David Adkins serves as the ninth executive director of The Council of State Governments. From CSG National Headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, Adkins leads a growing team of nearly 250 employees and oversees a budget with revenues in excess of $45 million. Adkins, an attorney, served 12 years as a member of the Kansas House and Senate and was named a CSG Henry Toll Fellow. Prior to joining CSG, Adkins practiced law, was the founding executive director of a community foundation and served as vice chancellor at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Adkins earned degrees in political science and law from the University of Kansas where he was elected student body president and was the first KU student named a Harry S. Truman Scholar. Adkins is currently a member of the board of visitors at the University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, an elected member of the board of trustees of the Kentucky Retirement System and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Elizabeth Whitehouse is the Chief Public Policy Officer at The Council of State Governments. Her work was instrumental in the Work Matters Task Force and has assisted legislators and governors with policy on workforce issues. Previously, she served as the Director of Education and Workforce Development at CSG. Prior to CSG, she served in a number of roles within Kentucky State Government, including the Department of Charitable Gaming, the Education and Workforce Cabinet and the Office of the Governor.

Heather leads our Finance department and supports strategic efforts to ensure stewardship of CSG resources with integrity, sustainability, and impact. She has over 15 years of experience supporting state leaders with fiscal policy and operations, including her roles with the CSG Policy team and as a Director at KPMG. Heather has a Finance degree from the University of Florida. She continues to achieve her goal of having traveled to as many countries as she is years old.

Luke E. Martel is Deputy Director of The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. He oversees a $40 million portfolio that supports state officials with innovative solutions to address pressing issues. Previously, he served for over 14 years at the National Conference of State Legislatures, including as Director of the Employment, Labor and Retirement Program. Luke earned a B.A. from Southwestern University and a J.D. from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law.

Tim's career in Human Resources includes experience in the pharmaceutical and environmental industries. He brings an analytical approach to the CSG HR function with a focus on employee centered, data informed services.

Prior to joining CSG Lorna served as the Executive Director of the Professional Resource Center at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics. In addition to her experience in higher education, she has an extensive background in the telecom industry with an emphasis on executive relationship management with Fortune 100 companies. Lorna has a BA in cultural anthropology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from the University of Kentucky.

Dan Logsdon is the Director of the National Center for Interstate Compacts at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Previously, Dan was Vice Chair of Kentucky's Public Service Commission. He served as Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s deputy chief of staff and as Assistant Kentucky State Treasurer. He also served as vice president for external affairs at Alltel Communications and Windstream Communications. He earned a B.A. in History from Murray State University.

Sydney Blodgett is a Program Manager at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. She has experience engaging state leaders to discuss policy issues and solutions in a bipartisan and innovative way. Throughout her career, Sydney has researched state policy and disseminated her analyses through articles and online platforms. Sydney previously worked for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. She earned a B.A. from the University of Louisville and an M.P.A from the University of Kentucky.

Andrew Johnson is a Policy Analyst at the Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. He works with the Education and Workforce Development Team. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both History and Political Science, as well as a Master of Arts in Education. Before coming to CSG, he taught middle school Social Studies and Reading & Writing and served on his school’s Site-Based Decision-Making Council.

Rachel Wright provides support to the State Exchange on Employment and Disability. In this role, Rachel convenes state policymakers and subject matter experts; develops analyses of state disability employment and workforce development policies; and prepares research memos, policy briefs and reports for state officials and non-technical audiences. Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Kentucky.

Abeer Sikder is a Policy Analyst at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. He works on the Education and Workforce Development Team and conducts research and analysis on policies that support employment for youth and young adults with disabilities. Abeer served in Teach For America as a middle and high school math teacher in Memphis, Tennessee. He earned a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Louisville.

Enmanuel Gomez is a Policy Analyst at the Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Previously, he was a Political Affairs Consultant at the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, engaged in project management, strategic operations and research. In his career, he has advocated for youth empowerment in global issues. He earned his M.A. in Political Science from Oklahoma State University and his B.A. in Journalism from Universidad de Palermo in Argentina.

Mary Wurtz is a Policy Analyst at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. In her role, she provides analysis and technical assistance related to Registered Apprenticeship and other workforce development policy issues. As a Schwarzman Scholar, Mary earned her Master of Management Science degree in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University in 2021. In 2020, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages and International Studies from Bellarmine University.

Chip O’Connell is a Research Data Scientist at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. He earned bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Economics from Marshall University and expects to earn his PhD in Political Science from the University of Kentucky in 2022. Prior to coming to The Council of State Governments, Chip instructed Political Science classes in topics such as political analysis. He loves playing with data and enjoys every step of the data analysis process.

Casandra manages the Apprenticeship Data Alignment and Performance Technical Assistance Center, the Overseas Voting Initiative, and other research areas related to cybersecurity, data and privacy. As a part of her work at CSG, Casandra regularly convenes state policy makers to facilitate the exchange of innovative policies and practices. Her work focuses on improving the quality of data collection in the states to help states inform policy decisions.

Carl Sims is a Special Projects Manager at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Carl oversees the work of the 2021-22 CSG Healthy States National Task Force, a multi-year project focused on the improvement of state fiscal, civic, economic and workforce and human health. Carl earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kentucky Wesleyan College and his Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky’s Martin School.

Matt Shafer is a Deputy Program Director at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Matt serves in the National Center for Interstate Compacts, where he manages development of licensure compacts for teaching, cosmetology, massage therapy, social work and dentistry and supports the legislative enactment of licensure compacts for counseling, occupational therapy and speech language pathology. Matt earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kentucky.

Dexter Horne is a Leadership Development Specialist at the Council of State Governments where he works to expand the personal, professional, and emotional skillsets of CSG members. In 2016, Dexter earned his bachelor’s degree in Politics from Centre College. He earned his MPA from the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration in the spring of 2018.

Isabel Eliassen is a policy associate with the National Center for Interstate Compacts at the Council for State Governments. She earned her B.A. from Western Kentucky University. She works primarily on the licensure compacts for professional counselors, occupational therapists, audiologists and speech-language pathologists and dentists and dental hygienists. She has helped write compact language and provides technical assistance to compact commissions and state legislatures.

Adam Diersing is a Policy Analyst and The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Adam joined the Council of State Governments after earning a degree in Law and Public Policy from the O’Neill School at Indiana University. Within the Center of Innovation, Adam primarily works on projects in occupational licensure, veteran support policy, and interstate compacts. Outside of work, Adam enjoys pub trivia and exploring the natural beauty around Lexington.

Jessica Thomas is a policy analyst at the Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. She works for the National Center for Interstate Compacts, supporting the development of compacts. Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree from Bellarmine University, a Master of Education degree from the University of Louisville and a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Kentucky.

Keith Buckhout is a Research Associate providing technical assistance on development of interstate compacts for occupational licensure with research and analysis focused on policies that promote public safety, remove barriers to employment, expand access to services and streamline regulatory administration. Prior to joining CSG, Keith served multiple administrations in Kentucky State Government. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Political S.

Dr. Dakota Thomas is a Senior Research Analyst in the Center of Innovation at CSG. In this role, he provides data analysis and research support for state policymakers. He is currently helping lead CSG’s efforts to analyze federal funding for states and make this information understandable and actionable for members. Dakota also works closely with CSG partners to encourage the use of evidence in policymaking. Dakota earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Politics at the University of Kentucky in 2019.

Ben Reynolds is a Research Analyst for The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. In this role, he provides policy research and technical assistance to state policymakers in all three branches of government and conducts fiscal policy research. Previously, he worked with the Tri-County Economic Development Corporation. Ben earned a B.S. in Economics from Northern Kentucky University and an M.Sc. in Applied Economics and Data Analysis from the University of Essex.

Cassidy White is a Senior Policy Analyst at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. She provides research support and technical assistance to the Shared State Legislation and Women, Infants, and Children programs. Cassidy earned a JD from William & Mary Law School and a BA in Political Science from the University of Kentucky. Cassidy possesses a wealth of policy expertise in human services, behavioral health, intimate partner violence, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Aja Croteau is a Program Manager at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. As part of this role, she oversees the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Special Project Innovation and Shared State Legislation initiatives. Aja earned a Bachelor’s in Agriculture and Natural Resources from Berea College and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky. Aja has a background working in non-profit organizations and food assistance programs.