Hi, I’m Diana Harlick

I am an action oriented leader who has spent the last three decades leveraging policy and funding opportunities to scale evidence- and research-based programs for young children and their families in California.  My passion is to incubate and operationalize novel projects.  I have launched and led multiple public education, health and human services equity initiatives that have resulted in measurable impacts on child outcomes. Due to my background across spheres – including grantmaking, data development, budget management, and program development – I have the unique ability to combine high quality program development with operational efficiency.

Signature Projects

Grants

  • Co-led and facilitated community, multi-sector planning process for The Big Lift early literacy initiative and wrote the county’s plan to the Board of Supervisors, resulting in $10 million in start-up funding and launch of the initiative

  • Designed and conducted original research project on children with special needs resulting in multi-million, ongoing countywide initiative

  • Led the design of and secured funding for the First 5 Service Corps countywide initiative

  • Secured $750,000 for the San Mateo-Foster City Community Education Foundation

Program Evaluation

  • Led the design and implementation of the evaluation of The Big Lift early literacy initiative

  • Co-led design and implementation of the Preschool for All program evaluation, a joint project of San Mateo and San Francisco Counties.

  • Co-led regional symposium on preschool evaluation design with national researchers in partnership with Deanna Gomby Consulting

Program Development

  • Worked within a politicized partner structure to launch five evidence- and research-based initiatives in five years: Great First 8, Reading Corps, SEEDS for Learning, Ready4k!, and Play to Grow

  • Designed, launched, and oversaw an early childhood integrated data strategy spanning 8 school districts and crossing preschool to third grade, allowing real time data to be leveraged for change

  • Facilitated multiple community and district collaborative processes to select valid and reliable early childhood (preschool to third grade) student assessments

  • Developed and launched comprehensive parent education curriculum and trained community partners in its use

Operations

  • Managed coaching systems and approaches for 100 preschool classrooms

  • Developed an integrated budgeting strategy for 20+ department grants totaling $18 million, resulting in aligned fiscal planning and braiding of funding streams

  • Developed longterm fiscal projections for multiple universal preschool initiatives

  • Maintained website with up-to-date program information