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Elaine Zimmerman served as the Administration for Children and Families lead, with the New England states, for the last eight years. She represented state interests and needs to the federal government, creating a routine feedback loop among human service leaders.

As the Regional Administrator, she launched the Whole Family Approach to Jobs Initiative, supporting the six New England states in peer-to-peer learning, research and policy design on family well-being and economic mobility. This work included a nationally significant study and action steps to mitigate the cliff effect for family economic success.  Elaine also co-designed the national ACF Lived Experience Advisory, assuring customer input into all of ACF鈥檚 programs such as child care, child support, TANF, child welfare and human trafficking.   

Before her time with ACF, Elaine was Executive Director of the Connecticut Commission on Children. She led children鈥檚 initiatives and helped craft model policy for the legislature in health, safety and learning. Elaine assisted the Speaker of the House in envisioning and guiding the first school readiness law in the nation. With the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus, she researched and helped to move a comprehensive early reading success law. She also facilitated the first bill in the states on two-generational practice.  

Elaine founded the Parent Leadership Training Institute, a democracy school for families that teaches parents how change takes place for children in community and in government. Specific civic skills and in-depth community practice offer proven family leadership outcomes within community and schools. This 20-week curriculum is now in over 30 states and tribes and led to her receiving a Good Housekeeping Award for Women in Government.

Elaine served as Sr. Consultant to the Human Services Committee for the California Legislature, before her work in New England. She reviewed all potential bills in human services, early learning and poverty reduction for the legislature and offered briefs for the Human Services Policy Committee. Elaine also designed and staffed the first legislative Family Policy Committee, facilitating a coordinated approach to family policy.

Elaine is the mother of two adults and grandmother to a toddler entering kindergarten this fall. She is a published poet, essayist, and political analyst.