Who We Are: Kristen Pugh, MEd

“Building the capacity of others is like watching your child learn to ride a bike without training wheels. Seeing results and mindsets shift after the weeks and months of training, learning, and applying is beyond exciting.”

About Kristen Pugh

(She/Her/Hers)

Kristen leads projects in organizational effectiveness and supports project coordination across multiple portfolios of work. She provides responsive technical support and capacity-building to assist teams with strategic performance improvements that ensure strong program implementation. Kristen gains a deep understanding of clients’ needs and facilitates innovative, efficient, and effective solutions that ultimately impact the community and student experience. 

With a background in education, corporate project management, and Lean principles, Kristen combines relationship-building with business practices. Her process-driven thinking and organizational skills allow her to facilitate behind-the-scenes actions that result in capacity-building for lasting, sustainable change. 

Career Highlights

• Kristen’s capacity-building services for the Louisiana Operational Quality project at the Region 14 Comprehensive Center improved the Louisiana Department of Education’s (LDOE’s) procurement processes by implementing a Value Stream Mapping event. LDOE cut their contract approval time by more than half and noted a mindset shift leading to long-term sustainability.
• Kristen transitioned from education to the business sector, successfully running operations for an e-commerce company. Kristen earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification and enhanced her continuous improvement practice. She launched a manufacturing facility and upgraded a multimillion-dollar operation, using a progressive line, Lean manufacturing, and collaboration with fulfillment operations to open a massive distribution center. 
• Kristen began her career as a classroom teacher and administrator. As a special education teacher, she provided direct instruction to students with diverse needs. As an assistant principal, Kristen drove innovative programming, building teacher capacity through professional learning opportunities. As an education services division head for District 300 Schools in Illinois, Kristen led the largest special education program at the sixth largest school district in Illinois.