Meet Our Team

Kristie Oliver, Executive Director

Kristie Oliver has served as the Executive Director of the Coalition for Family & Children's Services in Iowa since March of 2009. As Executive Director, she serves as the chief executive of the Coalition with administrative and executive responsibility for all the Coalition's affairs, activities, and programs. Kristie has worked in the health care field (senior living to child and family services) for much of her professional career. As a licensed attorney, Kristie has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and a Juris Doctorate from Drake University.

Her professional career includes serving as government relations liaison, lobbyist and staff attorney with the Iowa Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (now Leading Age Iowa), Compliance Coordinator for Life Care Services and Assistant State's Attorney from Rock Island County, IL.

Kristie is a native Iowan who enjoys meeting new people, reading, the Iowa seasons, the Iowa Hawkeyes and spending time with family, especially her husband and two dogs.

Ashley Johnson, Director of Learning & Evaluation

Ashley Johnson joined the Coalition for Family & Children Services in Iowa in June 2024, bringing with her a master’s degree in social work and more than nine years of specialized experience in training, coaching, and program development.
Her commitment to advancing child welfare and systemic change is evident through her extensive work across multiple states and her recent completion of a Field Practicum at Ellipsis, a coalition member, where she was able to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to assess agencies' needs and helped identify opportunities for collaboration.
She also has extensive experience in youth program development, having worked at the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Born in Iowa and later relocating across four states due to her husband's military service, Ashley and her family have now settled in Grimes, Iowa. In her leisure time, she enjoys quality moments with her family, passionately supporting Iowa State University, and enjoys reading a good book.

Katie Lucas, Child Welfare Provider Training Academy Coordinator

Katie Lucas joined the Coalition for Family & Children’s Services in Iowa and the Child Welfare Provider Training Academy in November 2020. Katie spent almost 10 years as an FSRP In-Home Counselor and FSRP In-Home Counseling Supervisor at Children & Families of Iowa. While there, Katie supervised visits, attended court hearings, helped advocate for the families she served, and supervised a number of staff. Katie has a passion for social work and helping to reunite families. Katie has a B.A. in Family Services from the University of Northern Iowa.

Katie was born and raised in southern Iowa but now loves living in Des Moines! She enjoys reading, spending time with her new husband and their cat, Harley and dog, Remmy. Katie also has a passion for celebrating each and every holiday!