Ted Kniker
Executive Director
Ted.Kniker@PerformanceInstitute.org
Ted Kniker joined The Performance Institute in August 2011 as Executive Director.
Until 2011, Ted was an executive consultant with the Federal Consulting Group (FCG), a franchise operation of the U.S. Department of the Interior, which collaborates with all government agencies to improve their performance. With over 20 years of experience in federal government, he is a recognized expert in developing internal evaluation and monitoring capabilities and creating performance metrics and program evaluation strategies for hard to measure programs. In 2004, Ted was recognized by President George W. Bush for his contributions in budget and performance integration.
Ted consults with the senior leaders of cabinet departments and other Federal agencies to develop strategies for transforming their organizations using a systematic framework for performance excellence based on the Baldrige National Quality Program principles. His consultation areas of specialty include: Developing effective leaders, communications strategies, plans and methodologies, performance measurement and improvement, program evaluation, customer and public focus, strategic planning, business process improvement and reengineering, social media policy and usage, quality management, effective meeting administration, knowledge management, cultural change, and related topics. During Ted’s oversight, he tripled FCG’s consulting revenues, increased American Customer Satisfaction Index scores to the highest levels and expanded business offerings into social media, leadership resiliency, and knowledge retention.
Prior to joining FCG, Ted was the Chief of Evaluation and Performance Measurement for the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs from 1998 to 2006. Under his leadership, the evaluation office was recognized as a best practice and achieved the highest international affairs scores on the OMB Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). Ted also conceptualized and developed an integrative online performance measurement system that OMB recommended be used for all government exchange programs. In 2004, he was asked to serve as the Department’s first Director of Evaluation and Measurement for Public Diplomacy, directly serving the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. From 2002 through 2006, he formed the foundational approaches to evaluation that are being pursued today. Before this he served as the Senior Program Manager for European Academic Exchanges from 1992 through 1997 where he managed nearly 20 higher education exchange programs with the New Independent States, including fellowships for undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty/researchers. Several of those programs served as models for the State Department’s development of exchanges for the Middle East. Ted entered public service through the former United States Information Agency in 1989 as a Presidential Management Fellow, and specialized in introducing quality management principles and practices to the offices he served.
Ted received his Master’s degree in International Relations from George Washington University and his B.A. in political science from Grinnell College. In 2000, he obtained a certification as a Management Planning and Analysis Specialist and in 2004 graduated from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School’s Executive Potential Program. In 2004 and 2007, he served on the Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Additionally, Ted is a Green Belt in Six Sigma. Ted is a recipient of many awards from the agencies he has served. Ted also is an adjunct professional lecturer at American University.
Ted has been married 13 years to his wife Krista, who is the owner of a successful pet sitting company and a digital restoration company in Northern Virginia. They have a ten-year old daughter, Alexis, and recently adopted four-year-old son Nicholas from Russia.