Benjamin Kauffman, M.S.

I am an A.B.D. Doctoral student working at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) in Olympia, WA. At L&I, I serve as the Organizational Development and Engagement Manager. In this role I lead programs, projects, and initiatives that are designed to foster a strong, healthy, and supportive organizational culture, and I serve as an internal consultant. During my tenure, I have helped the agency develop core values, revamped our annual employee engagement survey, designed a strategy that empowers teams to take action on their survey results, evaluated selection systems, implemented flexible work programs such as our Infants at Work and Flexible Customized Schedule programs, and conducted and led the response to organizational needs assessments which helped us understand how to support staff during the pandemic, among other things. I also have begun my dissertation research which is an evaluation study examining the individual and combined effects of a mindfulness skills training program and a financial incentive for physical activity on individual and organizational outcomes. In my spare time I enjoy exploring the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, playing soccer, working on house projects, and spending time with friends and family.