How Katrina Roebuck’s Relentless Drive is Contributing to Social Innovation
It’s great to see how in America, a new wave of leaders is reshaping the city’s response to social challenges. These are innovations that don’t just talk policy; some leaders take a keen interest in building bridges for future social innovations. These leaders are determined and compassionate about bringing communities together, working on technology, and systematic thinking. One such advocate, Katrina Pratt Roebuck, has been working towards this cause for over two decades. She has been an unstoppable force, weaving together housing, education, and digital equity to strengthen the United States’ social fabric.
Roebuck was raised in Philadelphia, and her path was grounded early in education and service. She graduated from Julia R. Masterman High School and earned a degree in psychology from Howard University, later completing her MBA at LaSalle University. Her career took off exponentially with the blend of insights into human behavior and business strategy.
To Make A Change
Katrina entered the city’s social service sector with immense determination, and by 2006, she became Assistant Managing Director in the Office of Homeless Services (formerly the Office of Supportive Housing). The leadership role she played was remarkable, and her focus shifted from band-aid solutions to long-term stability. Her groundbreaking work became prominent between 2009 and 2012, leading the Philadelphia Homeless Prevention Program. The program helped 5,000+ households avoid and/or leave homelessness, which is a significant achievement that warrants a great deal of appreciation. This model led the Office of Supportive Housing to earn national recognition from HUD as setting forth several best practices. Roebuck then carried the same momentum into the veteran homelessness reduction effort in 2012, where she helped Philadelphia meet the benchmarks set by the Obama administration.
Connecting Systems
Roebuck expanded her impact from 2015 to 2018, and as a Director of Policy and Planning for the Office of Housing and Community Development, she worked on increasing equity in affordable housing, supported national efforts through HUD’s Choice Neighborhood Program to break cycles of poverty for households living in Public Housing. Later, as a Deputy Executive Director at the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, she led collective strategies and alignment programs around food access, workforce pathways, early childhood education, and senior services. In 2018 -2019, she also joined the Mayor’s office of Education to oversee Out-of-School Time Programs, helping to expand the Philly Reading Coaches program from 3 to 19 locations over 18 months. Through Katrina’s work, she has become known as someone who could bring policy, people, and systems in a single line.
Technology with a Human Touch
Roebuck has an innovative mindset; therefore, when she saw a recurring problem among frontline workers and families related to fragmented resource systems, she came up with a great solution. Uplifme was introduced as a digital resource hub designed to put real-time information about food pantries, emergency housing, mental healthcare, and job training directly in the hands of those who were in dire need of it. This initiative was launched in 2020 and has become a lifeline for families in crisis. For the overworked nonprofit staff, it provides an essential tool and resource to help the people they serve. Uplifme became more than just a simple platform- a symbol of dignity in service delivery.
Empowering played Right
Roebuck’s drive to do more for vulnerable populations led to the creation of the Uplifme Resource Hub (URH) and the Uplifme Institute, which expanded her vision. Therefore, her innovation wasn’t just a service but a support system to people who needed it. Through its executive coaching, leadership training, and professional development, Roebuck equips social workers, case managers, and nonprofit leaders to increase their effectiveness while maintaining their wellness, so that they can sustain their purpose.
Roebuck believed in a single principle: systems should work for people, not against them, which is true to a great extent. Whether an individual sits at a government office or a startup, her motive is to build values like dignity, equity, and care.
A Lasting Impact
Roebuck charted a different strategy that helped people connect, rebuild, and attain what was best for them. She built a solution that was meant to last, and successfully; her impact was not only seen in the programs she led, but also in the lives of thousands of people.