Kari Sullivan Custer

Kari Sullivan currently serves as the Attendance Lead at the Connecticut State Department of Education. Her work involves coordination across agency divisions and with other state agencies and community providers to reduce non-academic barriers to student attendance, e.g., health, housing, juvenile justice. As part of this role, Kari provides leadership and guidance on improving student attendance to districts and schools within the state’s 10 Opportunity Districts. She is also the coordinator of the state Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, overseeing home visiting efforts in 15 districts with the highest levels of chronic absence. She also staffs the Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap. Prior to accepting this position, Kari served as the Communications Project Manager at Philadelphia Safe and Sound, a leading research and child advocacy organization whose services impacted more than 24,000 children in the City of Philadelphia.