Kayli Lord is a dedicated and experienced Statewide Foster Care Support Coordinator, working with Education Reach for Texans. In her current role, she supports the implementation and growth of a statewide peer coaching program aimed at improving outcomes for students who have experienced foster care (SEFC). Kayli collaborates with community stakeholders, higher education institutions, and SEFC to develop and oversee impactful initiatives that foster their success.

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Previously, Kayli served as a Research Program Coordinator at the University of Texas at San Antonio for the Bexar County Fostering Educational Success (BCFES) initiative. In this role, she led research and evaluation projects focused on enhancing educational opportunities for SEFC, including conducting qualitative interviews and focus groups, managing program marketing and outreach, and producing data-driven reports to inform policy and practice.

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Kayli holds a Master’s in Anthropology from Texas State University, where she conducted an ethnographic study on foster youth in higher education for her thesis, earning the John Michael Kilby Fellowship. Her work illuminated significant barriers such as unmet housing and cultural support needs while highlighting the critical resources foster youth utilize, including campus-based support programs and tuition waivers. Kayli has also co-authored the article Campus Liaisons for Students Who Have Experienced Foster Care: Lessons Learned from Texas Legislation, which evaluates the implementation of a groundbreaking 2015 state law requiring higher education institutions to designate campus liaisons for students with foster care experience, highlighting both the successes and challenges in supporting these students effectively.

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A certified researcher and mentor with a passion for social change, Kayli combines her academic expertise with her lived experience of aging out of foster care to drive meaningful impact. She is especially committed to expanding access to education and mentoring opportunities for foster youth across Texas. Experienced in collaborative leadership, she brings a data-driven and empathetic approach to empowering communities and advancing equity.

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Kayli can be reached via email at kayli.lord@unt.edu.