Staff
Remy Trupin, Executive Director
Remy is the founding executive director of the Budget & Policy Center. Before joining the Budget & Policy Center, Remy was the Government Affairs Director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and also served as legislative consultant to United Way of King County. Remy has a diverse array of public policy experience, including working for the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC, and researching programs and strategies to improve health outcomes for children at the Urban Health Initiative. Remy serves on several boards, is an American Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund, and is member of the Governor’s Priorities of Government Guidance Team. Remy’s undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the University of Washington; a BA in political science and a MPA from the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs.
Contact: remyt (at) budgetandpolicy.org
Caitlin Cosgrove, Director of Operations
Prior to joining the Budget & Policy Center, Caitlin worked in Vancouver, British Columbia on the development of new health care initiatives and worked to implement strategies for improved care on a national level. She also worked for Georgetown University Law Center in the Office of International and Graduate Programs in Washington, DC. She attended Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec and is currently pursuing a graduate degree.
Contact: caitlinc (at) budgetandpolicy.org
Kim Justice, Policy Analyst
Prior to joining the Budget & Policy Center, Kim worked as a policy analyst for the House Democratic Caucus (HDC).
At the HDC, Kim supported the policy development efforts of the House Committee on Community, Economic Development and Trade and assisted and advised the House Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services in the budget-making process. Kim has worked in Washington state politics since 2001, as a campaign organizer for Democratic legislative races, a community organizer for labor and progressive organizations, and as a lobbyist for the Statewide Poverty Action Network.
Contact: kimj (at) budgetandpolicy.org
Tara Lee, Communications Director
Prior to joining the Budget & Policy Center, Tara led the public policy efforts for the Washington Dental Service Foundation where she worked with the state legislature and state-wide coalitions to advance health policy and oral health programs.
She has also worked for Seattle-based non-profits including HomeStep, which provides transitional housing and the University of Washington Women’s Center where she headed up development and communications efforts.
Tara began her career working to elect progressive candidates in California to political office. She currently serves on the PTA Board at West Woodland Elementary school in Ballard. She has a BA in history from Western Washington University and a MPA from Seattle University.
Contact: taral (at) budgetandpolicy.org
Michael Mitchell, State Policy Fellow
Prior to joining the Budget & Policy Center, Michael was a full-time M.P.A. student at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, where he focused on state and local finance and the impacts of racial and cultural diversity on management and governing. He has worked in Washington, D.C. serving as a Congressional Intern in both the House and the Senate. Michael completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut with degrees in Political Science and Economics.
The State Policy Fellowship is designed to bring diverse voices to state policy debates while making a difference for vulnerable families and communities.
Contact: michaelm (at) budgetandpolicy.org
Andy Nicholas, Policy Analyst
Prior to joining the Budget & Policy Center, Andy worked as a Research Associate at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, DC. At CBPP he co-authored numerous reports and performed extensive research on state fiscal policy. Additionally, Andy taught English in Yang Zhou, China and worked several legislative sessions in the Washington State Legislature. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Central Washington University and a Master of Public Policy from American University’s School of Public Affairs.
Contact: andyn (at) budgetandpolicy.org
Lori Pfingst, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst
Lori received her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Washington, with a major in medical sociology and a minor in statistics. She has over ten years experience in research and policy analysis, with expertise in poverty/inequality, health, and criminology. Prior to joining the Budget and Policy Center, Lori served as the Assistant Director of Washington KIDS COUNT in the UW Evans School of Public Affairs, and most recently as a Research Scientist with Public Health-Seattle/King County. She is a published author and skilled speaker, specializing in the translation of complex research for diverse audiences.
Contact: lorip (at) budgetandpolicy.org
