2026 IYI's State of the Child

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2026 IYI's State of the Child —

2026 IYI’s State of the Child

Foellinger Foundation partnered with Indiana Youth Institute to present the 2026 State of the Child Allen County event, a data-driven exploration of the well-being of children and youth in the community. Held April 29 at McMillen Family Pavilion, the event convened frontline youth workers, educators, nonprofit leaders, funders, advocates, and decision-makers to examine where Allen County is making progress and where greater attention is needed. The program featured findings from the 2026 Indiana KIDS COUNT® Data Book across four areas—education, economic well-being, health, and family and community. Facilitated table conversations gave attendees opportunities to interpret the findings together, followed by a panel discussion with local education and community leaders. The event equipped participants with relevant data, encouraged cross-sector collaboration, and inspired informed action to improve outcomes for Allen County’s children and families.

The Basics

Date: April 29, 2026

Location: Fort Wayne, IN

Venue: McMillen Family Pavilion

Guest Count: 101

My Role

I led the end-to-end planning and execution of the State of the Child event, coordinating with Indiana Youth Institute and community partners to transform a data-centered program into an engaging and accessible attendee experience.

  • Developed and managed the planning timeline, budget, and event logistics.

  • Coordinated the venue, catering, audiovisual production, room layout, and event setup.

  • Managed registration, attendee communications, dietary needs, and on-site check-in.

  • Served as the primary liaison among Foundation staff, Indiana Youth Institute, panelists, vendors, and community partners.

  • Coordinated speaker and panelist details, presentation materials, and program requirements.

  • Planned the attendee experience, including networking, table conversations, program transitions, and resource distribution.

  • Reviewed and approved the event script and program design created in partnership with One Lucky Guitar.

  • Developed the run-of-show and led on-site execution, production cues, and troubleshooting.

  • Managed post-event follow-up, evaluation, and invoice reconciliation.

Event Materials

Check out some of my work!