At ECS, we’re so proud of our team that we want to keep bragging about them. Meet Karri Smith. She has over 16 years of experience in human services and performance management. Karri has a broad range of experience and expertise, has lived around the world, and landed on the fact that outcomes planning, data collection and reporting can be powerful tools for schools and other social service programs. She is a whiz at software acquisition and data analysis – and intuitive at knowing what people want, need, and envision.
Learn more about Karri and the unique perspective she brings to our work.
What is your professional background and experience?
A big advantage to my experience is that it’s pretty broad. I have a lot of specialties. I was a history major in college, then I moved to Germany for a year and later worked with an international sporting event. I lived in Japan as a child and have moved around a lot in the United States. My first professional position was with the 1990 Goodwill Games, exposing me to the meaning of diplomacy, as Russia and the US competed in Seattle. After that, I got into teaching at-risk youth and later became a school administrator with a focus on setting and tracking progress toward student and program outcomes.
Regardless of the position, I’ve always had an abiding interest in technology and utilization of software to demonstrate outcomes. I felt if I could combine technology with service, it would be the perfect fit. I took on an IT position at a YWCA and started to become even more involved in performance management. There, I gained in-depth experience with the ETO reporting tool.
After that, I was hired at Social Solutions and was responsible for helping organizations run their reports and ensure the data was correct. I also ran the training program on the software tools, wrote custom reports, and helped customers better understand the tool. I worked with Social Solutions for three years before joining the team at ECS.
I am excited to be part of this team because we are customer-driven experts who always deliver quality. They’re also a pleasure to work with.
Why is performance management valuable?
During my career, especially when working at a school and within a domestic violence program, there were a lot of success stories that I wanted to tell in different ways.
All performance management is not equal. It is important to pursue and track those elements of performance which are truly representative of the nature of a person, a program, or an organization and its specific goals. Just as all students are not the same, no nonprofit is like another and for good reason!
Performance management lets us tell and quantify those stories, monitor outcomes, and ensure programs are on track toward their goals. That’s extremely powerful.
What is your approach to working with customers?
First, I listen. Then, I identify their key goals and the elements of performance management or reporting that are most important to them. Next, I work with them to create a plan that matches their goals and priorities, one that is also efficient and easy-to-understand.
I’m good at helping people envision their ideas and goals clearly and concretely. My overarching goal is to have a thorough understanding what they want and need, then collaborate with them to ensure the goals are clearly articulated. Clear and direct communication, sometimes mediation and always keeping the best interests of clients front and center are my strategies for success.
Who or what inspires you?
At ECS, I am working with people who represent ideals and ambitious goals. They are committed to following their mission and beliefs. They are people who are genuinely passionate about improving the lives of others in tangible ways. Their passion ignites and inspires me.