Steven Olender is an expert in federal child welfare and kinship policy. He has played a central role in advancing major bipartisan reforms, including the Family First Transition Act, the Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act, and the Supporting America’s Children and Families Act. He has served as Senior Advisor for Policy Innovation at Think of Us, helped direct the child welfare policy portfolio at the Children’s Defense Fund, and co-led the Child Welfare and Mental Health Coalition, an informal partnership of more than 200 organizations dedicated to child welfare reform. Steven has co-written numerous publications related to child welfare and kinship care, including Kin-Specific Foster Home Approval: Recommended Standards of National Organizations and Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act: A Technical Guide for Agencies, Policymakers, and Other Stakeholders. He currently serves as a Senior Fellow at Think of Us and a member of the Advisory Council for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.