Elizabeth Pyke is the Director of Government Affairs at the National Criminal Justice Association. In that role, she carries NCJA members’ policy and funding priorities to Capitol Hill and Executive branch agencies. She also works closely with the other state, local and issue advocacy groups in Washington, DC in coalition on state and local criminal justice issues.

For nearly a decade prior to joining NCJA, Elizabeth worked for three governors in their federal relations offices in Washington, D.C. Most recently, she served as the Senior Advisor for Federal Relations in the Iowa Office of State-Federal Relations for Governor Tom Vilsack where she managed a portfolio of policy issues that included criminal justice, homeland security, natural resources, agriculture and overall appropriations strategy. Prior to that, Elizabeth served as the Director of Federal Relations for Maryland Governor Parris Glendening. In that role, she coordinated the State’s federal policy and funding priorities and managed the Governor’s responsibilities as chair of the National Governors Association and as president of the Council of State Governments. Elizabeth began her service to governors as Policy Director for Economic Development in the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations during Governor Ann Richards’ administration, with emphasis on the North American Free Trade Agreement, U.S.-Mexico border issues and continued funding for the space station. Elizabeth also spent four years as a Legislative Consultant with the law firm of Verner Liipfert Bernhard McPherson and Hand, representing a variety of public and private sector clients on Capitol Hill.

Elizabeth received her B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA, and her M.Phil. in International Relations from the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. She is an elected member of the Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank and invitational membership organization. She is involved in a number of volunteer organizations and is an active member of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church.