Lydia F. Hall, M.A.
Two key ideas have driven Lydia throughout her career: People have the power to make the government work for them, and their voices and perspectives matter to policymakers. Given her background in advocacy, graduate studies in education policy, and time spent working on education issues (early childhood through postsecondary) on the Hill, Lydia brings a unique mix of policy and advocacy expertise to her work. She is passionate about ensuring that every child, regardless of socioeconomic status, has access to quality educational (and career) opportunities; further, she firmly believes that this requires a holistic approach, and that technology plays a vital role in making these expanded opportunities a reality.
Lydia spent two years working for Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH); along with managing an extensive portfolio of other legislative issues, she served as the office’s lead point of contact for education policy. In 2015, she formulated and drafted Rep. Kuster’s College Affordability Agenda, which was comprised of legislation not only addressing the cost of higher education, but also encouraging legislative action on the workforce development side. She also worked to build the Congresswoman’s task force focused on combating sexual assault, and, in 2016, conceptualized, drafted, and garnered stakeholder support for the Early STEM Achievement Act—legislation aimed at promoting STEM education in early childhood.
Lydia graduated from Columbia University in May of 2013 with an M.A. in sociology and education (concentration in policy). Her graduate work gave her a deep understanding both of the societal roots of inequity in the United States as well as of current policy issues, and allowed her to further develop her analytical and research skills. Prior to that, Lydia worked in the government relations practice group of Drinker Biddle & Reath in Washington, D.C., where she helped to plan grassroots Hill days and advise clients on outreach strategies. She received her undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Tufts University in 2008 (major in art history, minor in communications and media studies).
A native of New England, Lydia currently resides in Washington, D.C., where she works as a writer, editor, and consultant. In 2017, she joined the advisory board of Emerging Rule, an educational technology startup, where she provides guidance on policy issues. Previously, she lived in New York City, where she was involved with the Manhattan Young Democrats, serving on both the Education Committee and the Policy Committee. In September 2013, Lydia was elected to serve on the Manhattan County Democratic Committee.
Given her work on health and education policy, Lydia seeks to explore ways in which the health care and education sectors can work together to create better outcomes and opportunities for children, families, and communities. In her free time, she is also at work on her first novel.