Kate Farrar

Kate C. Farrar, director of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Leadership Programs, manages programs that empower college women break through barriers to assume leadership roles and acquire the skills they need to succeed in their academic, professional, and personal lives. Prior to assuming her current position, Farrar was the associate director of National Programs and Policy at Wider Opportunities for Women in Washington, D.C. where she led the Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Project (FESS), a nationwide project focused on policies and programs to move low-income families toward economic independence. She was awarded the Women’s Information Network (WIN) Young Women of Achievement in 2011 and was a part of the 2011 inaugural Executive Fellowship class of the Center for Progressive Leadership. She currently serves on the board of the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee (WUFPAC).

Prior to arriving in Washington, D.C., Farrar lobbied the Connecticut state legislature on behalf of nonprofit organizations for reproductive rights, child nutrition, and anti-tobacco initiatives. She also served as a field organizer in Wisconsin for the 2004 Kerry/Edwards Presidential campaign. Farrar earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Connecticut and a master's in public administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.