Elizabeth has always valued the power of education, and she decided early on that her career would reflect that. Some years and plenty of impressive roles later, she’s now the senior manager of data and research for the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF). In addition to this full-time gig, she’s also an adjunct professor for Jacksonville University where she teaches Introduction to Public Policy and Writing for Public Policy for the undergrad and Master’s programs, respectively. Today, she shares her journey into academia, explains the importance of public policy and reminds us that we all have a voice—and it’s imperative that we use it. 

The Basics:

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Current city: Jacksonville, Florida
Alma mater: Jacksonville University; Florida Coastal School of Law
Degree: B.S., Economics; Master’s in Public Policy; Juris Doctor
Very first job: Shampoo girl and salon assistant
Hustle: Sr. Manager, Data and Research - Jacksonville Public Education Fund; Adjunct Professor, Public Policy - Jacksonville University

The Interests:

Babe you admire and why?
If I have to pick just one, I would say Melinda Gates. I really admire that she worked her way up through a largely male-dominated field. When she decided to have a family, she scaled back her work in order to focus on raising her children. Now she is an incredible philanthropist and advocate, who heavily relies on data-driven and scientific solutions to literally make the world a better place.

How do you spend your ‘free’ time?
Now that my wedding has been executed and the Jaguars season is over, I am catching up on sleep and personal reading. I have a huge stack of books that has been accumulating over the last nine months that I’m looking forward to tackling.

Favorite fictional female character? Why?
Hermione Granger. She is absolutely brilliant, dedicated to doing what is right, and an unfailingly loyal friend. She goes on to marry someone who balances her out and becomes Minister of Magic (a presidential equivalent). I have identified with different parts of her character as I have grown up and always felt she was the most relatable for me.

Current power anthem?
“Don’t You Forget About Me,” by Simple Minds (I always go full Nelson at the end), or anything Lizzo.

What’s something most don’t know about you?
I really enjoy playing video games, but I am really picky in my style of game play and get in moods where I binge-play and then don’t touch it for months.

The Hustle:

Tell us about your hustle.
As the senior manager of data and research for the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF), I conduct research, develop data analysis and evaluate JPEF’s strategic programs. The research component of my job supports JPEF’s strategic programs by ensuring we’re targeting the issues that require our investment for improvement. I also conduct ad hoc research for any issues that might pop up in the education realm. I spend most of my time collecting and analyzing data, and keeping abreast of best practices in education policy. In addition to my full time job at JPEF, I am also an adjunct professor for Jacksonville University (JU). I teach Introduction to Public Policy for the undergraduate minor in public policy, and writing for public policy in the Master in Public Policy (MPP) program. I was able to write both of these courses from scratch, and try to make each course practical by sharing my professional experiences with my students. It is an honor and privilege to give back to my alma mater in the process.

What does your typical workday look like?
My typical workday usually starts with catching up on news related to education policy on the local, state, and federal levels. Then, I usually check for new data or reports that focus on JPEF’s programs and investments—school and teacher leadership, teacher retention, mobilizing the community and parents to advocate for education, and empowering education stakeholders and policymakers with information. There are also lots or partnership, program, and strategic meetings I participate in throughout the day. My current class is scheduled for Thursday evenings, so I leave JPEF and head to JU to teach a class for several hours. Class prep and grading is usually done on weekends. 

Which came first: your desire to work in public policy or our interest in education?
I would have to say higher education. I have always really loved learning, particularly reading to learn. My mom instilled in me early that education is something no one can ever take away from you, so I have always sought to learn as much as possible. I knew early on I was going to pursue higher education and some form of professional school. That said, ever since I can remember I have wanted to make the world a better place. I always thought that meant running for political office and so many politicians have law degrees, that it seemed like a natural fit. It wasn’t until my first year of law school when my MPP program director, Rick Mullaney, came into one of my classrooms to talk about the new MPP-JD program that I learned public policy was an entire field. I finally felt like I had found my calling and my people, and I have been enthralled ever since. My plan was to return to higher education as a faculty member after my adventures in policy, and that opportunity came a lot earlier in my career than I expected.

Tell us about your journey in academia.
I spent a lot of time and money on school, and I loved it because I felt like it was the thing I was best at for a long time. In high school, I took AP and IB courses to prepare for college. I fell in love with economics during my senior year of high school, and since my plan was to go to law school after getting my bachelor’s, it seemed like a good subject to major in. It challenged me to think critically about decision-making and the consequences of those decisions. It also fit naturally with my passion for politics, because economics underlies all policy decisions: what programs to fund, at what level of funding, and for how long. I went to law school with the plan to practice corporate law and then run for public office. While I loved learning the law and being challenged by legal study, I didn’t love the lifestyle and repetitive nature inherent in the practice of law. That was about the time the MPP program was being created at Jacksonville University, and I had the opportunity to join the inaugural cohort. This was my turning point academically, and brought together so many of the skills and interests I had developed at that point. I decided I would use my legal education to enhance my value within the public policy realm, where I wanted to focus on research and advocacy. My advice for other women pursuing rigorous educational paths to make sure it’s something you’re passionate about and enjoy. Don’t be afraid to change your mind about what you want to study, even if you have already invested time and money in something else. You are going to be so much happier and learn so much more if you are focused on something that inspires you. And don’t be afraid it’s too late to go back to school and transition to a new career! There were a good number of mid-career professionals in my law school cohort, and many of my current graduate students are as well. I admire them for taking a step back and jumping into something new and more fulfilling.

Break it down for us laymen: what is public policy?
Public policy is any action (or inaction) taken by the government to solve a public problem. It touches everything that we do, every day. Most people think of public policy in terms of the law, which is the most formal expression of public policy. But it is also administrative rules, court decisions, and investments in programs and solutions. To me, policy is about problem-solving, and that’s why I love it. Policy is all about identifying problems affecting your community, your family, or yourself, and figuring out how to solve them. What level of government is most appropriate or effective in a given area? Is the policy inclusive and enduring? Every person has the opportunity and access to get involved in the process and make a difference, and seeing lives in your community get better because of that work is one of the best feelings.

Tell us about the role of public policy in the education system.
One of the biggest challenges in education policy is the lack of understanding or appreciation of the limitations of school districts. Most people think a local school board or individual school has much more autonomy than they do to make decisions. State and federal government dictate so much of education policy, from curriculum standards to budget, that most of the change most people want (or think should occur) simply isn’t feasible. Energy is so much better spent understanding what solutions will work within the existing policy scheme. The other major challenge is that learning is so unique - very few universal policies work for every student. Every student comes to school with a host of needs that go beyond what most people think of as “education,” and we have to understand those needs (and meet them) before a student is prepared to actually learn. If you want to help promote education policy, just get involved. Take the time to learn about the issues and what is causing them, and advocate for the solutions. Advocate for more autonomy for local districts because they are the ones who know their schools and students best, and are in the best position to serve them.

What’s something you’ve learned from others in your industry that’s influenced your own process?
My various experiences have all demonstrated two commonalities: (1) Data is key. Utilizing the right data, at the right time and truly listening to what it says is important. Following data-driven strategies often leads to the strongest outcomes, but only if you’re using data in the right way. I tell my students to be critical of data sources and how data is being used, because it can be so easily manipulated to support a certain narrative. (2) There are people behind the data. Understanding who they are and how policy actions impact their real lives is so important. Understanding this makes for more effective and inclusive public policy, and helps generate buy-in, which ultimately leads to the success of a policy.

What’s been your biggest career milestone?
As an MPP student, I interned with JPEF, where I developed what would become my graduate capstone research. I spent a year developing research and recommendations on the capital infrastructure of Duval County Public Schools (DCPS). Despite the relevance of the research, the timing wasn’t right—until 2019. The School Board decided to go full-on with a new master plan and funding source—that aligned with my recommendations. I had the opportunity to be interviewed on one of our local news stations as an “expert” on the topic, and that represented a big milestone for me, and the culmination of so much work and growth I have done over the last five years. It validated me as a research and policy advocate in a much-needed way, and empowered me to keep pushing on the topics that are important to me. To be able to return to JPEF and do this work full-time feels amazing.

How has being a woman affected your professional experience?
Sometimes being a woman in the public policy industry feels lonely and difficult, as if I have to work twice as hard as a male colleague to be taken seriously. I have been in presentations or meetings where I am the only—or one of a few—women at the table who are explaining the research and reasons why a decision is the right one, and felt like no one is listening—only to hear all of the same facts repeated by a male colleague with less knowledge or experience a few minutes later, and receive validation from everyone else in the room. As a community and a society, we need to give women more equity in policy. Don’t just have them in the room, but listen to what they have to say. Value the fact that they can be experts too, and trust their opinions and research. I think the most recent federal elections were a step in the right direction. But if women don’t feel empowered to speak up and make change once they get into the public office—or the corner office, or the conference room—it is as if they aren’t there at all.

What’s the gender ratio like in your industry? Do you see it evolving?
I think the ratio is more equal in academia, but public policy tends to be more male-dominated. I am so excited to work for a nonprofit with a majority of female employees. But I think this has much more to do with our nonprofit status than our public policy work. While women are increasingly entering the policy industry, my sense is that it takes women longer to advance. I also see that certain career paths are more difficult for women to pursue within public policy. Many women end up in the nonprofit industry influencing policy or conducting research to support it, but there are fewer in the traditional roles, like public office or lobbying. I see this improving as more women speak out and gain the confidence to run for office and promote women-first policy.

Are you involved with any other side projects?
I just finished my second year on the board of directors for ImpactJAX, the young professionals’ arm of the JAX Chamber. Last year, I was the public policy committee chair and led the committee through planning and event execution for the benefit of our membership. Our “State of Jax” series brought together experts in various policy areas to talk about changes and inform our members how to get involved. Being policy chair gave me an opportunity to give back to my community, while growing my network and leadership skills. This role has already taught me so much about delegation or group dynamics. I stepped away from board leadership to focus on teaching and further developing some of those skills.

Who are some women in your field you look to for inspiration?
There are so many! Melinda Gates is definitely one; she recently wrote a book focused on lifting and empowering other women because it makes our whole world a better place. Many of my policy “sheroes” are here in Jacksonville:  Jeanne Miller, president and CEO of the Jacksonville Civic Council (and my former boss), is a big inspiration to me. She has the behemoth task of wrangling a group of engaged and policy-minded business leaders (many of whom are male) to drive strategic policy outcomes, all while rocking some of the most fabulous shoes I’ve ever seen. Lori Boyer, former city council member and Downtown Investment Authority CEO, inspires me with her passion for this community and her dedication to learning as much as she can to drive better community outcomes is admirable.

Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Be yourself, know your worth, and follow your heart. If you do all three of these, you will end up in a career you love and that brings you joy.

Connect with Elizabeth:

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This interview has been condensed and edited.

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