Michele Mariani Vaughn is the Vice President for Communications. In this role, she leads the strategic direction of the Communications team. Working with editorial, media relations, digital, and administrative colleagues, she coordinates the team’s planning processes and oversees team administration. She works with members of the Communications team to use strategic communications to shape the public debate and advance the organization’s policy goals, integrating persuasive messaging and communications materials, press and partner outreach, strategic digital engagement, and events, all of which seek to center and advance equity and justice.

Prior to joining the Center, Vaughn was a project director with the Pew Center on the States, an editor at Builder magazine, and a reporter at Governing magazine. She also co-authored Governing States and Localities, a college textbook about state and local government.

Vaughn received a master’s degree in Public Policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree in Magazine Journalism and Public Policy from Syracuse University.