The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) is excited to announce one of our newest research affiliates, Amy Meli. She is a postdoctoral research associate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Her research centers around interest groups and the way they influence the political system. Her research projects include an examination of the way involvement in interest groups influences interest group member political efficacy and affective polarization, the relationship between interest groups and the political parties, and corporate reactions to the January 6 insurrection. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Maryland, an M.A. from the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University, and a B.A. in Political Science and Communication Studies from Virginia Tech. She comes to academia after a career as a practitioner of politics, including work in the U.S. House of Representatives, corporate public affairs, grassroots organizations, and political action committees.

We are excited to bring Dr. Meli’s research and experience with the political process to the CEL and look forward to her assistance in advancing the understanding of legislative effectiveness.