Catherine Jaynes

Catherine Jaynes, Ph.D. leads the Collaborative’s initiative to support COVID Bereaved Children and is a Partner at Cicero Group, a privately held global management consulting firm. Catherine leads organizations by developing robust strategies and providing guidance that improves outcomes. She intuitively understands the engagement and experience required to help nonprofits, corporations and philanthropists navigate challenging systems, measure program effectiveness, and leverage data. As an inspirational leader, Catherine builds on research to create narratives that translate complex challenges into actions that help prominent leaders engage with their stakeholders.

Previously as the Director of the Presidential Leadership Scholars and the Director of Research and Evaluation at the George W. Bush Institute, Catherine developed and executed national and international programs as well as led the measurement and evaluation of the Institute’s programs. Catherine’s expertise extended beyond evaluation and included hands-on research of measurement strategies and policy development. She also engaged in the collection, analysis, and use of programmatic data including outcome identification, survey design, module, and overall program evaluations and annual grant reporting.

Her background includes extensive experience in education and policymaking. As the Chief of Staff to the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington D.C., Catherine oversaw all fiscal matters including the management of $100 million in local and $550 million in federal funding. Effective management of these funds was also supported by a staff of 360, which she oversaw. Building partnerships was a key to her success, and her thought-leadership helped evaluate mechanisms between the State Superintendent, State Board of Education, cabinet staff, and elected officials.

Prior to her work at OSSE, Catherine worked at the National Academies of Science, National Research Council as a Senior Program Officer and at the U.S. Department of Education where she was the Deputy Assistant Security for Elementary and Secondary Education. There she formulated and executed policies related to the accountability and assessment provisions of NCLB across the 50 states and 2 territories, advised the Secretary and senior leadership on relevant research to inform Department policy decisions, and represented the Department in policy deliberations with Congressional members and staff.

Catherine believes that working in the community is equally rewarding. An active board member and volunteer, Catherine is Board President of the Aged Women’s Home of Georgetown, a sustainer of the Junior League of Dallas, a committee member of the Cattle Baron’s Ball, and participates with organizations such as the Children’s Medical Center and the Episcopal School of Dallas.

Catherine earned a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Policy Studies from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.