Dr. Kaitlyn Brennan

VICE PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, PUBLIC POLICY AND GRANTS

Dr. Kaitlyn Brennan brings a deep background in education, research, and behavioral science to complex advocacy and funding challenges. She began her career as a special education teacher in urban communities and earned her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017, grounding her work in both lived experience and evidence-based practice.

Dr. Brennan’s work sits at the intersection of strategy, public policy, and grants, where she partners with organizations to navigate complex funding and political landscapes. She has led advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local levels, securing more than $100 million annually in public and philanthropic funding to support education, workforce development, youth-serving systems, and community-based initiatives. Known for her ability to translate policy into action, she helps teams align data, lived experience, and institutional realities to build solutions that are both credible and durable.

While Dr. Brennan is often recognized for her systems-level focus, she remains closely connected to the communities she serves, dedicating time each week to working with inner city high school students in Pittsburgh. A Pittsburgh sports fan and devoted aunt, she lives in Oakmont with her two dogs, Kenny and Ruth.