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MU
RIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
May 19, 2026
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1- 523.01), and pursuant to section 403 of the Human Rights Act of 1977,
effective December 7, 2004 (D.C. Law 15-216; D.C. Official Code § 2-1404.03), I am pleased to
nominate the following individual:
Dr. Krista Bywater
Buchanan Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
(Ward 4)
for appointment as a member of the Commission on Human Rights, filling a vacant seat formerly held
by Henry Floyd, Jr., for the remainder of an unexpired term to end December 31, 2028.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor
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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
airman Phil Mendelson
at the request of the Mayor
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To confirm the appointment of Dr. Krista Bywater as a member of the Commission on Human
Rights.
RESOLVED , BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA , That this
resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Human Rights Dr. Krista Bywater Confirmation
Resolution of 2026".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
Dr. Krista Bywater
Buchanan Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
(Ward 4)
as a member of the Commission on Human Rights, established by section 401 of the Human
Rights Act of 1977, effective December 7, 2004 (D.C. Law 15-216; D .C . Official Code§ 2-
1404.01), filling a vacant seat formerly held by Henry Floyd, Jr., for the remainder of an
unexpired term to end December 31, 2028.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Mayor.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
Krista Bywater, Ph.D.
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SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Subject matter expert in gender and racial justice, girls’/women’s rights and empowerment, (technology-
facilitated) gender-based violence, community-led development, equitable partnerships, and intersectional
feminist, youth-led, and decolonial research methodologies. In depth knowledge of gender equality and
multisectoral programming e.g. in education, livelihoods (women’s economic empowerment), and health
(sexual and reproductive health, maternal and newborn health, and menstrual health and hygiene).
Over 15 years of experience in program and operational management, policymaking, grantmaking, research,
and knowledge management for fast-paced, mission-driven organizations.
10 years of leadership experience in program design, implementation, and budget management for public and
privately funded projects ranging from $30,000 to $80 million in the U.S., Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
10 years of experience cultivating grant opportunities from conceptualizing awards, establishing funding
partners, and conducting due diligence to managing grantee relationships and program performance.
More than 5 years of direct managerial and leadership experience including managing more than 5 staff and
30 consultants, overseeing team operations and project budgets (approx. $5 million).
Extensive team building experience including conducting more than a hundred personnel searches,
onboarding and training hundreds of staff at all levels, and organizing learning and development programs.
EMPLOYMENT
Save the Children US (April 2020 – present)
Head, Rights, Inclusion, & Social Empowerment (RISE) Team (Oct. 2025 - present)
Lead Advisor, Gender Equality & Social Justice (GESJ) (Dec. 2023 – Sept. 2025)
Senior Advisor, Gender Equality & Social Justice (April 2020 – Nov. 2023)
Lead RISE focused community engagement and direct the team’s strategy implementation, budget,
performance evaluation, and quarterly and annual reporting. This work includes driving the integration of
collective impact approaches, gender equality, disability inclusion, and racial justice across the organization’s
strategies and education, health, food security, and livelihood programs (approx. $700 million portfolio).
Manage and develop teams including 3 direct reports, 35 person cross-functional hub, and a 7-member
cross-departmental technical working group to mainstream RISE approaches throughout departmental and
agency operations spanning marketing, communications, policy, advocacy, evidence generation, legal,
finance, safeguarding, and technology.
Oversee approximately $5 million in standalone gender equality and disability inclusion programming
including project staff, work plans, budgeting, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
Lead portfolio growth, funding strategy development and execution, and program evaluation. I develop
funding strategies and serve as a proposal director, lead writer, and technical lead on public and private
funding opportunities. Between 2023-25, I increased the GESJ Team’s funding by 300%.
Drive thought leadership across the Save the Children Federation (100+ country offices) by authoring and
contributing to global programmatic and operational guidance (e.g., Inclusive Program Development,
Gender and Power Analysis, Gender Transformative Youth Economic Empowerment Framework).
Lead the U.S. Safe Digital Childhood Initiative including the development of partnerships, programs, and
research on child/youth digital literacy and safety (e.g. Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence:
Considerations Across the Life Course, Understanding Technology-Facilitated Gender-based Violence).
Technical Advisor, Gender Equality & Adolescent Girls, Project Concern International (Jan. 2019 –
April 2020)
Coordinated the 12-member global Gender Equality Technical Working Group to advance the organization’s
gender and diversity policies throughout all international programs and operations.
Krista Bywater, Ph.D.
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Served as the lead gender and inclusion expert for global trainings, proposal development, and project
implementation for gender equality and multisectoral programming (e.g. Education, Livelihoods, Health).
Led technical reviews of project designs, work plans, budgets, evaluations, and reports.
Managed team staff and consultants including hiring, conducting performance reviews, overseeing work plans
and project delivery, and managing contracts.
Directed programmatic research and evaluation design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Specialist, World Vision US (Oct. 2017 – Jan. 2019)
Provided technical leadership for proposal development and program management across sectors including
Global Health, Education, Livelihoods, Child Protection, and Waster, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).
Conducted and reviewed gender analyses and developed tools and trainings on gender equality, social
inclusion, and gender-based violence for more than 100 project and partner staff.
Supported organizational change management and policy implementation related to gender equality,
harassment, and sexual exploitation and abuse.
Co-led Gender and Social Inclusion Working Group and advanced thought leadership on gender equality
by presenting at key industry events, supporting the Policy Team, and engaging public and private donors.
Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Advisor, USAID (Sept. 2015 – Aug. 2017)
Directed the Global Development Lab’s implementation of USAID’s Gender Equality and Female
Empowerment Policy throughout the science and technology portfolio:
o Led and managed the Bureau’s GESI Working Group with representatives from the 19 Lab teams.
o Determined and approved spending of the gender equality earmark ($7 million annually).
o Evaluated project proposals, scopes of work, results frameworks, monitoring and evaluation plans.
o Mainstreamed gender in all new Lab-funded projects (approximately $170 million annually).
o Developed custom gender indicators and ensured gender-sensitive monitoring and evaluation.
Organized and facilitated gender equality trainings and workshops for more than 100 global staff and
partners at all levels of seniority to enhance employee performance and project outcomes.
Led technical contributions to develop and implement U.S. government strategies and reports including
the: U.S. Global Strategy to Empower Adolescent Girls, U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-
Based Violence, USAID’s Women’s Economic Empowerment and Equality Framework, and the U.S.
National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.
Served on Technical Working Groups: Gender Indicators Working Group; Global Development Lab’s
Training Committee; Program Cycle Working Group; and Gender-based Violence Working Group.
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Muhlenberg College, Pennsylvania (Sept. 2011 – Sept. 2015)
Developed and taught 8 distinct courses for traditional and non-traditional students including Gender
Studies; Development and Social Change; Research Design and Methods; Qualitative Methods; Social
Inequality; Introduction to Sociology; Environmental Sociology; and Social Movements.
Mentored faculty, conducted employee reviews, and chaired the Internal Review Board.
RECENT AWARDS
Extraordinary Performance Award, Save the Children, 2023 and 2024.
President’s Award, the highest honor given to an employee within Save the Children, 2022.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. University of California, Santa Barbara. Department of Sociology (Aug. 2009)
M .A. with honors. University of California, Santa Barbara. Department of Sociology (May 2005)
B .A. Summa Cum Laude. Barry University, Miami, Florida. Major: Mass Communications and Minor:
English (1998 - 2001)
E
xecutive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
D
r. Krista Bywater
D
r. Krista Bywater leads the Rights, Inclusion, & Social Empowerment
(RISE) Team at Save the Children, directing the agency’s gender equality,
disability inclusion, and racial equity portfolio. She spearheads U.S. and
global strategy and program development, including initiatives to advance
girls’ and women’s empowerment and rights and end gender -based
violence. Before joining Save the Children, Dr. Bywater served as a
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor at numerous organizations,
including the U.S. Agency for International Development and Project
Concern International. She has advanced integration of gender equality
and social inclusion throughout multi -sectoral programs spanning
education, healthcare, food security, nutrition, economic opportunity, and
child protection.
P
rior to working as a development practitioner, Dr. Bywater was an assistant professor of
sociology and has extensive research and teaching experience in gender studies, social inequality,
research methods, and environmental sociology.
A Ward 4 resident, Dr. Bywater earned her Bachelor of Arts from Barry University and both her
Master of Arts and her Doctor of Philosophy from University of California, Santa Barbara.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: May 4, 2026
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing Dr. Krista Bywater as a
member of the Commission on Human Rights
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and
found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at
202-727-0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish