Barbara A. Hoblitzell
Baltimore,MD
Overview
41
41
years of professional experience
Work History
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Higher Education, Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs (OLCA)
U.S. Department of Education
10.2023 - Current
- Works closely with the Office of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary, and other Department of Education (Department or ED) offices, as appropriate, in the formulation and development of legislative proposals on higher education
- Assists in presenting and interpreting the Department's legislative proposals before the appropriate committees
- Collaborates with other Department offices to develop legislative and regulatory initiatives
- Serves as an advisor to the Assistant Secretary for OLCA on the formulation and development of the administration's legislative agenda and the process for all oversight and engagement
- Keeps the Assistant Secretary apprised of all controversial policy issues, issues of special importance, and their impact on education stakeholders and Members of Congress
- Provides information on educational problems and associated views of Members of Congress and communicates those views to the Secretary and other Departmental Offices
- Advises and provides services to program officers responding to direct Congressional requests concerning legislative matters related to authorizations
- Serves as an active member of OLCA's senior leadership team as an expert, drawn from many years of congressional experience, through productive engagement and interaction with the majority and minority staff of both the Senate and the House authorizing, appropriations, and oversight committees, and contributes to the realization of OLCA's goals through the comprehensive oversight and coordination of all requests made to OLCA and the Department from Congress
- Works closely with the senior staffs of the Department and the White House to coordinate and implement OLCA goals and objectives and Department plans and priorities related to Congressional and Legislative Affairs
- Acts as catalyst and arbiter to ensure that the policy development process enlists the advice, cooperation, and support of Congress by soliciting their active participation in decisions
- Has responsibility for the identification of needs, the development of proposed legislative and regulatory initiatives, the initial planning for implementation of anticipated legislation, and the review of implications of the substance on existing regulations in relation to strategic initiatives
- Develops long-range strategy recommendations, provides analyses that support policy decision-making related to these program areas and translates policy into consistent budgetary, legislative, regulatory, and operational programs
- Ensures that senior staff and Congressional staff (where appropriate) are aware of proposed major policy changes, significant problem areas, and long-range policy and administrative goals, in order to promote consistency and conformity in the development of agency policy rationale
- Represents OLCA in Department-wide activities and initiatives, meetings with Congressional and White House representatives, and other Federal agencies along with the Assistant Secretary
- Serves as primary liaison between ED, Members of Congress, and their staff on issues associated with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Served as primary liaison between ED, Members of Congress, and their staff during the Biden-Harris administration on efforts to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and its implementation to provide student debt relief; negotiate and publish multiple new regulations pertaining to title IV of the Higher Education Act; and return more than 40 million student loan borrowers to repayment after a three-year payment pause
Legislative Affairs Specialist, OLCA
U.S. Department of Education
02.2021 - 10.2023
- Established and maintained close working relationships with Members of Congress and their staff on matters affecting Department of Education legislation
- Formally and informally interpreted, advised on, and presented the Department's stand on educational problems of national concern, and the nature and scope of legislation needed for their solution
- Served as a liaison between the Department of Education and Congress in connection with programs and policies currently under consideration
- Assisted the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Secretary in developing and executing the legislative activities of the Department
- Reviewed draft regulations prior to their publication in the Federal Register to assure that provisions are included which reflect congressional intent
Management and Program Analyst, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Policy, Planning, and Innovation
U.S. Department of Education
09.2014 - 02.2021
- Formulated federal postsecondary education policy and administered programs that address critical national needs in support of the Department's mission to increase access to quality postsecondary education
- Provided policy analysis and advice on legislation of higher education
- Led and participated as a member of negotiated rulemaking teams responsible for developing issue papers for consideration by non-federal negotiators, drafting and negotiating proposed regulatory language, developing Notices of Proposed Rule Making, responding to public comment, and publishing final regulations
Associate Director, Student Financial Support
University of California, Office of the President
Oakland, CA
09.2012 - 09.2014
- Provided leadership, strategic planning, oversight, and coordination of policy development in response to emerging federal, state, and University requirements that affect students
- Served as the primary resource for influencing and interpreting federal and state regulatory requirements and taking appropriate action to enable University compliance
- Worked closely with Members of Congress, their staffs, and Committee staff members to advance the University's legislative and regulatory priorities and initiatives
- Represented the University at congressional hearings, markups, floor debates, and conferences on legislation
- Developed creative solutions to address the education financing challenges of undocumented students, resulting in the passage of California legislation to provide institutional education loans to this population
- Supervised and led senior administrators with responsibilities that included regulatory compliance, student privacy, institutional and federal campus-based student loan servicing, education tax credit reporting, the research and selection of preferred private lenders, financing on-line education, and the management of systemwide contracts
- Ensured staff were empowered and trained to meet the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and provided regular and constructive feedback on individual performance according to established expectations
Vice President, Solutions
Kay Jacks and Associates
Washington, DC
02.2010 - 09.2012
- Provided consulting services to colleges and universities, the federal government, and the contractors that provide support services to them and to the federal government
Vice President, Business Development
Sallie Mae
Reston, VA
11.2008 - 01.2010
- Directed business development efforts, including the development of strategic plans, quantitative and qualitative goals and objectives, and key implementation tactics
- Worked closely with regional sales management to effectively deploy local resources to establish and maintain productive relationships with national, state, and regional education associations
- Provided effective leadership to informal teams of individuals to ensure success with key association relationships and program initiatives
Senior Vice President, Campus Solutions
Sallie Mae
03.2006 - 11.2008
- Provided strategic planning and direction in collaboration with college and university presidents and their senior officers to research and assess institutional processes, benchmark performance against segment leaders and best practices, and identify opportunities to reduce costs and increase revenues, while improving student, family, and staff satisfaction
Director, Transfer Preparation Policy and Programs
University of California, Office of the President
Oakland, CA
08.2004 - 03.2006
- Provided leadership and direction in the development, implementation, administration, and evaluation of the policies and technical and administrative functions related to the University of California's (UC's) Transfer Preparation Policy and Programs
- Supervised and led senior administrators with responsibilities that included regulatory compliance, student privacy, transfer student preparation, student recruitment, and admission
- Developed and implemented new initiatives to foster access to the baccalaureate degree for students who begin their postsecondary education at a California Community College (CCC)
- Served as a voting member of the Intersegmental Coordinating Council (ICC) Committee on Transfer, the ICC Committee on Transfer Days and College Nights, the UC-CCC Transfer Advisory Board, and the ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer) Board of Directors
- Ensured staff were empowered and trained to meet the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and provided regular and constructive feedback on individual performance according to established expectations
- Created and fostered an organizational atmosphere of mutual respect and collegiality, open communication, and personal accountability
Principal Policy Analyst, Transfer Enrollment Planning and Outreach
University of California
05.2003 - 08.2004
- Provided leadership and complex analysis in the development, implementation, administration, research, and evaluation of the policies and functions related to the UC's new Dual Admissions Program (DAP) and Guaranteed Transfer Option (GTO)
- Generated both formative and summative evaluations to assess the impact of DAP and GTO on UC undergraduate admissions
- Authored reports on behalf of UC to the California State Legislature, Legislative Analyst's Office, State Department of Education, and other related agencies that have oversight or interest in the University's admissions policies and practices
Principal Policy Analyst, Student Financial Support
University of California
08.1998 - 05.2003
- Provided complex analytical support in the development, administration, research, and evaluation of the policies and functions related to UC's compliance with the reporting regulations governing education tax credits, with a particular focus on university-wide contracts awarded in this area
- Served as the organization's expert on federal campus-based student loan programs, and as a resource to the campuses on bankruptcy
Associate Director
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
05.1993 - 08.1998
- Served in positions of increasing scope and responsibility in the area of student services and supervising teams of professional and administrative staff
Director
AT&T
Basking Ridge, NJ
10.1983 - 05.1993
- Served in positions of increasing scope and responsibility across several divisions, including Consumer Marketing, Sales Management, Sales Education, Consumer Operations, General Markets Group (GMG) Operations and Planning, Human Resources, GMG Executive Staff, and AT&T International through AT&T's Leadership Development Program
Timeline
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Higher Education, Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs (OLCA)
U.S. Department of Education
10.2023 - Current
Legislative Affairs Specialist, OLCA
U.S. Department of Education
02.2021 - 10.2023
Management and Program Analyst, Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Policy, Planning, and Innovation
U.S. Department of Education
09.2014 - 02.2021
Associate Director, Student Financial Support
University of California, Office of the President
09.2012 - 09.2014
Vice President, Solutions
Kay Jacks and Associates
02.2010 - 09.2012
Vice President, Business Development
Sallie Mae
11.2008 - 01.2010
Senior Vice President, Campus Solutions
Sallie Mae
03.2006 - 11.2008
Director, Transfer Preparation Policy and Programs
University of California, Office of the President
08.2004 - 03.2006
Principal Policy Analyst, Transfer Enrollment Planning and Outreach
University of California
05.2003 - 08.2004
Principal Policy Analyst, Student Financial Support
University of California
08.1998 - 05.2003
Associate Director
University of California, Berkeley
05.1993 - 08.1998
Director
AT&T
10.1983 - 05.1993
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