Susie Feliz
Vice President, Policy and Legislative Affairs, National Urban League
Susie Feliz has nearly two decades of Capitol Hill experience as an aide to Senator Clinton, a legislative director to three members of Congress (including as a leader of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association), and subsequently as a lead policy advocate for the National Urban League. As a result, she brings an in-depth understanding of how public policy is formulated, an extensive network across all levels of government, the private sector, trade associations, and civil society, and a track record of creating and then shepherding policy through its congressional life cycle. She is mission-oriented and focused on advancing economic growth and opportunity in policymaking and through public/private partnerships.
In her current role as the National Urban League’s Vice President for Policy and Legislative Affairs, Susie is responsible for directing and overseeing the Washington Bureau’s policy team in the development of public policy priorities and advocacy strategies that advance the National Urban League’s economic empowerment and civil rights agenda. As such, Ms. Saavedra promotes the Urban League’s policy objectives externally through strategic advocacy before Congress and the Administration as well as through targeted education and outreach to business leaders, advocacy organizations and other key stakeholders and partners. She also ensures the Urban League movement and Affiliate leaders remain informed and engaged regarding the impact of major state and federal policy issues on Urban League programs and core constituents. Before joining the National Urban League in 2013, Susie served in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate for a decade, advising four members of Congress including as a legislative aide to former Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and legislative director to Representatives Joe Baca (CA-43), AL Green (TX-09) and Karen Bass (CA-37).