Harris Voices: Kate Shannon Biddle, Dean of Students, on Including Women in Policy

As a part of Harris Public Policy’s celebration of Women's History Month, we asked members of the Harris Community about the role of women in public policy studies. These are their opinions and perspectives, informed by their own life experiences and worldviews (and do not necessarily reflect the views of Harris).

Women and gender minorities are essential in public policy. Their voices must be present to ensure that polices consider the needs of women and children. As we learned this year’s Harris Common Read, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez, so-called gender neutral policies often have different impacts on women than on men. Women need to have a full seat at the table and a strong voice in decision making, which is why I’m proud to work for a school that is preparing so many women for public policy careers.

About Kate Shannon Biddle

Kate Shannon Biddle serves as the Harris Dean of Students and oversees the Harris Student Affairs team. The Harris Student Affairs team is responsible for many functions that directly impact the student experience, including academic advising, enrollment and registration, new student orientation, student life initiatives, Harris student organization advising, the Mentor Program, the Common Read, the tutoring program, the Stata and R Bar, and many others. Our goal is to help students to make the most out of their time at Harris so that they can leave as policy professionals ready to make an impact on the real world. We aim to craft powerful learning opportunities outside the classroom, to create community among Harris students, and to implement efficient processes.

Kate previously worked for Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, where she advised master’s degree students and served as the point person for functions including new student orientation, admitted student visit events, student life, professional development programming, alumni outreach, and academic administration.

Kate has a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish from Cornell College and a master’s degree in higher education administration and policy from Northwestern University.