Groundwork Ohio Promotes Caitlin Feasby to Managing Director of Policy

July 8, 2026 – COLUMBUS, Ohio — Groundwork Ohio, the state’s leading policy and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the well-being of young children from the prenatal period through age five, is pleased to announce the promotion of Caitlin Feasby to Managing Director of Policy.

A member of Groundwork Ohio's leadership team, Caitlin has played an instrumental role in expanding the organization's policy leadership and impact across Ohio. Since joining Groundwork Ohio in 2023 as Statewide Safe Babies Coordinator, she has advanced through increasingly senior leadership positions, most recently serving as Senior Director of Policy.

During her tenure, Caitlin has strengthened Groundwork Ohio's policy portfolio by expanding the organization's leadership in maternal and infant health, infant and early childhood mental health, child welfare, economic stability, and early learning and child care policy. She has cultivated cross-sector partnerships, elevated Groundwork Ohio's presence in critical policy and systems-building conversations, and helped advance a more integrated approach to supporting young children and families.

Among her most notable accomplishments, Caitlin has helped position Ohio as a national leader in trauma prevention-focused approaches through the Safe Babies initiative. Working alongside local and national partners, she led the statewide evolution of Safe Babies beyond its traditional court-based model toward upstream prevention strategies that support families before crises occur. This work resulted in the nation's first Safe Babies partnership embedded within a health care system, creating new opportunities to identify and support families before child welfare involvement becomes necessary when it is safe to do so.

In her new role as Managing Director of Policy, Caitlin will work closely with the executive leadership team to advance Groundwork Ohio's policy agenda, oversee the organization's policy team, and play a key role in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and organizational growth. She will strengthen Groundwork Ohio's data-driven policy development,  elevate the organization's voice at the Statehouse, and champion evidence-based policy solutions that improve outcomes for Ohio's youngest children and their families.

"Caitlin has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for young children and families," said Lynanne Gutierrez, President and CEO of Groundwork Ohio. "Her unique combination of policy expertise, systems-thinking, and relationship-building has helped Groundwork Ohio expand our impact across multiple policy areas. As Managing Director of Policy, Caitlin will continue to strengthen our leadership role in Ohio and ensure that families and young children remain at the center of policy decisions that shape our state's future."

Caitlin's policy leadership is informed by years of experience in direct clinical practice and behavioral health program management. A licensed social worker and board-certified music therapist, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges families face and a passion for building systems that promote health, well-being, and opportunity for every child, regardless of income, geography, or circumstance.

"Groundwork Ohio has a long history of bringing together families, advocates, policymakers, and partners to advance meaningful change for young children," said Feasby. "I am honored to step into this role and continue building on that legacy. I look forward to working alongside our team and partners across Ohio to advance policies that ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive from the very beginning."

Learn more about Caitlin Feasby here.

Learn more about Groundwork Ohio’s team here. 

About Groundwork Ohio

Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age 5, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families, and communities. We advance quality early childhood systems in Ohio by engaging, educating, and mobilizing diverse stakeholders and strategic partners to promote data driven and evidence-based early childhood policies.