Kate Villarreal
About Kate Villarreal
Kate Villarreal serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Communications at the Urban Institute, where she has worked since 2020. She has extensive experience in communications, having held various roles at the Urban Institute and other organizations, focusing on media relations and policy communications.
Current Role at Urban Institute
Kate Villarreal serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Communications at the Urban Institute in Washington, District of Columbia. In this role, she oversees a team of twelve strategic communications staff who specialize in media relations and policy area communications. She advises and supports the Chief Communications Officer in advancing and protecting the organization's brand and reputation. Villarreal has been in this position since 2020.
Previous Experience at Urban Institute
Before her current role, Kate Villarreal worked at the Urban Institute as the Director of Strategic Communications from 2016 to 2020. Prior to that, she served as the Communications Manager for the Justice Policy Center from 2013 to 2016. During her time at Urban Institute, she gained extensive experience in managing communications across various policy areas, including education, health, safety net, tax, justice, workforce, housing, and mobility.
Educational Background
Kate Villarreal holds a Master of Arts in Political Science with a focus on Political Communication from The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she studied from 2008 to 2011. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Spanish from Macalester College, completing her studies there from 1996 to 2000. Additionally, she has participated in the Summer Institute in Political Psychology at Stanford University since 2010.
Early Career Experience
Kate Villarreal's early career includes roles such as a Press Assistant at the United States Trade Representative from 2012 to 2013 and a Communications Project Manager at Cibolo Nature Center from 2008 to 2012. She also worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Political Science at The University of Texas at San Antonio from 2008 to 2010 and as a Corpsmember and Intern at EarthCorps from 2001 to 2003. These positions contributed to her foundational skills in communications and policy.
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In her professional capacity, Kate Villarreal emphasizes the importance of creating team environments that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This focus is integral to her leadership style and informs her approach to strategic communications within the Urban Institute.