Annelise is a senior policy and program specialist, with more than ten years of professional experience in advancing quality education for all children. She is passionate about the intersection of education, health, and leadership development. In her day job with the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the country representing over 3 million employees, who work at every level of education, Annelise is driven to ensure that all educators, students, and union leaders have the social and emotional support needed to thrive. She has worked with diverse groups and organizations internationally and domestically on issues spanning food insecurity, violence against women, immigration, and disability rights. She received her M.A. in International Training and Education from American University and her B.A. from Scripps College. She stays busy chasing around her two-year-old in Hyattsville, Maryland, and is certified as a children's yoga and mindfulness teacher.