Team

Staff

Stephanie Barker
INTERIM KYOSA LEAD

Stephanie Barker is a first-generation college graduate and White-Riley-Peterson Afterschool Policy Fellow with over 10 years of experience in mixed methods research, educational program evaluation, public policy analysis, data storytelling, and GIS mapping techniques. Since 2019, Stephanie has led many research, policy, and advocacy initiatives for the network aimed at expanding access to afterschool and summer learning opportunities for young people in Kentucky. Before joining KYOSA, Stephanie worked on a variety of research and grant-funded projects spanning the education and economic development sectors, including a $0.5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) study examining the driving factors of collaborative success among a group of economic development organizations operating in Appalachian Kentucky. Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and music from Middle Tennessee State University and a master’s in education from the University of Kentucky, with an emphasis on research and policy analysis related to issues impacting educational outcomes for students from rural and low-income backgrounds. She is also a classically trained violinist and former Ronald E. McNair Scholar, University of Kentucky Graduate Fellowship Recipient, and AmeriCorps alumna.

Strategic Leadership Team