Kathryn V. Harris

President & Chief Operating Officer

Kathryn Harris is a recognized leader in building equitable education-to-employment pathways that expand opportunities for Coloradans. Since 2019, she has served as President and COO of ActivateWork, where she launched innovative tech training and apprenticeship models that connect talent to in-demand careers while driving ecosystem-level change.

Her career began at Accenture, where she developed software applications and improved small business lending systems for financial institutions. Over the past 25 years, she has led nonprofit organizations, including the Grand Foundation and Qualistar Colorado, where she advanced quality early childhood education statewide.

Kathryn’s leadership has been recognized widely: she is a Buell Early Childhood Leadership Fellow, a Leadership Foundation Civic DNA Fellow, a Colorado Governor’s Fellow, a Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business, and a Titan 100 honoree. She also serves as a Governor-appointed member of the State Apprenticeship Council and as a founding board member of Colorado Inclusive Economy and the Colorado Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative.

Known for her blend of strategic vision and collaborative leadership, Kathryn has raised millions of dollars and built alliances across business, government, and philanthropy to tackle systemic barriers such as income disparity and unequal access to education. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Middlebury College and a certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility from Boston College.