Katy Waters (she/her) is a seasoned political organizer, a strategic and impactful operations expert, and a tireless advocate for intersectional social justice. That’s why she believes running effective, efficient, and racially equitable operations isn’t an option, it’s a mandate.

As Executive Director, Katy spearheads Scale for Change with over a decade of experience in operations and political advocacy in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Since taking the helm, she has intentionally built a diverse leadership team with over six decades of combined experience running national campaigns, local campaigns, and working within affiliated structures. Under her leadership, she expanded service offerings, rebranded and restructured the organization, and expanded the organization’s client base. Katy has dedicated her career to enthusiastically and intentionally taking bold action toward building an inclusive and progressive future. Throughout, her purpose and passion have been driven by a deliberate investment in the people who make up her teams and the communities she serves.

Katy knows the legislative process — and how to craft winning campaign strategies — from start to finish. She cut her teeth in politics through her grassroots and legislative organizing work in Austin, Texas before going on to manage multi-million dollar budgets and implement innovative financial, legal and compliance processes at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Revolution Messaging, Lockwood Strategy, and ACRONYM, respectively. She has also consulted on equity analysis projects with the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 and People for the American Way.

A first-generation college graduate, Katy received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. A fervent believer in continued education and continuous improvement, she is also a graduate of the Rockwood Leadership Institute "Art of Leadership for Women in Racial Justice and Human Rights," the Management Center's "Managing for Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Results," and Arena Academy's "Electoral Finance Director Training." 

Katy currently resides in Washington, DC with her partner Caroline and their dogs, Cricket and Ralph. Her passion for advancing progressive values is second only to her love of Britney Spears, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and spending time with her community.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.