Betty Jane Narver
Betty Jane Narver (1934-2001) was a senior research fellow at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. She was formerly the Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Management, a research unit within the Evans School. Narver's work covered education reform efforts within Washington and nationally as well as efforts to reform the welfare system. She conducted research on a number of national and state programs, particularly those dealing with social and health services, fiscal policy, and state growth management policy.
Much of Narver's work focused on workforce preparation, especially for traditionally underserved populations. She was appointed by three governors to serve as Chair of the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and was a member of the Governors' School to Work Task Force. Narver also served as Chair of the National Governor's Association's State Workforce Investment Board Chairs' Association. With support from the German Marshall Fund, she lead study teams from the Pacific Northwest to observe workforce preparation programs in Germany, Denmark and Sweden. She participated as a faculty member for the European Institute on Workforce Development.
Ms. Narver had a long involvement in city and regional issues. She was a past president of the Municipal League of King County, past chair of the Group Health Foundation Board, and a member of the Education Working Committee of the Washington Roundtable. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Seattle Public Library and was a Board member of its Foundation. Ms. Narver received the University of Washington's 1991 Outstanding Public Service Award. On the national level, she served on the Boards of the Urban Libraries Council, The Cross-City Campaign for Urban School Reform and the National Civic League.
Narver held an M.A. degree in classical Chinese language and literature from the University of Washington.
