About
Kate Duva O’Rourke
Welcome! I'm glad you're here.
I was born and raised in Shikaakwa, so-called Chicago, and now live on unceded Tohono O'odham and Pascua Yaqui lands - so-called Tucson, Arizona.
I've been writing, facilitating, and co-designing dynamic learning, leadership, and therapeutic programs with people of all ages and abilities for over 15 years. My work is inspired by somatics, the power of storytelling, the science of neuroplasticity, popular education (by the people, for the people), and lifelong learning in diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and transformative justice.
My approach is shaped by my background as a community organizer, adult educator, bilingual intergenerational special education teacher, developmental therapist, coach/mentor, team manager, and people leader. I'm also a published writer, interviewer, and public speaker. The greatest joy of my career so far was founding a multilingual, transdisciplinary social program, and working with institutional and community partners to co-design it and build it from the ground up.
Hiking the mountains of Bosnia, 2013
Chicago Newberry Soapbox Speech Champion, 2016
With my “spawn,” collecting squid for bioluminescence research, 2020
I love to get creative and help people learn, grow, and make meaningful, measurable changes. I have a passion for social and cohort-based learning to leverage and grow the talent and wisdom that teams already have - as well as for creating systems and structures to foster self-accountability and leadership development.
I take an ethical, human-centered approach to learning - and center equity and accessibility in my technology use. I enjoy creating eLearning and digital resources with Articulate Storyline and Rise, and I'm currently upskilling with Adobe Creative Suite, Camtasia, and other design and authoring tools. Check out my portfolio to learn more.
I operate from an awareness that we are living in turbulent times. Life is short, and we have precious little time to waste on meaningless work. Earth is changing so fast, it's hard to process it. Human health is changing, disability is on the rise, and society is undergoing seismic shifts.
More than ever, we need to practice authenticity and humility. We need to be creative, collaborative, agile, and open to emergent strategy. Let's make space to reflect together. To design a more sustainable world. And to build it, one small act at a time.
Kate Duva O'Rourke
Tucson, AZ | kate@prosocialpower.org | www.prosocialxd.com/portfolio
Human-centered learning designer, strategist, facilitator, award-winning writer and public speaker with 10+ years of experience innovating and managing training and leadership development projects. Lifelong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and culturally affirming practices. Proven success in program building, people leadership, authentic assessment and evaluation, establishing dynamic social learning systems, and developing accessible digital resources while fostering collaborative, welcoming environments.
Professional Experience
Instructional Designer and Training Strategist | January 2022 – Present
Self-employed | Tucson, AZ
● Strategizing for adult learning and performance improvement support: process consulting, SME collaboration, needs assessment and analysis, consensus building, action mapping, and backward design leveraging Kirkpatrick and ROI evaluation models to maximize organizational outcomes
● Designing, developing, and facilitating blended training campaigns including writing storyboards, scripts, scenario-based learning, job aids, facilitator guides, and project management plans; building toolkits, slide decks, and eLearning courses with Articulate Storyline, Rise, and Adobe Creative Suite
● Implementing robust accessibility plans leveraging universal design for learning and WCAG principles
● Designed and facilitated interactive vILTs and practice toolkits that resulted in 100% positive learner reactions, 91% career usefulness ratings, and 89% increase in knowledge and skills application
● Areas of specialty include social and cohort-based learning, leadership development, on-the-job performance support, and experiential, practice-based skills development
Community Organizer, Facilitator and Adult Educator | March 2016 – Present
Various employers | Various locations
● Design and facilitate restorative justice circles and digital toolkits for community building, conflict resolution, grassroots fundraising, and anti-racist and LGBTQIA+ affirming education
● Created and facilitated workshops and webinars on the global care economy at various Chicago locations, online with the Center for Partnership Systems, and at Commonbound with The New Economy Coalition in New York, fostering peer learning, advocacy skills, and strategy sessions
● Consulted with clients, designed and delivered customized workshops, managed communications, digital organizing, and data collection to advance economic education and promote fair labor practices for domestic employers with Hand in Hand (a partner of National Domestic Workers Alliance)
● Co-founded bilingual mutual aid network; facilitated Spanish/English language exchanges and conversational adult ESL classes, contributed to coalition building, raised funds and coordinated events and programming to promote legal awareness, equity, inclusion, and leadership development
Bilingual Special Educator, Team Manager and Developmental Therapist | January 2005 – June 2021
Chicago Public Schools, Beth Osten Clinic, and Illinois Early Intervention | Chicago, IL
● Designed authentic assessments and delivered dynamic, relationship-based, differentiated instruction, leveraging universal design, narrative strategies, gamification, sheltered instruction, and problem-based inquiry, empowering learners to meet or exceed over 98% of IEP goals; wrote data-driven reports and balanced multiple projects in fast-paced, high-change environments, in-person and virtual
● Conducted functional behavioral analyses; designed and implemented behavior intervention plans
● Facilitated meetings, coordinated teams, coached assistants, provided professional development on legal compliance and assistive technology, and facilitated intergenerational learning including client coaching and process consulting; managed projects utilizing principles of horizontal leadership and consensus decision-making to plan, organize, delegate, monitor progress, and resolve complex issues
Program Founder, Manager, and Curriculum Developer | June 2013 – August 2015
Albany Park Community Center and Erikson Institute | Chicago, IL
● Founded, managed, and facilitated a multicultural, intergenerational developmental therapy and caregiver support group based on popular education principles; co-designed learner-driven, participatory adult education built upon members’ goals, needs, and peer leadership skills; partnered with colleagues to design interactive adult education workshops for English language learners
● Recruited 40+ participants, designed and facilitated intake process, provided client support services, collaborated with Erikson Institute to mentor social work interns, developed qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods (surveys, interviews, focus groups), and generated research-based impact reports
● Received referrals from doctors who testified that the program accelerated patients’ development and boosted parent confidence and wellbeing; 100% of participants surveyed reported that they felt ownership of group processes; 100% reported that the program improved their children’s social skills and school readiness
Publications and Awards
● El Amor de la Comunidad, Resilience, 2017. Photo essay and bilingual interviews with Chicago (im)migrant parent educators and community organizers
● From Self-Defense to Self Determination, Transition Network, 2017. Interview with Aleta Alston-Touré on racial justice activism and organizing the first US intentional community led by Black women
● Domestic Workers Save Lives, MomsRising, 2017. Photo essay, interviews, and research on reproductive labor and the caring economy, commissioned by Domestic Employers Network
● Come for the Fun, Stay for the Revolution, Resilience, 2017. A roundup of grassroots groups who occupy sidewalks, streets, public parks and empty lots to bring intergenerational art and programming to people of all ages.
● Received multiple communications awards, including two Blue Mountain Center New York residencies for “transformative work that evinces social and ecological concern,” Columbia College Follett Graduate Fellowship for “outstanding writing,” First Prize, Chicago Newberry Soapbox Speech Award for engaging public speaking, and First Prize, Chicago Guild Complex Award for “outstanding prose”
Education
Restorative Justice Facilitation | Training with CJYI Chicago, TRHT, and Amplify RJ, 2021-2022
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing (Research & Public Speaking) | Follett Fellowship Award
Columbia College, Chicago, IL, 2015
Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education (Intergenerational Education & Assistive Technology)
Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL, 2011
Technical Skills
Articulate 360 Storyline and Rise, Adobe, Audacity, LMS management, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
Languages
English, Spanish (fluent)
For samples of my work in instructional design and eLearning development, visit my portfolio:
“The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it.”
James Baldwin
