Staff

Phillip Lovell

Phillip Lovell serves as the Alliance’s vice president of policy development and government relations. He is a passionate advocate for the nation’s underserved children and youth, having spent the past two decades advocating on Capitol Hill in areas such as juvenile justice, homelessness, and education.

At the Alliance, Mr. Lovell is responsible for leading the organization’s efforts on Capitol Hill, with the White House and U.S. Department of Education to advocate for federal policy that will prepare the nation’s students to graduate from high school prepared for college and the workforce. He led the Alliance’s effort to ensure that high schools with low-graduation rates receive comprehensive support and intervention under the recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act. He also led the Alliance’s effort to increase federal funding for internet access among the nation’s schools and libraries by $1.5 billion annually. Mr. Lovell serves as a frequent spokesperson for the organization and leads Federal Flash, the Alliance’s video series providing education stakeholders nationwide with regular updates on federal education policy.

Mr. Lovell began his career as policy coordinator for the National Crime Prevention Council, best known for its public advertising campaign featuring “McGruff the Crime Dog.” While working for McGruff he worked with colleague organizations to develop and advocate for the Younger Americans Act, legislation designed to create the nation’s first comprehensive federal youth policy. He also cofounded the National Youth Network, a partnership of over twenty national youth organizations with the U.S. Department of Justice that strengthened the voice of young people with regard to juvenile justice during the youth violence epidemic of the late 1990s.

Subsequently, as director of public policy for Camp Fire USA, Mr. Lovell represented nearly 750,000 children and youth, advancing issues such as childcare and afterschool programs and leading Camp Fire USA’s efforts to secure federal funds to expand positive youth development programs.

Most recently, he served as vice president for education, housing, and youth policy at First Focus and America’s Promise Alliance, founded by Ret. General Colin Powell. Mr. Lovell represented the organization on Capitol Hill and in the media, raising the visibility of the impact of the “Great Recession” on children, and leading legislation to address the academic and nonacademic needs facing underserved students and high school dropouts. While at America’s Promise Alliance, he led the advocacy effort to pass the Federal Youth Coordination Act, legislation designed to improve coordination and communication among federal agencies serving young people. He also led the advocacy effort to double federal funding for homeless students in the economic stimulus package passed in 2009.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Lovell has written a number of publications on issues such as children in the federal budget, homeless children and families, and disconnected youth. His work has been referenced in media outlets including CNN, USA Today, C-span, and Time magazine. Mr. Lovell is frequently called upon by Congressional aides to provide assistance in the development of legislation to strengthen education policy for underserved students.

Mr. Lovell has an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in international politics. He and his wife, Beth, have two daughters and a son.