Kitty Wooley
Management and Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Education

Kitty Wooley’s best gig is teaching capable employees how to significantly enhance the scope and impact of their work through collaborative networks. She has made a living as a college financial aid director, a government reviewer of student aid operations in three western states, a risk manager, a crosscutting data analyst, a communicator of complicated subjects to non-experts, a solicitor of buy-in, and a connector of humans across boundaries. Currently she supports the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Performance Improvement, Office of Management, U.S. Department of Education.

In 2003, Kitty co-founded Conversations About Leading, a monthly dialogue that connects ED employees with outstanding leaders. The same year, she hosted a dinner that inaugurated Senior Fellows and Friends, a multisector network that was recognized for its effectiveness by the Council for Excellence in Government in 2008. With Scott Derrick, John Sporing, and Mike O’Leary, Kitty has designed and implemented several iterations of Flash Mentoring and FedPitch. She has been exploring the business uses of social media in civilian government for some time. Kitty served on the Young Government Leaders advisory board from 2007-2009 and is a supporter of YGL’s co-founder, Steve Ressler, and his huge Ning network, GovLoop.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Kitty’s real work involves building new capacity at the intersection of hierarchy and network. And she’s better at technology than cooking. If that interests you, please make contact via e-mail, Twitter, del.icio.us, GovLoop, carrier pigeon, smartphone, or (gasp) face to face. Use your powers for good. Best wishes.