National Office
1212 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005
Susan L. Gates, National Director
(202) 408-9284
Susan L. Gates is a former business litigator who has extensive experience working in support of proven investments in children. Ms. Gates practiced for 18 years as a business litigation partner with Hall & Estill, a law firm of over 120 attorneys and headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with offices in Oklahoma City, Northwest Arkansas, and Washington, D.C. Ms. Gates represented many business clients, from small businesses to Fortune 500 and other publicly-traded companies, throughout the country, specializing in complex litigation involving corporate and commercial issues, intellectual property, taxation, and environmental matters at both the federal and state level. In 2004, Ms. Gates left the law firm to serve as the General Counsel of a national children’s organization located in Washington, D.C. As a member of that organization’s executive office, she was responsible for organization-wide activities designed to create, strengthen and implement policies and programs to improve the lives of children in America.
Ms. Gates became National Director of America’s Edge in 2009. She has a J.D. degree with honors from the University of Tulsa, and a B.A. degree with honors from Oklahoma State University.
Tony Shivers, Deputy Director
(202) 464-5359
Tony Shivers joined America’s Edge in March 2013 with extensive experience in government affairs for education. Prior to joining America’s Edge, Mr. Shivers was the director of government affairs for the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) where he promoted the organization’s policy work before Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, other appropriate federal agencies, and the education community. Mr. Shivers also oversaw membership services and state policy action initiatives for the organization. Prior to joining NASBE in April 2009, Mr. Shivers was the director of government affairs for the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) based in Washington, DC. He lobbied Congress and the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of school districts that receive funding from the federal Impact Aid Program. While at NAFIS, he was successful in securing increased Impact Aid appropriations each fiscal year and an additional $100 million for Impact Aid school construction in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in 2009. Prior to joining NAFIS, Mr. Shivers was the state legislative field representative for the American Psychiatric Association (APA). He provided on-site grassroots advocacy training and resource assistance to APA’s District Branches/State Associations on specific state legislative and regulatory issues, with emphasis on mental health issues.
Tony received his B.S. in Political Science from the Pennsylvania State University and completed his legal studies at Kaplan University Concord School of Law. He is also a former education policy fellow with the Institute for Educational leadership. Tony hails from Wilmington, North Carolina and is married to Catherine, a national board certified teacher in the Fairfax County, Virginia school system.
Stephanie Schaefer, Co-Director, Research
(202) 776-0184
Stephanie Schaefer joined America’s Edge in 2009, bringing more than a decade of experience working on federal and state policy issues affecting children and families. Dr. Schaefer uses her expertise in early childhood care and education research and policy to evaluate and synthesize research information, preparing reports and briefs on effective investments in children. She also serves as Co-Director of Research for Fight Crime: Invest In Kids. Prior to that, Dr. Schaefer worked on children’s policy issues as a Policy and Advocacy Specialist at Voices for America’s Children, and as a Policy Analyst at the Alliance for Children and Families. Dr. Schaefer also has direct-service experience in early care and education, having taught young children in Head Start and child care classroom settings. Additionally, she has worked with state agencies on early care and education issues, developing data reports for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. She completed her B.A. in psychology at Drew University, and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in human development and family studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Nicholas D. Alexander, Federal Policy Director (202) 776-5109 Nick directs the federal policy efforts of America’s Edge. Prior to joining our organization in 2008, Nick served as the criminal law counsel for the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) where he assisted attorneys general from around the country in criminal justice policy matters. Before joining NAAG, Nick practiced law in Maryland, working with a firm specializing in the representation of police officers, where he handled criminal and civil litigation matters. He also has worked for the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section, where he staffed the Prosecution Function Committee and assisted the section’s governing board in developing policy recommendations. A graduate of the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law and a member of the Maryland State Bar, Nick received his B.A. in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). David Carrier, Deputy Communications Director (202) 464-5362 David has designed and implemented communications strategies for nonprofit organizations for over 15 years. Prior to joining our staff in 2011, David was the Director of Outreach and New Media at Child Trends, where he shared the latest research on children and families with the media, policymakers, and youth organizations across the country. He also pioneered Child Trends’ use of social media. Prior to that, David managed projects and conducted outreach for theNational Collaboration for Youth, American Planning Association, and National 4-H Council. David has a J.D. from American University and a B.A. in American Studies from Brandeis University. Kalli Krumpos, Membership Assistant (202) 464-5360 Kalli joined America’s Edge as the Membership Assistant in December 2012. Kalli has been involved in non-profit work promoting education and international development since graduation. She has a significant interest in peace and conflict studies, having spent time in both Uganda and Rwanda. Kalli graduated from Georgetown University, where she completed her B.A. in both Psychology and English.
America’s Edge operates under the umbrella of Council for a Strong America, a 501 (c)(3) organization.