Catherine Van Ness

Senior Policy Analyst

Catherine Van Ness serves as a senior policy analyst for the K-12 Education team of the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices. In this role, she currently supports Governors’ offices and state leaders in addressing the social-emotional needs of students and families as we recover after COVID-19.

Before coming to NGA, Catherine was State Operations and Policy Deputy Director at Council for a Strong America. There, she performed policy analysis work to inform the organization’s approach to equity-focused state policy. She also led the organization’s membership and state policy initiatives in New Jersey and New York while supporting the efforts of nine state offices across the country. Catherine also coordinated the organization’s afterschool policy work, presenting at various state and national conferences and facilitating coalition coordination.

Catherine received her Master of Arts in Education Policy Studies from The George Washington University and her Bachelor’s degree from Fordham University.

Catherine is originally from Massachusetts and currently enjoys living in Washington, DC.