Shannon Kolman In her role as a policy specialist in the Health Program, Shannon Kolman serves as a subject matter expert on public health topics. She has more than 25 years of experience working in the fields of public health and community health.... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Health
Alyssa Vigil Alyssa Vigil is a program coordinator at NCSL, where she supports the Criminal and Civil Justice Program. Previously, Vigil worked in administrative support and research roles for the University of Colorado Boulder. She earned a... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice
Kendall Speer As a policy associate, Kendall Speer supports the Health Program’s maternal and child health, children’s oral health and women’s reproductive health portfolio. Prior to joining NCSL, Speer was a student at Boston University... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Health
Emily Sampson As a policy analyst, Emily Sampson supports environmental health and resilience matters within the Environment, Energy and Transportation Program. She also served as a legislative assistant and then committee clerk with the Hawaii state... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Environment, Energy & Transportation
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
Kaylee Pickinpaugh Kaylee Pickinpaugh contributes the Center for Results-Driven Governing team by writing publications, responding to research requests, helping facilitate meetings and providing digital coordination support. Prior to joining NCSL,... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Center for Results-Driven Governing
Beatrice O’Connor As a policy associate, Beatrice O’Connor supports the Environment, Energy and Transportation Program by conducting environmental and water policy research. Prior to joining NCSL, O’Connor worked as a research assistant, legal... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Environment, Energy & Transportation
Adam Kuckuk As a policy analyst, Adam Kuckuk’s research focuses on elections and redistricting. Prior to joining NCSL, Kuckuk was a campaign manager for a Wisconsin state assembly race and has a background in working for several organizations focused... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Elections & Redistricting
Katie King As a policy analyst in the Elections and Redistricting Program, Katie King researches election administration, statewide ballot measures, redistricting and campaign finance. Prior to her time at NCSL, King worked in U.S. Sen. Michael... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Elections & Redistricting
Hannah Ditzenberger As a policy associate, Hannah Ditzenberger researches a variety of issues related to children, youth and families. Ditzenberger comes to NCSL with experience in local government, child maltreatment prevention and communications. She studied... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Children & Families
Austin Igleheart Austin Igleheart serves as a policy specialist with NCSL’s Energy, Environment, and Transportation Program. He conducts policy research relating to electric and alternative fuel vehicles, energy security and resilience and energy storage,... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Environment, Energy & Transportation
Rory Regan As associate director for grants and contracts, Rory Regan is responsible for collaborating on and supporting fundraising through grants and contracts across NCSL. Prior to joining NCSL, Regan worked at the City and County of Denver as a federal... Staff Directory, Research & Policy
Betsy Smith Betsy Smith’s research focuses on energy and environmental policy issues. She comes to NCSL with experience in research examining policy topics involving natural disasters, public lands and environmental justice. Prior to NCSL,... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Environment, Energy & Transportation
Flora Fouladi As a policy analyst, Flora Fouladi works on public health issues with a focus on children and youth with special health care needs, adolescent health and child nutrition. Prior to joining NCSL, Fouladi worked as a legislative assistant for the... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Health
Mia Geoly As a policy analyst, Mia Geoly researches and writes about transportation policy for NCSL. Prior to joining NCSL, she spent time working in the Colorado General Assembly. Geoly earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Denver... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Environment, Energy & Transportation
Laurel Stiegler As senior program coordinator for the Fiscal Affairs Program, Laurel Stiegler coordinates invitations, follow up and logistics for invitational meetings sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts. She has 30-plus years of experience in the... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Fiscal
Heather Hanna Heather Hanna serves as an associate director in the Children and Families Program. She leads work focused on child and family well-being including economic security and mobility, housing and homelessness, food security and child support and... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Children & Families
Cameron Rifkin Cameron Rifkin is a policy associate covering topics related to housing and homelessness, economic mobility, child support and family law. Prior to joining NCSL in July 2021, he earned a master’s degree in social work and worked in diverse... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Children & Families
Annie Miller As a policy analyst, Annie Miller supports the Employment, Labor and Retirement Program by contributing to research on workforce development and occupational licensing policy. Prior to joining NCSL, Miller served the City and County of... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Employment, Labor & Retirement
Leo Garcia As a policy analyst in NCSL’s Fiscal Affairs Program, Leo Garcia researches fiscal policy and economic development. Previously, Garcia worked as a legislative aide in the Texas House of Representatives. He earned his bachelor’s in... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Fiscal
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
Jackson Brainerd Jackson Brainerd is a program principal in NCSL’s Fiscal Affairs Program overseeing state tax, economic development and gambling policy. He also staffs NCSL’s Task Force on State and Local Taxation and its Budgets and Revenue Standing... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Fiscal
Kelly Hughes As an associate director in NCSL’s Health Program, Kelly Hughes oversees staff and projects related to health access, costs and coverage issues. Hughes brings nearly two decades of professional experience in federal and state government,... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Health
Laura Carper Laura Carper supports NCSL’s Criminal and Civil Justice Program. Previously, Carper worked in administrative support roles for Xerox and RE/MAX Alliance. She earned a bachelor’s in technical journalism from Colorado State... Staff Directory, Research & Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice