About Us
About Us
The mission of Family Scholar House is to end the cycle of poverty and transform our community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve life-long self-sufficiency.
Each year, we serve disadvantaged residential and nonresidential single moms and dads and their children with a comprehensive, holistic continuum of care that meets them where they are and empowers them toward their educational, career and family goals.
All families have experienced poverty, unstable housing and, most often, domestic violence. Programs and services are responsive to the needs of families and are provided for all ages.
Our History
Family Scholar House was born from Project Women, an organization originally established in 1995 by representatives of six orders of nuns. As Family Scholar House, our name reflects a bigger, broader mission, and comprehensive, holistic services for disadvantaged single-parents, their children and foster alumni. What began with only four families is now a recognized national best practice headquartered in Louisville, KY, serving more than 9,000 people annually and focused on education as a primary path for ending the cycle of inherited poverty.
Cathe Dykstra
Chief Possibility Officer, President & CEO
Cathe sees her role as changing the paradigm for work with families in poverty from short-term support to long-term solutions. She has a B.A. in Economics from Wake Forest University, with banking and financial experience and over 20 years of experience in social services, with the goal of assisting special populations through innovative approaches to attaining and maintaining self-sufficiency. Cathe is committed to promoting the importance of education as an asset that appreciates over time and provides long-term self-sufficiency through career-track employment.
Kristie Adams M.Ed.
Chief Learning Officer
Kristie has a passion for using participant experiences and feedback, data, information, collaboration, resources, and best practices to provide quality service delivery. Kristie Adams has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in psychology/sociology and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. Kristie has worked with families and children for over 20 years. In her role as Chief Learning Officer, she oversees Family Scholar House practice and evaluation components to establish high levels of quality, accuracy, and process consistency. Kristie plans, identifies, directs, and evaluates program and practice needs and trends and provides professional development opportunities and training to staff, supervision to direct service staff, researches best practices, designs new programs, and provides technical assistance to Family Scholar House, US Affiliates and Data Associates to foster a culture and framework of innovation and excellence.
Kate Brackett
Chief Operating Officer
Kate is passionate about connecting community members to FSH’s mission to end the cycle of poverty through education. Kate has a Master’s degree in Social Work, with 10 years in social services. During the course of her time at Family Scholar House she has worked directly with our families, public relations, and serves as a liaison to the Board of Directors and the overall community. In her current role she oversees day-to-day operations including program implementation, supervision to direct service and community engagement staff and providing effective support for the success of the overall agency.
Kellie Johnston
Vice President, Finance
Kellie is passionate about educating others about the transformational outcomes of Family Scholar House and creating models of efficiency “behind the scenes” that allow our team to have all the resources necessary to assist participants on their journey to self-sufficiency. Kellie has a B.A. in Advertising/Business Administration from Western Kentucky University. She has 20+ years of nonprofit fundraising, administration and management experience, and has been with Family Scholar House since 2015. She also brings a wealth of corporate experience, including national sales, management and strategic growth/business development to Family Scholar House.
Academic Coaches & Advocates
Our direct program staff works with our participants and families to support and empower as they pursue their educational, career and personal goals.
Community Engagement Team
These FSH staff members work with the community, sharing information and offering opportunities to help our participants and families.
Family Scholar House is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible.
