LISC Policy Team

Matt manages the team that responsible for developing LISC’s federal policy agenda; communicating this agenda to LISC employees, board members, funders, and other stakeholders; and pursuing this agenda through engagement with members of Congress and other federal officials. Before coming to LISC in 2012, Matt worked for 13 years at the U.S. Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, where he coordinated policy development and implementation. He holds a B.A. from Emory University, and a M.P.P. from the University of California at Berkeley.

With two decades of public policy experience, Nicole Elizabeth Barcliff joined LISC in November 2012. As a Senior Policy Director, she advocates for federal policies that support LISC’s mission to forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Nicole works closely with LISC national programs, LISC local offices, and a broad cross-sector of organizations to develop legislation and implement policy advocacy agendas that promote access to equitable opportunity in local communities. Her priority policy areas include safety and justice, health, and child care and early learning. Prior to joining LISC, Nicole held various positions that helped shape her federal policy expertise, including serving as Legislative Director for a member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives, Vice President for Education Affairs at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and Senior Associate for Government Relations at the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Tanya directs grassroots advocacy campaigns to promote LISC’s policy agenda; develops advocacy tools for LISC’s local office network and Rural LISC members; and develops policy communications tools. She also oversees policy-related external sponsorships. Before LISC, she spent 12 years at Safe Kids Worldwide, a child safety nonprofit based at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Previously, she was at the Center for Women Policy Studies; a legislative consulting firm; and the New York State Assembly. She has a B.A. in Policy Studies and English from Syracuse University and a M.P.A. with a concentration in Policy Analysis from American University.

Mark advocates for federal policies that support LISC’s national priorities, including affordable housing, rural development, community development financial institutions, and sustainability. Before LISC, Mark worked as the Policy Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs and also worked for over seven years at the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Mark managed affordable housing and community development programs at the District of Columbia’s Department of Housing and Community Development and held multiple positions at the Housing Assistance Council, a national rural affordable housing organization. Mark earned his B.A. from the University of Florida and M.S.W. from the University of Michigan.

Lauren advocates for federal policies that support LISC’s work, including economic development and small business, family income and wealth building, and AmeriCorps. Prior to joining LISC, Lauren founded Healthy Community Strategies, LLC and provided strategic communications and advocacy consulting services to mission-driven clients focused on promoting thriving communities. She previously held leadership roles at Families USA, a national health advocacy organization, and Accion, a national network of small business community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Lauren holds an M.S. in Health Policy from the George Washington University and a B.A. in Government and Spanish from Dartmouth College.

Jocelyn supports the LISC Policy’s advocacy outreach efforts and housing policy portfolio, among other issues. She also administers meetings with Capitol Hill staffers to promote LISC’s policy priorities. Jocelyn is passionate about non-profits that are dedicated to promoting policy issues in support of marginalized communities. Previously, she was with the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators where she provided policy research assistance to Hispanic state legislators on primarily Latinx issues. She has a B.A. in CLEG (Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics, Government) and a Politics, Policy, and Law certificate from American University.