CEF Staff
Joel Packer, Executive Director
The former director of educational policy and practice at the National Education Association, Joel Packer offers our clients his extensive knowledge of the issues and people involved in federal education policy. Joel has successfully represented educators, state universities and college students before Congress and the Administration for more than 34 years. He combines messaging, coalition building and direct advocacy on a broad range of education and budget issues.
Joel was at NEA for 25 years, most recently as director of educational policy and practice. At NEA, he was responsible for key issues, including school readiness, standards, testing and accountability, teaching and learning conditions, educator quality, parent involvement, funding, special education, high school reform, 21st century skills/STEM issues, English Language Learners, voucher programs and charter schools.
Joel also led NEA’s policy and advocacy work on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and was the organization’s lead liaison with the U.S. Department of Education. He previously was a NEA lobbyist, covering issues including higher education, family and medical leave, the Brady bill, school prayer, civil rights, judicial nominations, health care and environmental hazards in schools.
He has testified numerous times before congressional committees and spoken before a broad range of organizations. Joel is quoted in the media regularly, and he has appeared on many radio talk shows.
In 1993 Joel served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs in the U.S. Department of Labor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
Career Highlights
• Director of Educational Policy and Practice at the National Education Association
• Respected and recognized commentator on national education issues
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs in the U.S. Department of Labor
Courtney R. Snowden
A Washington, DC native with a wealth of political and legislative experience, Courtney Snowden helps our clients achieve their public policy goals through direct lobbying, strategic planning and coalition building.
Prior to joining The Raben Group, Courtney served as a lobbyist for the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), directing their advocacy efforts on a variety of legislative issues, including budget and appropriations, vouchers, and No Child Left Behind. Courtney also served as the federal policy manager for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). At GLSEN, she developed proactive strategies to raise awareness among members of Congress and the public on the detrimental impact of bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
Courtney began her career in the office of Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), where she was responsible for advising Congresswoman Baldwin on an array of legislative issues, including animal rights, small business, labor and Native American and women’s issues. She then joined the legislative staff of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay and lesbian political organization.
Courtney earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. A highlight of her undergraduate career was her candidacy for the Beloit City Council. Although the youngest candidate in the nine-person field, Courtney garnered broad community support and was only five percent shy of winning a council seat.
Career Highlights
• Lobbyist for the National Parent Teacher Association
• Federal Policy Manager for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Netword
• Aide to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
Michelle Martin
Combining trial advocacy work with years of experience navigating the intricacies of Medicaid, Medicare and commercial health insurance, Michelle Martin helps our clients develop and implement strategic health care goals.
Having served as a trial attorney and business development coordinator in the health care field, Michelle brings her experience in the intricacies of Medicaid and Medicare policy to her work for the firm’s clients. She has developed a detailed understanding of the health care industry, and particularly of the challenges presented by Medicaid, Medicare and commercial plan reimbursement issues. Michelle’s previous work also required her to consider the positions of patients, providers, hospitals and liability insurers to develop effective outcomes respecting diverse viewpoints.
Prior to joining The Raben Group, Michelle worked for a national cost management vendor to health care plans, representing over 125 Medicaid, Medicare and commercial insurer clients. She educated health plan management about the importance of cost management and how it can positively affect the health plan’s financial position. A key component of her work was addressing client concerns related to CMS regulation, HIPAA and HEDIS ratings.
Michelle also spent several years as a trial attorney, where her clients included a Detroit hospital system, a physician group and several smaller acute-care hospitals.
A native of Michigan, Michelle earned her Bachelor of Arts in economics from Albion College and her J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.
Career Highlights
• Business development coordinator for a national medical vendor
• Trial attorney for health care professionals
Meaghan Hohl
With a background in government and business, Meaghan Hohl offers our clients extensive experience in public policy, communications, and strategic planning.
Prior to joining The Raben Group, Meaghan was a senior consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, a leading strategic consulting firm. At Booz Allen, she helped clients in the government sector design new organizational structures and processes to improve operational effectiveness. She also created communications strategies related to these initiatives.
Previously, Meaghan served on the staff of Congresswoman Diane Watson (D-CA), where she was responsible for telecommunications issues and for staffing the Congressional Entertainment Industries Caucus. Her duties included drafting legislation, briefing Congresswoman Watson on her priority issues, and contributing to the work of the communications office. Before working in the House, Meaghan spent four years on the legislative staff of Senator John Kerry (D-MA), where she was responsible for conducting legislative research, drafting legislation and staffing the Senator on issues that included social domestic policy and immigration reform.
Meaghan has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Masters of Business Administration from the George Washington University.
Career Highlights
• Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton
• Staff of Congresswoman Diane Watson
• Staff of Senator John Kerry
Anita Butler
Anita Butler brings media and political experience to her work at The Raben Group, where she assists our clients with research and strategic planning.
Prior to joining the firm, Anita worked as the project coordinator at New Future Communications. In this position, she assisted with writing proposals, pitching stories to the media and planning events. During the 2008 campaign, Anita served as assistant press secretary for the Nevada State Senate Democratic Caucus, where she assisted with message development, candidate interview preparation, story pitching and other communications functions.
Anita has also completed internships with political and non-profit organizations, including various positions in the U.S. Congress and the Brazil Information Center.
A native of Northumberland County, Virginia, Anita graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in history with a certificate in global studies. Her international experiences include a study tour of Ghana, where she studied the life of W.E.B DuBois and his philosophies of Pan-Africanism. She is conversational in Spanish and has participated in language and culture programs in Granada, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Omsk, Russia.
Career Highlights
• Project Coordinator at New Future Communications
• Assistant Press Secretary for Nevada State Senate Democratic Caucus
