This week, I joined the ACTE team as the new Government Relations Manager. I will be the association’s primary lobbyist, working alongside the public policy team to advocate for CTE priorities on Capitol Hill and with the Administration. Specifically, I will be focused on CTE funding through the federal budget and appropriations process as well as issues falling under the House Education and the Workforce Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. I will also be working on CTE issues pertaining to the Departments of Education and Labor. I am honored to be advocating for ACTE’s members, and I look forward to meeting everyone. I wanted to take a moment today to introduce myself to you in my first blog post.
Before joining ACTE, I was a public policy specialist for Bose Public Affairs Group. At Bose, I assisted clients with their legislative strategies before Congress, planning and executing their fly-ins, producing publications for association clients, communicating to clients on relevant breaking news and reporting on all votes that members of Congress took. I was fortunate to be able to build many relationships with Members of Congress and their staff, and I hope to be able to translate those relationships into success for ACTE members.
I first started working in postsecondary education policy through Bose. I assisted many clients that were engaged in higher education topics, including reforming the federal student loan process. This was my first experience in education policy, and it was a vital experience for me as I realized my passion for education. The clients that I worked for all inevitably had one mission, which was to improve access to higher education. I am particularly excited to join ACTE because I truly believe in the value that CTE provides all learners.
Upon graduating from Dickinson College in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in political science, I began my career in the political world as an associate for Next Level Partners and eventually Capitol Compliance Associates. Both firms helped campaigns with their Federal Election Commissions compliance. It was through these experiences that I realized my true passion came from policy and the legislative process.
In 2019, I made the decision to leave Capitol Compliance for an internship with my hometown Congressman, John Sarbanes (D-MD). I served in his office as a legislative intern where I listened to the concerns of his constituents and performed research on a variety of topics. At the beginning of 2020, I moved to the office of Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) as a press intern. As his press intern, I was responsible for writing press releases for all of his work on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In addition to my professional experience, I am also working toward my master’s degree in public policy from American University. I expect to complete this degree in December 2023.
I look forward to championing CTE on behalf of our members to help ensure that we provide generations to come with the skills they need to succeed in the modern workforce. If I can be a resource to you, please do not hesitate to reach out at [email protected] or at 703-683-9315 ext. 316.
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