Get to Know Elizabeth Leiwant: Vice President of Public Policy and Research

Elizabeth Leiwant, Vice President of Public Policy and Research

Elizabeth Leiwant’s dedication to a thriving care system is rooted in her long time interest in the as a child care center assistant teacher, K-12 classroom teacher and administrator, researcher, and mom. 

In her role as Vice President of Public Policy and Research at Neighborhood Villages, Liz leads our work to enact policies at the local, state, and federal level to create a system that best supports educators and families. She oversees our research, government affairs, and advocacy portfolios, translating complex issues into actionable insights that help fellow advocates, legislators, educators, and the public to drive change.

Liz is leading the charge to advance data-driven, implementable policy solutions that strengthen the early education system for families and educators in Massachusetts and throughout the country.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My entire career has been focused on advancing education equity and access. From my first part time job as an assistant in a child care center, to my time as an elementary school teacher and school leader, and through my research, community-based, and public policy roles. I’ve been with Neighborhood Villages for almost three years now, and this position brings together so much of the work I have done previously - it all comes back to making a system that supports children and families to thrives. 

Why is early education important to you?

The first five years of a child’s life is when 90% of brain development occurs. It is crucial we give every child the opportunity to thrive during this time. In my career I have seen the positive impacts on children when they have access to high quality early learning opportunities, and the challenges that occur when they do not. As a former teacher I know how important and undervalued this work is. And as a parent I very personally understand the challenges of trying to find, and afford, the child care setting that works best for your family. I believe every single child –and family– deserves a strong foundation, regardless of their background or resources. Creating a well-funded, functional system is the best way to make that happen. That’s why public policy work is so important to me. 

How has your experience shaped your work at Neighborhood Villages?

I got into public policy work because I know that systems impact what happens in classrooms every day. All of the challenges we see in K-12 education with underfunding, lack of resources, and insufficient training and support for teachers is exacerbated in the early education sector. In my work now I apply both what I saw working in K-12 and what I saw failing that system to help design policy solutions that will create a thriving sector.

Why did you choose Neighborhood Villages? 

Through working at Neighborhood Villages, I have the privilege to combine my primary interests - public policy and education -  all while fighting for change. It feels incredibly purposeful to bring my two passions together as a career. 

What is one project or initiative you are especially proud of accomplishing at Neighborhood Villages?

We have achieved several policy goals over the last three years but something that I have been really excited about is getting legislation passed to set the framework for a more inclusive and well-funded early education system in Massachusetts. This includes reforms related to affordability, compensation, data collection, and funding approaches. One important piece was Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants becoming permanent, creating the structure for a whole new funding approach for the sector and seeing increased commitments for compensation and benefits for educators, we are seeing real progress in Massachusetts, even while we are seeing threats from elsewhere to early education and those who are the backbone of the sector.