Director, Providence, RI

Specializes in early childhood governance, finance, and systems change at the state level.

Kayla supports states, non-profit organizations, and advocacy coalitions with identifying, mapping, planning, and implementing long-term strategies to enhance equity and opportunity for young children and families. At Afton, Kayla’s work includes:

• Facilitating a state task force on funding alignment across all ECE funding streams
• Designing a finance model to support long-term strategic planning for a statewide advocacy organization
• Developing a multi-year advocacy plan for a statewide advocacy coalition
• Conducting policy research and design for a state agency  

Prior to her role at Afton, Kayla worked as the Director of Early Childhood Strategy for two governors of Rhode Island. In this role, Kayla brought together human services, health, education, child welfare, higher education, and Medicaid agencies to implement a shared strategic plan that led to expanded prekindergarten programming, expanded child care access and eligibility, direct-to-workforce compensation programs, accelerated educator credential pathways, investments in Early Intervention, and insurance coverage for doula services and home visiting. Kayla also has served as the Chief of Staff at the R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services and as the founding Chief of Staff at the newly established R.I. Department of Housing. In her projects, Kayla brings this experience in both an established, complex agency and a new, start-up agency to her engagements. 

Kayla received her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and her Master of Social Work from Boston University. In her free time, Kayla enjoys exploring new walks with her dog Scoop, traveling, and watching NBA games.