Kathleen “Kate” Knudsen

Kathleen Knudsen leads the Metro-Omaha branch of Raise Me to Read, a Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative, whose backbone organization is the Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium. Her work includes collaboration with community entities and school districts regarding attendance, trauma 2 informed mental health, and early literacy. Kathleen serves on a team recently assembled to align early childhood goals and outcomes in Omaha with the support of the National League of Cities. Critical community engagement work has begun on the Omaha Urban Thinkscapes Project in partnership with University of Omaha (UNO) College of Education Health and Human Sciences, and the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Connect GO. Creation of two Thinkscapes sites in underdeveloped neighborhoods and a Play Ecosystem Suite will support playful, equitable learning opportunities, and encourage adult-child engagement. A 6th generation Nebraskan, Kathleen has earned degrees from UNO and has worked as a teacher and school administrator. Her greatest achievements are her marriage to her husband and their two sons.