Katherine Best

Katherine Best is the Program Coordinator for the Education and Training Center. In this position, her work focuses on projects at the intersection of criminal justice and food insecurity, coordinating partnerships internally with university students, faculty, and staff as well as working with external partners. Katherine also coordinates the Hunger Free Community Coalition Certificate Training Programs which guide communities through the five phases of creating and sustaining a coalition.

She was drawn to the work of the Baylor Collaborative by the desire to address systemic issues that led to previous clients’ experiences with food insecurity paired with her personal interest in sustainability/Creation care. Katherine has worked with children and adolescents in traditional and non-traditional school environments, with youth experiencing homelessness, and in behavioral health case management and crisis intervention in the Waco area. 

Katherine earned her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) with a minor in Poverty Studies and Social Justice from Baylor University. She then earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) from Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work and obtained her Texas social work licensure (LMSW) in June 2023.

Katherine resides in the Waco area and enjoys spending time outdoors and attending local events with loved ones.