A catalyst for action, Kaila diplomatically guides senior members to productive action. Perhaps she channels her experience growing up on a farm, as she gently reigns numerous people of passion to a coordinated and greater outcome. It's amazing to watch, and my personal fortune to have been part of her team.

I have known Kaila Wilson for more than 5 years. We worked together at the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, she in the national Office of Employment and Training and me in the Midwest Regional Office. Our mission was to expand the SNAP Employment and Training program. SNAP E&T helps low-income adults gain jobs and careers that lead to self-sufficiency. It was vastly under-utilized in 2015 but has grown substantially since then. Kaila’s role was to help connect Regional and national offices, and to help the Regional Offices connect with state agencies and local service providers. Kaila was great to work with; she was very highly capable both in translating policy to non-federal folks, and in relationship building with community-based organizations and state and local agencies. Our work was complicated. While the Federal government funds SNAP E&T, the state agencies that administer the program also decide its size and scope. We had to convince our state partners to build third-party partnerships that could access the Federal funds available. We also helped states find the 50% in non-Federal funding required for these partnerships. The addition of 77 new providers in the Midwest Region over a 4-year span is proof of our success and Kaila had a key role in this. Kaila also helped build the rapport between the national office and the regional offices. My colleagues also valued Kaila’s work; she was always helpful and always supportive. Kaila Wilson is highly intelligent, a creative problem-solver, and a quick study. SNAP policy is complex and confusing, yet Kaila mastered it and helped others understand it. She is the proverbial team player and performed at a high level in a difficult time. I highly recommend Kaila Wilson.

A catalyst for action, Kaila diplomatically guides senior members to productive action. Perhaps she channels her experience growing up on a farm, as she gently reigns numerous people of passion to a coordinated and greater outcome. It's amazing to watch, and my personal fortune to have been part of her team.

I have known Kaila Wilson for more than 5 years. We worked together at the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, she in the national Office of Employment and Training and me in the Midwest Regional Office. Our mission was to expand the SNAP Employment and Training program. SNAP E&T helps low-income adults gain jobs and careers that lead to self-sufficiency. It was vastly under-utilized in 2015 but has grown substantially since then. Kaila’s role was to help connect Regional and national offices, and to help the Regional Offices connect with state agencies and local service providers. Kaila was great to work with; she was very highly capable both in translating policy to non-federal folks, and in relationship building with community-based organizations and state and local agencies. Our work was complicated. While the Federal government funds SNAP E&T, the state agencies that administer the program also decide its size and scope. We had to convince our state partners to build third-party partnerships that could access the Federal funds available. We also helped states find the 50% in non-Federal funding required for these partnerships. The addition of 77 new providers in the Midwest Region over a 4-year span is proof of our success and Kaila had a key role in this. Kaila also helped build the rapport between the national office and the regional offices. My colleagues also valued Kaila’s work; she was always helpful and always supportive. Kaila Wilson is highly intelligent, a creative problem-solver, and a quick study. SNAP policy is complex and confusing, yet Kaila mastered it and helped others understand it. She is the proverbial team player and performed at a high level in a difficult time. I highly recommend Kaila Wilson.

A catalyst for action, Kaila diplomatically guides senior members to productive action. Perhaps she channels her experience growing up on a farm, as she gently reigns numerous people of passion to a coordinated and greater outcome. It's amazing to watch, and my personal fortune to have been part of her team.

I have known Kaila Wilson for more than 5 years. We worked together at the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, she in the national Office of Employment and Training and me in the Midwest Regional Office. Our mission was to expand the SNAP Employment and Training program. SNAP E&T helps low-income adults gain jobs and careers that lead to self-sufficiency. It was vastly under-utilized in 2015 but has grown substantially since then. Kaila’s role was to help connect Regional and national offices, and to help the Regional Offices connect with state agencies and local service providers. Kaila was great to work with; she was very highly capable both in translating policy to non-federal folks, and in relationship building with community-based organizations and state and local agencies. Our work was complicated. While the Federal government funds SNAP E&T, the state agencies that administer the program also decide its size and scope. We had to convince our state partners to build third-party partnerships that could access the Federal funds available. We also helped states find the 50% in non-Federal funding required for these partnerships. The addition of 77 new providers in the Midwest Region over a 4-year span is proof of our success and Kaila had a key role in this. Kaila also helped build the rapport between the national office and the regional offices. My colleagues also valued Kaila’s work; she was always helpful and always supportive. Kaila Wilson is highly intelligent, a creative problem-solver, and a quick study. SNAP policy is complex and confusing, yet Kaila mastered it and helped others understand it. She is the proverbial team player and performed at a high level in a difficult time. I highly recommend Kaila Wilson.