Washington Update: February 2026

Liz LaPolt Clark is vice president for policy and research at NACUBO and a member of the NACUBO executive leadership group. She has been widely quoted in the press and is a sought-after speaker on how Washington politics and federal policies impact higher education. Clark got her start on Capitol Hill opening Cornell University's first Washington, DC-based federal relations office. Also in her career, she has led federal affairs for the State University of New York (SUNY) System and for Oregon State University. At NACUBO, she heads the team responsible for analysis of federal regulatory and legislative actions, research, and communications.

Bryan Dickson is director of education policy at the National Association of Colleges and University Business Officers. He serves as an advocate and strategist on federal higher education finance policy, with a focus on federal student aid administration and issues affecting access, affordability, and institutional financial operations. 

In his role Bryan monitors and interprets legislative and regulatory developments, providing strategic analysis and practical guidance to NACUBO members. He works closely with institutional leaders to assess policy impact, supports member engagement through councils and committees, and helps align NACUBO’s educational programming with emerging federal policies. 

Bryan joined NACUBO in 2008 and holds a bachelor's degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. 

Leslee Gilbert is a Vice President at Van Scoyoc Associates with an extensive background in higher education, research, technology development and politics. She has over 25 years hands-on experience in the Washington policy-making process, and over 30 years of experience working in and with institutions of higher education and innovation organizations.At VSA, Dr. Gilbert has developed a practice that focuses on research, development and competitiveness in fields such as aerospace, defense, healthcare, technology-based economic development, basic and applied science, environmental policy, and energy. 

Before joining VSA, she was Majority Staff Director and Counsel of the House of Representatives’ Science, Space, and Technology Committee, the primary committee for overseeing research and development in agencies such as NSF, NASA, NIST, NOAA, EPA, and the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, and Transportation. She played a central role in developing and implementing Federal science, technology, and civil space policy, including NASA reauthorization bills, the Energy Independence and Security Act, and America COMPETES. By virtue of her work on the Committee, Dr. Gilbert developed and still maintains strong bipartisan relationships across Congress with the Members and staff most involved in setting policy and providing funding for research and development.

Prior to coming to Washington, Dr. Gilbert was an Assistant Professor at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota, where she also served as a faculty officer. She has published a variety of articles for academic and general audiences. She holds a B.A. from Texas A&M University, an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, and a J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University. She is a member of the Maryland Bar. When she is not working, she enjoys snow skiing, weightlifting, and flying her single-engine plane around the region.