left this summer to become the executive director at the new Center for Women and Law at the University of Texas. Brenner was only the second director of the Women's Leadership Programs at OU, which started in 2001, said LaDonna Sullivan, assistant to the director.
Fitzgerald, a Norman resident, said she had observed the Carl Albert Center's efforts for a while, so when the director position became available, she applied.
"It just seemed like the perfect fit for me," said Fitzgerald, who started at the center last month. She said she has a lot of experience with civic engagement.
"I'm a real advocate for women's rights and women's issues," she said.
Fitzgerald will direct the annual N.E.W. (National Education for Women's) Leadership undergraduate program and the biennial Pipeline to Politics initiative.
N.E.W. Leadership recently was honored for the seventh time by The Journal Record as a program making a difference for women at its annual "Woman of the Year" gala.
Fitzgerald also will contribute to the center's civic education programs, such as Community Scholars, which places undergraduate students in community-based internships to develop professional experience and gain insights into the dynamics of communities.
Fitzgerald comes to the program from the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy. She also was the director of the Oklahoma Afterschool Network, where she grew the network's base of advocates and financial support and was successful in advocating for the passage of the Quality Afterschool Opportunities Act in 2008.
Before coming to Oklahoma, Fitzgerald was a program director with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Mich. In that role, she managed a grant-making portfolio focused on community development and led the design and implementation of a $20 million initiative called Yes we can! which focused on the mobilization of grassroots and institutional leaders to improve neighborhoods, improve educational outcomes for children and youth, and expand economic opportunity.
A former Americorps volunteer, Fitzgerald earned her bachelor's degree in American public affairs with high honors from James Madison College at Michigan State University and master's degree in social work from the University of Michigan, also with honors. She is a member of the board of directors of the Oklahoma Child Care Resource and Referral Association and serves on the Social and Voluntary Services Commission for the City of Norman.
Fitzgerald said there are several excellent programs in the Women's Leadership Programs, but she is eager to expand the services to women younger than college-age. She said the Carl Albert Center is talking with several entities such as high schools and Girl Scouts. She hopes to form partnerships with other organizations "to continue to prepare young women for involvement in public service."
Julianna Parker 366-3541 jparker@normantranscript.com
