ABOUT THE TRAINING

With recent changes to House Ethics rules allowing for more cohosted constituent service events, many casework teams are exploring creative strategies to reach constituents and spread the word about their services. But do these work? As a former state caseworker herself, Megan Rickman Blackwood’s academic work examines the impact of outreach methods on constituent access to benefits at the state level. This session will explore conclusions from Megan’s work, and provide an opportunity for participants to discuss their own approach to coordinating between casework and outreach.

SPEAKER

Megan Rickman Blackwood, M.A, is a Ph.D. Student at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Prior to returning to pursue her Ph.D. Megan served as a Legislative Director for Sen. Mamie E. Locke, Ph.D., in the Virginia State Senate. During this time of service, Megan was inspired to center her research agenda on creating knowledge to inform equitable policy making and accessible representation. Megan centers her work on discovering ways for representatives to bridge access-gaps and presents data-driven strategies for creating a more inclusive government.

MODERATOR

Anne Meeker is Deputy Director of POPVOX Foundation, and a former House caseworker. She was a founding member of the POPVOX Foundation team as Director of Special Initiatives. She previously served as Director of Constituent Services for Congressman Seth Moulton, where she worked to use data and technology to deliver smarter casework services to residents of the MA06. Anne holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of Oxford (St. Hugh's College), and an MSc in History from the London School of Economics. She is also a proud Clevelander, and will take any opportunity to talk up the Rust Belt.