An Interview with SMI Senior Advisor Aura Dunn
10/8/10
What is your background, and what led you to work in education/policy? With a Master's Degree in Public Administration, I headed to Capitol Hill, knowing I wanted to work on domestic and social policy issues. And like most Legislative Aides on Capitol Hill, you have a portfolio of 10 or more policy issues to work on any given day. So, in between advising the Congressman on Veterans' Affairs, the Environmental Protection Act, and Renewable Energy, I found I enjoyed working on education policy the most. I went on to work in the Senate on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee where my chief responsibility was analyzing and preparing the education budget. How has your transition been from the public to the private sector? I've been in the private sector for ten years now and find it very fulfilling in that you really move closer to the issues, the causes, and the process. Being there during the research and development with a client all the way to implementation such as visiting with students who are benefiting from a federally-backed program is very rewarding. Sure, at first, you have to realize "I'm on a new team now" and I'm not in the decision-making seat-that can be tough. But, in the end, I know what that decision maker is looking for and what he or she needs to support a project, and it's very exciting to be the person behind it all. What does your work as an Advisor to SMI involve and how have you been able to use your expertise to assist SMI clients? I've served as an Advisor to SMI since 2003 and have worked on a variety of successful projects-many education-related but also through the Defense Appropriations process. I bring with me a different knowledge and contact base, which I believe has been a value-add to the SMI team and ultimately of course, the very organizations and companies we are helping to navigate the federal government. Do you foresee any future challenges or opportunities in doing business with the Federal Government? We are all too familiar with the issue of diminishing resources on all levels of government - local, state and federal. For the education arena, the added challenge is that many of the U.S. Department of Education's existing programs and authorities allocate the bulk of federal funds through state agencies rather than directly out of the Department. What advice would you give SMI clients hoping to conduct business with the Federal Government? The other side of the coin, however, presents many opportunities for the organization that has aninnovative and proven way to tackle the unmet policy needs of this nation. Right now, education reform, particularly teacher quality, is the topic and something the Obama Administration really wants to hang its hat on. Universities are the training grounds for teachers - new, returning, or the career changers through programs like "Alternative Routes to Teaching." So, there is just a natural relationship there. In the most basic of terms, universities are the government's "need-fillers." So, get out there and show them what you got! Do you have any other recommendations or helpful hints for SMI clients? I think every policy specialist and advocate has his or her tricks of the trade. When I think I've cracked the code, no job seems too big to take on. For instance, try to reach folks in the morning are much later in the day, but never on a Thursday afternoon when they are trying to get their "boss" (Member of Congress) out the door and on a plane back to the district. Also, in Congressional or Agency meetings, hand out briefing materials when you are leaving, not when you first get there-you truly want your 20 minutes to be spent on establishing a rapport, not looking at the top of the audience's head while they are busy reading what you just gave them!
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