Jan DeCoursey is the Project Director of Activate. She oversees Activate’s planning, activities, quality assurance, and operations. She has over 20 years of experience conducting applied research and evaluation focused on the implementation, effectiveness, and improvement of policies and programs in child welfare and youth transition to adulthood. Her research in child welfare includes research focused on expectant and parenting young people who are involved in the child welfare system and opportunity youth. In addition to her research experience, Jan spent several years developing and implementing youth programs as the Director of Youth Programs for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago and was Program Director at the I Have a Dream Foundation. She began her career as a Family Educator in a diagnostic, residential foster home and is active as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.
