Lauren Gendill As a policy analyst, Lauren Gendill researches K-12 education policy topics such as school meals, special education, technology and digital learning. Prior to joining NCSL, Gendill was a legislative intern at the Colorado General Assembly. She... Research & Policy, Education
Leila Reynolds As a program coordinator, Leila Reynolds supports the Education team. Prior to joining NCSL, Reynolds spent four years working for the state of Utah, first at the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel and then at the... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Michelle Exstrom As director of NCSL’s Education Program, Michelle Exstrom oversees the organization’s work on state education policy. Exstrom has over 25 years of experience working with state legislators at NCSL and in Colorado’s Office of... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Ashley Wallace As an associate director in the Education Program, Ashley Wallace leads NCSL’s work on afterschool, summer learning, student mental health, social and emotional learning, and other whole child education policy topics. Before joining NCSL in... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Daniel Thatcher As a senior fellow in NCSL’s Education Program, Daniel Thatcher researches K-12 education finance systems. Thatcher is a trusted, bipartisan resource on education finance and has worked with legislators in all 50 states. He has been cited... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Autumn Rivera As a policy specialist in NCSL’s Education Program, Autumn Rivera focuses on policy issues related to afterschool, summer learning, LGBTQ+ students, whole child learning and school climate. Rivera comes to NCSL with experience working in... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Molly Gold As a program principal in the Education Program, Molly Gold focuses on teacher, school leader, and school governance policy. Prior to joining NCSL, Gold worked as a high school English teacher and department chair and as an analyst with the... Staff Directory, Education
Sunny Deye Sunny Deye is an associate director in NCSL’s Education Program and serves as the liaison to her home state of Oregon. Deye leads the postsecondary education team in tracking and analyzing legislation in all 50 states, publishing state... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Patrick Lyons Patrick Lyons is a policy specialist focused on prekindergarten to third grade education policy. Patrick facilitates the State Policy and Research in Early Education workgroup and focuses on issues such as school readiness, the early childhood... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education
Andrew Smalley As a senior policy specialist, Andrew Smalley works on postsecondary education topics and legislative tracking at NCSL. Prior to joining NCSL, he was a legislative intern for three years at the Colorado General Assembly, working with legislators... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Education