MURIEL BOWSER October 19, 2023 ‘The Honorable Phil Mendelson Chairman Couneilof the District of Columbia John A. Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504 Washington, DC 20004 Dear Chairman Mendelson: In accordance with section 2ofthe Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 102of the Commission on Poverty Establishment Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021 (D.C. Law 23-184; D.C. Official Code § 3-641.02), I am pleased to nominate the following person: Ms. Khadijah Williams Fairmont Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (Ward 1) for appointment as an at-large representative memberof the Commission on Poverty, for a term to end one year from the date of confirmation. Enclosed you will find biographical information detailing the expt ce of the above-mentioned nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council du ig the confirmation process I would appreciate the Council’s earliest considerationof this nomination for confirmation. Please do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor's Office of Talent and Appointments, should the Council require additional information.  1 2 ~ i i Mendelson 3 at the request of the Mayor 4 s 6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 7 8 9 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 10 11 12 13 14 To confinn the appointment of Ms. Khadijah Williams to the Commission on Poverty. 15 16 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 17 resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Poverty Khadijah Williams Confirmation 18 Resolution of 2023". 19 20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of: 21 22 Ms. Khadijah Williams 23 Fainnont Street, NW 24 Washington, DC 20009 25 (Ward 1) 26 27 as an at-large representative member of the Commission on Poverty, pursuant to section I 02 of 28 the Commission on Poverty Establishment Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021 29 (D.C. Law 23-184; D.C. Official Code § 3-641.02), for a term to end one year from the date of 30 confirmation. 31 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution, 32 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor. 33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.  Khadijah Williams [i a SE IESBARSESAT SEO) Experience LIET,Inc,Washinaton,DC March 2023- Present Break the cycleofpovertybyinvesting in parents through cash + coaching. National Director, Policy and Advocacy Lead policy (systems change), strategy development, define intended outcomes, design activities, and coordinate cross- departmentally and regionally to implement and measure outcomes on brand new advocacy and policy growth strategy to center families in policy and champion policies supportiveof the economic developmentof families in poverty. Rocketship Public Schools, Washington, DC January 2019- February 2023 ‘Support low-income communities without quality schools through 22 public charter schools across the country. ‘Senior Manager, Family and Community Engagement August 2021- Present To increase attendance, led region-wide strategy resulting in regional home visit completion rate increasing from 25% to 40% before startof school, and attendance rate increasing from 70% to 89% year over year. Trained principals across DC and school leaders across 22 schools on attendance and research-backed family- engagement strategies affecting 10,000 students. ‘Successfully advocated for creating position; position replicated in two regions. One of 20 staff selected for Rising Leaders Program, which aimstocreate a pipeline of future leaders. Senior Education Organizer January 2019 -August 2021 Identified, developed, trained, and organized parent leaders for community change. Launched School Site Council, school-leve! BoardofDirectors for shared decision-making with families. Launched Community Conversations to center families in political campaigns. Made recommendations based on data analysis resulting in increased engagement during Covid-19. * DevelopedSolutionsLabon Community Violenceto create space for community and decision maker policy co- creation. Shared recommendations with the new Mayoral Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Attendees included ‘several Council members and two membersofpress. DC State Board of Education, Washington, DC inuary 2015- January 2019 Provide policy leadership, support, advocacy, and oversightofDC public education. Legislative Affairs Specialist, Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education April 2018 - January 2019 Leveraged casework trends to influence policy and advocacy while supporting creation of a national model by: ‘¢ Advocating for creationofposition to support an “activist ombudsman” strategy. ‘© Refining data analysis resulting in enhanced data reporting capabilities, and 100% increase in data requests from and standing meetings with local, national, and federal education policy decision-makers. © Presenting to local and national decision-makers alongside Ombudsman. Condueting research and liaising with contentexpertsto draft policy recommendations on Response to Intervention (Rtl), McKinney Vento, transportation, truancy, special education, Every Student Succeeds Act, and enrollment, resulting in policy changes in the District's special education, discipline, and equity policies. © Supervising, recruiting, and selecting nine classes of graduate student Ombudsman Fellows. Program Associate, Student Advocate and Ombudsman Offices November 2015 - April 2018  Khadijah Williams EE © Advocated for creation of position, and revamped operational systems for case management resulting in a 50% decrease in resolution time, and enhanced supervision contributing to increased budget and FTEs. Wrote parent-friendly technical guidance on special education used across all 8 Wards in DC. Assisted Chief Student Advocate in development ofprogram procedures, reporting, and framework. Resolved over 300 complaints between schools and families through mediation and individual coaching. Oversaw Harvard Law Negotiation Clinic in developmentof special education conflict resolution continuum. Ombudsman Fellow, Office of the Ombudsman January - November 2015 Resolved complaints and concems between schools and families. ResearchAssistant, edCount,Washinaton,DC November June- 2014 Assisted in research, analysis, and editing of resources for states and school districts to support with client retention. Jal Proj ym First! 8 D . 2 An online community celebrating college students who are the first in their families to go to college. Assisted Executive Director and Development Director in fundraising and student engagement efforts for national organization supporting first-generation college students. Project Manager, Amplify, Inc., Brooklyn, NY July 2013 - May 2014 Leading the way in high-quality, next-generation curricula and assessments. Assisted education technology company in ensuring that our core curriculum incorporated Universal Design principles. Advis Strategic Advisor, Soles4Souls, Old Hickory, TN (remote, part-time consultant) July 2021 - Present Provide new, name brand shoes to every homelesschildin the U.S. Developed tool for evaluating and identifying new partnerships. ‘Conducted youth homelessness landscape analysis to help aid in partnership identification. Conducted resource reviews and analysis. ‘Completed speaking engagements for high-stakes funders, peer organizations, and webinars. Created stakeholder analysis tool to evaluate supporters to target engagement based on need and type. National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council Member, Rocketship Public Schools August 2021 -February 2023 Internal advisory committee to increase pipeline of director-level leaders ofcolor across Rocketship’s 22 schools, address equity-gaps in hiring, promotion, and treatment ofstafffrom underrepresented groups, and monitor progress. Board Member,NationalHomelessnessLaw Center May -Present 2018 The only national legal group dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness. Chair of Strategic Planning Committee: Oversee, in partnership with ED, developmentof5-10 year organizational strategic plan, in collaboration with Board and staff committee members. Collaborate weekly with paid consultants. Board Member, The Innovative Academy of Liberal Arts and Sciences December 2020 - Present heInnovativeAcademyofLiberal Arts &Sciences (IALAS) is 2-generation workforce development organization that aims to ‘close racial wealth and achievement gaps by providing pathways to STEAM careers for students and parents east of the river in the District of Columbia. Writi and Speaking Ei  Khadijah Williams Lae AaTSP SPIN AE 1 GIAAOS ROE Memo: Expand Spheres of Influence to Catalyze into Legislation Speaking engagements: Can be found at this link, Fellowships and Leadership Development Education Board Partners: Board Leadership Academy: Institute Participant January - June 2022 January - June 2019 Education Harvard College, is May2013 esearch for Nonprofits; Communications, Advocacy, and Public Affairs. Activities and Societies: Harvard Parliamentary Debate Association (2009-10), Philips Brooks House Association (2010-11), Peer Advising Fellows (2011-13) ‘Awards: Center for Political Studies Dissertation Research Fellowship  * me <* EAR Tero 4 Executive Officeof the Mayor— Mayor’s OfficeofTalent and Appointments John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004 Khadijah Wi Khadijah Williams is a nationally recognized advocate for homeless youth and a survivor ofhomelessness herself. After nearly 20 yearsofliving without a permanent home — including time spent in Los Angeles’ infamous Skid Row — Ms. Williams was accepted into Harvard University, where she graduated in 2013. Her journey from homelessness to Harvard has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, and Essence Magazine. Ms. Wil iams utilizes her deep knowledgeoffamilies and personal experience with poverty to help families, regardless of zip code, thrive. She has spent the past eightof her ten years ofher career in DC, working almost exclusively with families in poverty in Wards 5, 7, and 8, both in the Office of the DC Ombudsman for Public Education and Rocketship Public Schools, DC. Her accomplishments in this work include centering the voices of families in poverty in policy, including: © Developed Solutions Lab on Community Violence to create space for community and decision maker policy co-creation, Shared recommendations with the new Mayoral Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Attendees included several Council members and two members of press. © Conducted research and liaised with content experts to draft policy recommendations on Response to Intervention (Rtl), McKinney Vento, transportation, truancy, spe education, Every Student Succeeds Act, and enrollment, resulting in policy changes in the District’s special education, discipline, and equity policies. © Led region-wide family engagement strategy resulting in regional home visit completion rate increasing from 25% to 40% before start ofschool, and attendance rate increasing from 70% to 89% year over year. Ms.Williams currently serves as a Board member and 2022-23 Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee for the National Homelessness Law Center, and Board member for the Innovative ‘Academy of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is the inaugural National Director ofPolicy and Advocacy at LIFT. ‘A Ward | resident, Ms. Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Harvard University.  GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser x Ok Ow WE ARE WASHINGTON Cl Officeof the General Counsel to the Mayor To: Tommy Wells, Steve Walker From: Betsy Cavendish Date: October 18, 2023 Subject: Legal sufficiency reviewofResolutions nominating Julihana Green and Khadijah Williams as at-large members of the Commission on Poverty This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolutions and found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate to call Vanessa Careiro, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-724-1303, or me at 202-724-768. Spam bos Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish ‘TheTon A Wikson Building» 1350Pennsylvania Avenue NW > Su DC > Washington, 20 08 >Office